Have you ever met a bride who wasn’t trying to shed a couple pounds before her big day? As we near that magical date circled on our calendars, many women start eliminating junk food in full force, but rarely focus their attention on how much naturally occurring sugar they consume each day. Unfortunately, sugar is everywhere! From the breads we love to the dollop of ketchup on the sides of our plates you don’t have to even touch a donut to still consume in a single day the equivalent in sugars. Yikes! Don’t fret, we’ve armed you with eight simple ways to identify and help you avoid the sugar rush!
1- Read Labels. More and more countries are requiring food distributors to label the foods they sell and the great news is ‘sugar’ is almost always mentioned on the ingredient list. Suddenly that organic salad with the vinaigrette dressing you’ve been force-feeding yourself for weeks doesn’t look so great when you realize the dressing has more sugar in it than a candy bar! Word of advice…For salads, use fresh lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil to add a pop of flavor and a touch of ‘good’ fat to keep you energized.
2- Sugar Is Sugar. Some labels like to rename sugar or use alternative titles but they all mean the same thing. Sugar is sugar, ladies, no matter what fancy (and sometimes hard to pronounce) names the labels come up with. Be on the look-out for these sugary ingredients in disguise: high fructose corn syrup, dried cane syrup, invert sugar, molasses, sucrose, brown rice syrup, honey, and maple syrup. Also remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. When a product is labeled as “Sugar Free” it likely has a sugar substitute in it like Aspartame, a carcinogenic substance you want to avoid.
3- Processed Food No-No. Most pre-packaged foods contain sugar…lots of it. The easiest ways to avoid this little trap is to shop only in the outer aisles of the grocery store where you are likely to find fresh produce, dairy and meats. Leave all the processed, boxed ‘foods’ in the middle of the store and out of your cart!
4- Cinnamon Cures! Cinnamon is not just relegated to baking during the holidays. Cinnamon is a powerful regulator that can control your blood sugar level. Craving some ice cream or a slice of pie? No worries, a small teaspoon of honey with a pinch of cinnamon will curb that sugar craving throughout the day. If you’re not keen on cinnamon you can use coriander, nutmeg, cloves or cardamom. They all take the edge off a sugar craving.
5-HYDRATE. Sometimes what we think is a food craving is actually our bodies telling us we are thirsty. There is no better way to stay hydrated than drinking plenty of water! For more on the magical powers of water, check out our Hydration article HERE!
6- Eat Fruit. You can stop your sugar cravings and still give your body a nice treat. What is healthier than fruit? The varieties are endless and the flavors explode on the taste buds…Just remember too much of a ‘good thing” can sometimes work against your goals. Fruit is delicious and healthy, but also contains a lot of natural sugars.
FUN FACT: For those of you needing a cup of coffee to wake up in the morning, but are currently trying to avoid the coffee stains on your pearly white teeth as the wedding day approaches try eating an APPLE! Apples eaten in the morning will wake you up right away and keep you going strong all day! No need for a second teeth whitening procedure.
7- Snack Well. Make sure to read labels of snacks and stay away from the ones with high sugar levels – especially the ‘boxed’ variety. Instead of snacking on crackers opt for nuts. The protein will keep you full of energy, while the crackers will leave you hungry a few minutes later. You need snacks between meals, but choose the snack with a bigger punch and longer benefit.
8- Sleep. Sugar cravings have a direct link to lack of sleep. Studies have found lack of sleep for two or more hours leads to overeating and junk food cravings. Eating healthy foods containing melatonin will help you fall asleep more easily. Some melatonin containing foods include: bananas, pineapples, oranges, oats, sweet corn, barley and almonds. If sleep issues persist, you can get a melatonin supplement from your local drugstore.
Remember, we aren’t saying you should completely avoid sugar. Truthfully that’s impossible. As we said in the beginning, sugar is everywhere. We want you to be aware of how much sugar you are consuming so you can make informed decisions when making food selections and get you one step close to that form-fitting wedding gown!
CREDITS:
Article written by: Angie Oncu Tuzuner