We know that too many types of sugary food are bad for our health, whether physical or dental. We’ve heard all the complications that sugar-rich food can bring to us. It’s literally killing us, this chocolate binges. A decade ago, a landmark study linked at least 180,000 annual deaths worldwide to sugary beverages. But soda is not the only culprit. Until now, do you know that the average American eats between 22 and 30 teaspoons of added sugar each day? We are not supposed to get more than 100 of our daily calorie intake from sugar.
Your dentist will tell you the same thing. It’s not just your primary physician who will be concerned about the amount of sugar you eat each day. When you go for a dental checkup, your dentist is going to tell you off. These sugary treats will wreak havoc on your oral health, too, causing a lot of problems such as tooth decay and gum disease. If you’ve been feeling a bit sore in your gums and teeth lately, that’s because you’ve been indulging your sweet tooth too much.
Sugar Comes in Many Forms
You may now know it, but you’re consuming sugar even in what’s supposed to be healthy food. Sugar has many forms, the most popular of which are honey, molasses, corn syrup, and brown rice syrup. You have to read food labels before opening that box of cereals. You may think they’re healthy but if they contain fructose, then they will stimulate your appetite further and cause you to eat more.
Keep Sugary Food Away
If there are cookies, chocolates, candies, cakes, and ice cream in your home, you are bound to eat them at some point. A teaspoon here and there will hurt your goal to curb your sugar addiction. Keep these types of food away. Give them away if possible, or don’t even attempt to buy a tub of ice cream. As a substitute for these, keep fruits handy. When you feel like munching on a chocolate bar, go for bananas or mangoes instead. They’re sweet, but they won’t kill you.
Sweeten the Food Yourself
If you have to buy ice cream and yogurt, for example, buy the unsweetened variants. You can then sweeten it according to your liking. No matter what kind of sweetener you use, it won’t be as bad as the amount of sugar the manufacturers will put to make the food taste better. Always go for the unsweetened version. It is the safest route.
Watch out for Hidden Sugars
This is why it’s important to read the labels and know the many forms sugar comes in. Reduced-fat food will usually mean that the manufacturers will cut back on fat and add sugar to compensate. These are usually the types of food that have high sugar content. If sugar is listed as the first ingredient, then it has the highest amount. If there are more than two types of sugars, then it means the manufacturers are trying to avoid having sugar be listed as the first ingredient. Having two different forms of sugars in the food is just as bad, if not worse, than having it listed as the first ingredient.
Eat Breakfast
You need a filling and nutritious breakfast to start your day. You are less likely to give in to cravings when you eat healthy food in the morning. What are some power breakfast combos? You’ll need oatmeal, eggs, and fruits at the very least. These are all practical choices to curb your cravings throughout the day.
Give in a Little
Don’t deprive yourself of food that you want to eat. You can finish a small cookie or a fun-sized chocolate bar. Just do everything in moderation. Depriving yourself will lead to more binge-eating. Imagine not being able to taste a slice of cake for a month. Just when you thought you’ve pushed down those cravings, you’ll surprise yourself by diving into a whole cake. Don’t deny yourself of the simple happiness you feel with a slice of cheesecake.
Change the Scenery
Do a little exercise. Every time you think of eating sugary treats, walk away. Change the scenery. You can go for a jog or walk around the park. Do things that will take your mind off your cravings.
It is not easy to push your food cravings away. Sometimes, all you can think about is eating that bowl of ice cream. But remember that every time you control these cravings, you’re one step closer to being healthier. You’ll also have to face fewer dental problems that can be caused by these cravings for sweets.
