Sugar Free
Make 2017 the year you cut out sugar for good
C
laire White is the author of the highly acclaimed Sugar
Snub guides (sugarsnub.co.uk), which list the sugar
contents of common supermarket foods and restaurant
and café dishes. In her research for the books she’s
learnt a lot about sugar.
She appreciates that it’s often easier said than done to simply
‘give up’ sugar, but knows that if reduced sensibly even the biggest
sugar fiend can cut down on the ‘white stuff’ and make a dramatic
impact on their health.1) Small changes quickly add up
‘Marginal gains’ are talked about a lot in sport at the moment, with
the Sky cycling team having become the best in the world by making
small changes that have added up to make a big difference. Cutting
out sugar can be viewed in much the same way as becoming a world
champion cyclist. If you just look at the end goal, whether that be
‘becoming an Olympic Gold medallist’ or ‘totally cutting out sugar’,
it can become intimidating and overwhelming. If you break that goal
down into smaller steps, such as ‘go a little bit faster on the bike
today than yesterday’ then over time the main goal is achieved.
With sugar, there are so many small steps you can take that the
process of giving it up can be easily broken down into daily and
weekly targets that put you closer towards achieving your main goal.
For example, aiming to cut down the number of sugars you have in
your tea or coffee from two teaspoons to one is an easy and not
too painful goal which makes a great achievement for week one. In
week two, swap the jam on your morning toast to sugar free peanut
butter. In week three aim to lose one sugar laden pudding from your
weekly meal plan and replace it with sugar free yoghurt and fruit.
You’ll find this not only easier to implement than going cold turkey,
but also self-reciprocating because as you begin to cut out sweet
foods your sugar cravings reduce and the next steps become easier.2) Pick a good alternative
Sugar has been seen to be as addictive as heroine, so it’s not
surprising it’s so hard to cut out. There are a whole host of
alternatives available, which can make things significantly easier
however. Some alternatives though, such as agave nectar, still
contain really high amounts of sugar, so be careful what you pick.
I’d recommend something called xylitol. It might not sound very
natural, but ‘xyl’ comes from the Greek word for wood and xylitol
comes from birch and beech wood. It has less calories and ‘available’
carbohydrates than sugar, but most importantly it has less of an
impact on your blood sugar levels, which helps curb cravings. It also
looks, tastes and acts just like granulated sugar, so it’s super easy
to bake with, use in tea and coffee or sprinkle on fruit and cereal. It
also has a positive impact on dental health and has been seen to
reduce plaque and tooth decay.om living
3) Check labels
Don’t undo all your good work by unknowingly eating or drinking
something laden with hidden sugars. My Sugar Snub books try and
help with this by listing the different levels of sugar in common shop
and café/restaurant foods, but do your own detective work and read
labels to find out the sugar content of your shopping before putting
it in the basket and don’t be scared to ask when ordering food or
drink how much sugar is in your order.4) Be creative
There are plenty of ways you can reduce sugar if you put your mind
to it. Try adding cinnamon or other spices to a recipe, instead of so
much sugar, for a different kind of sweet sensation. Make your own
popcorn at home and create some tasty coatings, that don’t involve
sugar, for a snack that still feels indulgent. Don’t fight your need for
chocolate, just go for a darker lower sugar version instead!5) Stay strong
Whilst having the odd sugar laden treat might not do your waistline
any harm in the short term, it can be really detrimental if you’re
trying to wean yourself off sugar. Coming off sugar in the long term
is about re-programming your brain and taste buds so they don’t
crave sugar. This can happen relatively quickly and often people find
they no longer even like overly sweet foods after just a few weeks
of cutting down, but having a packet of sweets can quickly undo the
hard work you’ve done especially during the early stages. Instead
buy in some of your favourite savoury snacks and when you feel like
you deserve a treat go for those instead.The Sugar Snub Guide to Eating Out is available as a paperback and
e-book from http://www.sugarsnub.co.uk, and Amazon, priced at £8.99 and
£3.99 respectively.