This is how you can eliminate sugar from your diet

The consumption of sugar is omnipresent in our diet, sweet temptations lurk everywhere. However, excessive sugar intake can not only lead to weight gain and tooth decay, but can also promote serious health problems such as heart disease and diabetes. We’ll show you how you can eat less sugar.

Do you want to live healthier?

➡ Watch the latest episode of “The Biggest Loser” on Joyn.

In the video: Is sugar addictive?

Why it is difficult for us to give up sugar

The human body has a natural preference for sweets because of this energy-rich food points out. In the evolution The ability to recognize quickly available energy sources such as sugar was essential for survival. Today, when food is readily available, this biological preference can lead to overconsumption of sugar.

Sugar has the ability to create a real… Rush of happiness by entering the brain unhindered and causing the release of Dopamine, a neurotransmitter, which in turn activates the reward system. This explains why people tend to reach for sweet foods, especially in stressful situations.

Researchers at the Princeton Neuroscience Institute led by psychologist Bart Hoebel have discovered that sugar in the brain similar reactionsn causes such as Cocaine or nicotine.

In experiments with rats in which sugar withdrawal was tested, there was a clear result: when the animals suddenly had to give up their usual sugar ration, their sugar intake increased Craving for sugar enormously. Once they had access to sugar again, they consumed even more than they had before the forced withdrawal. The scientists view this increased greed as a Signs of addiction.

Sweet foods are also often associated with positive experiences such as celebration, rewards or comfort. This can lead to people emotionally attached to sugar and it is difficult for them to do without it.

Consequences of excessive sugar consumption

Often we think of first Caries as a direct consequence of excessive sugar consumption – although it is only the mildest of the numerous diseases that threaten if we eat too much sugar.

Excessive consumption of sugar has been blamed for a variety of diet-related illnesses, including: Obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, depression, sleep disorders and poor concentration.

We expose our entire organism to this stress. Inflammation occurs and our immune system is weakened. This can increase susceptibility to disease. Also on those Intestinal flora High sugar consumption has a negative impact. If the balance of our intestines is disturbed, this can have a negative impact on our health psyche and affect our physical well-being.

How dangerous Sugar can be bad for the body, shows “JENKE. The sugar experiment: How sick does sugar make you?”.

12 tips to eat less sugar

1. Awareness raising: Find out about hidden sugar in foods. Grape fruit sweetener, barley malt, dextrose, sugar syrup, sucrose, sweet whey powder, glucose, lactose – the names under which sugar is hidden are numerous.
2. Read labels: Pay attention to nutritional labels to spot hidden sugars.
3. Home-cooked food: Control ingredients and reduce sugar in home-cooked meals.
4. Drinking water: Replace sugary drinks with water or unsweetened tea.
5. Natural sweeteners: Use natural alternatives such as honey or maple syrup in moderation.
6. Fruits as dessert: Replace sweet desserts with fresh fruit. Even though fruit contains sugar, it is healthier than processed sweets from the supermarket. Because fruit is rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Therefore, the sugar from fruit is absorbed more slowly by the body than pure sugar. Sweets also often contain fat.
7. Gradual reduction: Reduce sugar slowly to minimize withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, mood swings, and fatigue.
8. Healthy snacks: Choose healthy snacks like nuts or vegetables instead of sugary options.
9. Regular meals: Avoid food cravings by eating regular, balanced meals.
10. Sporting activity: Exercise not only helps you lose weight, but it also helps reduce sugar cravings.
11. Stress management: Stress can lead to emotional eating – find alternative ways to reduce stress, for example with meditation or other relaxation techniques.
12. Food diary: Record exactly what you eat for a week – including the amount of sugar it contains. Once you identify your individual sources of sugar, it becomes easier to avoid these foods and break the habit.

Benefits of reducing sugar consumption

1. Weight loss: Less sugar means fewer empty calories.
2. Heart health: Reduced sugar consumption can reduce the risk of heart disease.
3. More stable blood sugar levels: A constant blood sugar level promotes general well-being, higher energy levels and reduces the risk of developing diabetes.
4. Healthier skin: Eating less sugar can make your skin clearer as inflammation decreases.
5. Better dental hygiene: The less sugar you consume, the less likely you are to get tooth decay.
6. Healthier intestinal flora: Avoiding sugar can also promote intestinal health, as harmful bacteria and intestinal fungi receive less food. You will have fewer digestive problems such as bloating.

Sugar Addiction Test – How addicted am I to sugar?

Would you like to find out whether your sugar consumption is perhaps too high? Then simply answer the following questions with “yes” or “no” and add up the “yeses” at the end:

1. Does your feeling of fullness often come late or not at all?
2. Do you find it difficult to control your consumption of sweets?
3. Do you often snack in secret, even at night?
4. Do you constantly consume large amounts of sweets?
5. Do you feel guilty and bad after a binge?
6. Do you often think about sweets?
7. Do you divide your food into allowed and forbidden foods?
8. Do you have trouble stopping yourself once you start snacking?
9. Do you sometimes overeat and then fast again – a constant up and down?
10. Do you always eat your plate completely empty?
11. Do you often suffer from uncontrollable cravings for sweets?
12. Do you have a hard time dividing portions so you just eat everything?
13. Do you find it difficult to truly enjoy food?
14. Does regular weighing often end in disappointment?
15. Do you get cranky and irritable when you cut out sugar?

Do you have ten or more questions answered “yes”? Then you are probably eating too much sugar and it is advisable to change something about it. For example, replace conventional sugar with alternatives.

In the clip: How good do sugar-free sweets taste?

Healthy sugar alternatives

• Stevia: A calorie-free sweetener.
• Maple syrup: A natural alternative with a characteristic taste.
• Xylitol (Birch sugar): A tooth-friendly sugar substitute.
• Coconut blossom sugar: A sweet alternative with a low glycemic index, meaning it doesn’t cause blood sugar levels to rise as high.
• Dates: A natural sweetener that you can also use in baking recipes.
• Agave syrup: A syrup with an intense sweetness.
• Palm sugar: An alternative with a caramel-like taste.

Conclusion: How effective are these tips against excessive sugar consumption?

The tips presented are effective, but require Discipline and perseverance. By consciously choosing healthy sugar alternatives, keeping a food diary and raising awareness of possible signs of sugar addiction, you can take decisive steps towards one more balanced diet set.

The associated advantages, such as improved Intestinal florafewer Digestive problems and a reduced susceptibility to nutritional problems Diseases, underline the effectiveness of these measures. Switching to healthy sugar alternatives affects not only physical but also mental aspects of your diet. A more conscious approach to the consumption of sweets leads to a lasting improvement in general well-being in the long term.