WELLNESS
THE TRUTH
ABOUT CUTTING OUT SUGAR WRITTEN BY SOPHIE OSWALD
P
art of living a healthy lifestyle means knowing the truth behind what you are fueling your body with. Sugar is one of those things that most of us know we should be limiting. But there’s a difference between foods that naturally contain sugar and processed foods that have sugar added. The natural ones, including fruits and vegetables, are good for you and shouldn’t be avoided. However, added sugars don’t provide any nutritional value. Foods with added sugars are difficult to avoid as they seem to be everywhere. In fact, there are over 50 names for added sugar! Most nutritionists and medical professionals teach that completely cutting something out of your diet doesn’t work. When you tell yourself you
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SIMPLYkc MAGAZINE
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JULY 2021
can’t have something, you’re going to want it even more. Completely cutting something out might last for a little while, but ultimately it will likely lead to issues such as binge eating. Georgina Lile is a registered dietitian and internationally board certified lactation consultant at NourishWell. Lile explains that while there can be an increase in the risk of health issues when consuming excessive amounts of added sugar, it doesn’t need to be completely avoided. “Moderate amounts of added sugar can be consumed alongside balanced meals without causing any health problems,” she explains. “I caution anyone trying to completely eliminate added sugars from their diet,” Lile continues. “Our brains are wired to fight food restrictions. Your brain will actually send you cravings