It would seem that there is nothing terrible in one cake or a pair of chocolates. However, even a moderate intake of sugar every day is fraught with obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, cardiovascular diseases and caries. That is why the amount of sugar is desirable to minimize. But how to make it as painless as possible for yourself?
Experts increasingly call sugar a drug, and their addiction is addiction. Sugar is associated with the production of so-called pleasure hormones – dopamine and serotonin. That is why without sweet we quickly become moody and irritable, and a chocolate bar helps to see the world in a pink color.
Although many are convinced of the opposite, sugar cannot be called a vital element for the work of our body. To realize this is to take the first step in the fight against sugar addiction.
“Let’s say you ate sweet yogurt in the morning, a couple of caramels in the working afternoon, and after dinner you allowed yourself an eclair with tea. It would seem not so much. However, in terms of the biochemistry of this amount of sugar, your body should be enough for the next two months,” says nutritionistRaphael Gruman .
It’s time to stop and give up the sweet drug. This will help you 7 steps.
1. Distinguish between good and bad sugar.
The body really needs sugar, or rather, carbohydrates, to produce energy. But getting carbohydrates is better not from desserts, pastries and sweets, but from cereals and vegetables. Potatoes, carrots, pasta, rice and cereals contain complex carbohydrates, which give a long feeling of satiety and energy boost not for 15-30 minutes, but for several hours. In addition, these products contain a lot of vitamins and fiber to improve digestion. In turn, sweets, fast food and lemonade are devoid of any good.
“But they favor the development of diabetes and obesity,” stresses Raphael Gruman . And nutritionist Florence Foucault adds: “It’s quite difficult to completely give up carbohydrates. Yes, this is not necessary if you do not have the task to significantly lose weight. Just replace fast carbs with slow ones. Instead of butter biscuits, drink tea with wholegrain crackers, have a buckwheat breakfast, not buns.”
2. Substitute sugar for fat and protein
Complex carbohydrates are good. But it is even better if fats and proteins predominate in your diet. Fats make you feel full for a long time, and proteins stabilize blood glucose levels.
“The correct diet for the day looks like this: scrambled eggs for breakfast, for lunch – meat and vegetables, and for dinner a salad with fish or seafood,” says Florence Foucault. “Enjoy full-fledged food, not desserts and sweet snacks.” Try to plan the menu for the day and the week. It is important to think about where and how much you can eat. When you are full, there is no temptation to intercept a quick muffin or a chocolate bar.
3. Do not lean on sweeteners
Chemical sweeteners are harmful to health, and natural: honey, agave syrup, fructose – in fact, the same sugar.
“The basic idea is to teach the body to dispense with sweet taste,” says Rafael Gruman. – If you can’t do it dramatically, act smarter. Add fresh fruit, cinnamon, nutmeg and other spices to natural yoghurt, cottage cheese or porridge. Even if you add a spoonful of jam, it will still be more useful than ready-made yogurt or sweet instant porridge. Manufacturers usually use cheap food supplements, and sugar is added too much to kill their taste.”
4. Read labels
Sauces, juices, smoothies and even industrial salads almost always contain sugar.
If the package has a treasured mark “without sugar”, a sweetener may be present in the product, which is sometimes worse.
“Sugar can be hidden under the pseudonyms of glucose, fructose, lactose, dextrose, maltose, corn, rice and cane syrup, and molasses,” warns Rafael Grümann. So carefully study the composition on the package. And it is better to refuse from semi-finished products, store cooking and baking, to more often prepare their own.
5. Do not trap emotions.
Sugar stimulates the production of pleasure hormones, which is why in moments of stress, fatigue and anxiety we experience an almost uncontrollable desire to eat something sweet. Well, there are ways to cope with emotions without the help of sugar.
“Warm milk, fruit and herbal teas help relieve tension and relax after a long day,” recalls Florence Foucault. “And water with lemon, rosemary and ginger invigorates no worse than coffee.”
A romantic comedy, massage or favorite hobby will help to cope with the blues and boredom. And by the way, exercise also stimulates the production of endorphins. The main thing is the right attitude.
6. Sleep More
After one night without sleep, you will experience hunger more than usual, which means you will be drawn to high-calorie foods rich in carbohydrates. Researchers at the University of Chicago Medical Center back in 2004 proved that after a lack of sleep, the probability of buying unhealthy products is higher. But after 7-9 hours of sleep, recharging the body is not required and it is easier to do without sweets.
7. Do not tempt yourself
Keep a chocolate bar in your desktop drawer? Bought a cake to treat friends at the weekend, but they themselves, of course, no, no? Are you sure you can hold on?
“Resisting the temptation is easier when there is none,” Rafael Gruman reminds. – So do not buy sweets for friends or for a rainy day. Keep nuts or vegetables handy for snacking. And for the guests prepare a healthy delicacy without sugar, the benefit of the Internet is full of recipes for such desserts.”