Am I addicted to Sugar?
Sugars are a type of simple Carbohydrates that if taken in excess, can cause a lot of damage to the body. Experts believe that sugar consumption is directly related to a lot of diseases & health related issues.
It increases the risk of obesity, diabetes and heart diseases. It adversely affects the immune functions and can accelerate aging and trigger depression.Sugary food spikes blood sugar and insulin level, also increasing oil production and hence playing an important part in the development of acne.
Too much sugar can increase the risk of certain cancers such as cancer of esophagus and small intestine.
Excessive Sugar Consumption can cause bacteria in the mouth to release acids, causing demineralization and decay of tooth.
HOW DO I KNOW IF I HAVE SUGAR ADDICTION?
There are a huge number of people who are addicted to sugar, so do not think that you are alone! There are a lot of signs that indicates that you have sugar addiction.
- You eat sugary food even if you don’t need it or like it and keep eating until you feel unwell.
- You binge eat sugary food when no one is around and you are alone.
- You use sugary treats to reward yourself after exercise or work outs.
4.You come up with a reason or excuse to justify your sugary treats. - You eat sugar to make yourself feel better about all the work you have to do.
6.You crave high carbohydrate food, such as crossoints, white bread, pasta, white rice, during dinner time ,instead of proper nourishment rich food. - You crave sweet drinks including diet soda.
How much Sugar is Ok?
Apart form the obvious sources of sugar such as cakes, desserts,jams, biscuits, sweets, chocolates etc, there are various food that have hidden sugars like breakfast cereals, flavoured yogurts, beverages, energy drinks, flavored milk, ketchup etc.
According to American Heart Association,the maximum amount of added sugar you should eat in a day are 9 teaspoons for men and 6 teaspoons for women.
How do I stop eating a lot of sugar?
Sugar craving usually arises from blood sugar imbalance. It is a vicious cycle where excess sugar intake causes high insulin secretion, bringing the sugar level a bit too low and hence making the body crave for more sugar. So when such a need arises, you must stabilise your blood sugar by eating some slow digesting proteins & fibres, like fruits, vegetables, nuts, egg etc.
Some important tips that might help, is to avoid keeping sugary food in the house ,taking a good night sleep, not going for shopping when you are hungry and taking proper three nourishing meals on time.
How to reduce your sugar intake?
1.Drink 2-3 litres of water everyday to keep your body properly hydrated .
2.Eat raw fruits ,veges ,nuts ,oats,milk , peanut butter,cheese and other healthy snacks whenever you have a sugar craving. Remember that ‘fruit sugar’ is good sugar!.
3.Avoid Sugar-loaded desserts.
4.Substitute fizzy drinks, energy drinks and soda with coconut water ,pure home squeezed fruit juices and water.
5.Sweeten plain yogurt with fresh or frozen berries instead of buying flavoured sugary yogurt.
6.Prepare your meals at home, instead of eating outside food or canned food.
7.Eat a small block of pure dark chocolate to kill your chocolate craving.
Remember that ‘Moderation’ is the key to happy living and that definitely applies to ‘food’ as well!.
