There are new headlines before that said sugar is so addicting to people today that they are already considered the ‘new tobacco’. However, one cannot deny the fact that sugar intake is linked to diseases like obesity, diabetes, heart disease, plaque, and cavities, as well as fatty liver. This is the reason why nutritionists and dieticians alike developed a meal plan and diet that contains very little to no sugar to avoid these medical problems. Here is a quick look at what a sugar free diet plan is like and what benefits it can do to your dental and overall health. If you are currently experiencing dental problems due to high sugar intake, you can visit Southern Smiles in Miranda to get the best dental services.
Sugar free diet plan: Why should I forego sugar?
According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), most Americans consume 15 percent of the daily calorie intake needed for a person to have a balanced diet with sugars alone. This makes them consume more food especially if the sugary treat they ate is not filling or is making them crave more food to eat and indulge in. This results in medical conditions like we earlier mentioned. Researchers show that a cutback from foods rich in sugar gets us back on track to having a balanced and nutrition-filled diet that may lessen our risk in developing these medical diseases and conditions.
How to have a sugar-free diet plan
Take your time. When you want to quit smoking, not everyone can go cold turkey and succeed the first time. Take your time and work around your food consumption little by little. You cannot just follow diet plans suggested by other people because it may not work for you or it is hard for you to pursue. Do your changes in small amounts gradually, and you may advance your restrictions at your own pace.
Read food labels. If you decide to be mindful of what you eat and how much sugar you consume, now is the right time to start making it a habit to read the food labels. You should not just read the brand but more importantly, focus your attention on the ingredients and nutrition facts section. This is where most manufacturers include the amount of sugar their product has, and what added types of sugary components they have. There are different kinds of sugary content that you may read that doesn’t sound like sugar at all, but they are. This includes words like muscovado, demerara, sucanat, panela, turbinado, or piloncillo, and many more. Some dieticians and nutritionists also warn consumers that words ending in -ose such as sucrose, dextrose, galactose, and fructose, come from the same -ose word we typically associate with sugar, which is glucose.
Limit simple carbs. When we think of carbohydrates, we think bread, rice, pasta, and foods made with flour. These foods should also be avoided if you want to follow a sugar-free diet plan. Carbohydrates are known to be the primary energy-giving component of food, but not many people know that for carbohydrates to become energy, they have to be broken down into sugar. Once you consume an excessive amount of carbs, you risk yourself of increasing your blood sugar as well.
Avoid artificial sugar. Some say that artificial sugars are a good substitute for sugar because they are still sweet but have no calories. However, although this may be beneficial for some, it can possibly ruin other people’s diet plan. Why? Since you are still eating something sweet, it tricks the body into thinking that you are still consuming sugar, and you crave harder for something to fix that need for something sweet. The risk of eating a sugary treat becomes more irresistible for you then.