WELLNESS

THE TRUTH

ABOUT CUTTING OUT SUGAR

WRITTEN BY SOPHIE OSWALD

Part 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 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

for foods you are trying to eliminate. You may end up replacing your usual sweet treat with more food in general.”

Ariel Johnston, RD, LD, and owner of The Tasty Balance, LLC, gives similar advice about complete elimination of sugar. “It is like me telling you that tomorrow you could never have ice cream again if your favorite treat is ice cream. I would bet that tonight you would binge on ice cream. This is the scarcity mindset created by telling yourself you can’t have sugar.”

But there are realistic things we can do to move ourselves in the direction of less sugar without completely cutting it out. A great place to start is ditching soda and other sugary beverages. Soft drinks can be hard to stop consuming. Most of us grew up drinking them, so they are a normal part of life. But a single can of soda has at least 39 grams of sugar. This is close to the recommended sugar intake for an entire day!

Cut back on the desserts and the sweets. These are enjoyable, but they don’t offer much nutrients. When you do choose to consume them, consider replacing them with a low sugar option. There are many tasty sugar-free options, and stores are beginning to stock more and more. Try some and see what you think!

Although we may not realize it, many sauces and dressings contain loads of added sugar. Again, opt for low sugar options. Plenty of the brands you know and love have a low sugar option that tastes similar.

“I tell my clients that all foods fit! This approach takes into account that some foods are more nutritious than others, but they should all carry the same weight emotionally,” says Johnston. “It’s educating that fruit juice, for example, is going to be high in sugar and carbohydrates. You don’t have to avoid it, just to be aware that when you have fruit juice it might not keep you as full as having a whole piece of fruit.”

Lile adds, “We can moderate our intake through mindful eating and connecting with how certain foods make our bodies feel. Eat small amounts of the foods you crave mindfully with balanced meals. The complex carbohydrates, protein, fiber, and healthy fats cause sugar to enter our bloodstream more slowly to prevent blood sugar spikes and reduce inflammation.”

In most cases lowering our sugar intake will increase energy, improve weight management, improve mood, and help focus. If you cut out added sugar as much as possible and consume more balanced and nutritious whole foods, you will quickly notice the benefits.

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