How Much Sugar?

500 Calories A Day = Sugar!

How much sugar are you consuming a day, and how many calories does that equate to in your daily eating habits?

According to a recent market research result, the average American is now consuming 126 grams of sugar a day - that equates to an extra 500 calories a day!

That is almost 32 teaspoons of sugar a day!

If those figures don't make you stop and think - WOW - then I'm unsure what will!

There is a lot of information within the media now about too much sugar in our diets, and the links between that and diabetes and weight gain is relatively common knowledge.

So how do you cut that sugar back? 

Firstly, you must accept that not all sugar is bad for us.  We need sugar within our daily diet, but it's the type of sugars that we incorporate that leads us to healthy choices. Sugar helps our brain and immune systems function, as it's the carbohydrates that are useful to us.

The issue becomes, how do you get the best bang for your buck!  That is, how do you get the most nutrient dense calories for the same amount of sugar.

For example, if you had a choice between a sweet/candy and a piece of fruit. The piece of fruit is going to be considered more nutrient dense, as you not only get the sugar, but also minerals, vitamins and fibre.  Whereas with the sweet/candy, you only get calories from the sugar.  Not so beneficial for your body.

By making some nutrient dense choices, you can still provide your body with the sugar it needs, while removing the sugar it doesn't need.

Where is the most sugar in the American diet?  Soda!!

Also considered processed foods as having a lot of added and hidden sugars.  These are placed into the foods to enhance the taste, and it also plays a role in preservation of the food (that is, it helps to keep the shelf life of the food intact).

So, where to start?

• remove sugary soda drinks, swap with water, herbal teas
• reduce/remove processed foods from  your diet, replace with a nutrient dense choice, such as the Isagenix Isalean shakes that I use, these provide 240 calories for a meal, with about 1/2 the sugar content of a piece of fruit.
• replace sugary energy drinks, with a healthy sports drink that doesn't have the sugar content
• replace your sugary snacks with a protein rich, nutrient dense snack, such as an Isalean bar

For more information on how to source these products, contact me now!

Image courtesy of Tuomas_Lehtinen at FreeDigitalPhotos.net