Sugar occurs naturally in many fruits and vegetables, honey, milk and milk products, and is the body's basic source of energy. However, sugars and caloric sweeteners added to food contain empty calories, meaning they contain no nutritional value and can lead to weight gain, poor nutrition, increased risk of tooth decay and heart disease.
Count Your Sugars
The American Heart Association recommends limiting the amount of added sugar in the diet to 100 calories, or 25 g, for women and 150 calories, or 37.5 g, for men daily. You may have adjust this to a lower or a higher number, depending on your health needs. A visual reminder: 4 g sugar equals 1 tsp. Sugar may be listed by its other names, so check food labels and ingredient lists for high fructose corn syrup, molasses, honey, sucrose and glucose. Sugars at the top of the list indicate they are major ingredients used for processing.
Reduce Sugar in Diet
Remove sugar and honey from the table so you don't get tempted to reach for them. Cut back on sodas, fruit juice, cocktails and other so-called "liquid calories" as these only add calories but not nutrients. If you must have desserts or other foods high in sugar, limit your total sugar intake to 100 calories per day. Foods high in sugar include desserts, candies, milk products and breakfast cereals. On days when you consume more sugar than desirable, burn off the extra calories with vigorous exercise. Depending on your weight, low-impact aerobics can burn off around 450 calories per hour. Running 8 mph can burn about 1,000 calories, describes the Mayo Clinic website.
Be a Healthy Eater
Eat more fruits and vegetables that supply natural sources of sugars and fibers. Buy fruits canned in natural juices. Instead of adding sugar to cereals, oatmeal or other recipes, use fresh fruits such as bananas or strawberries, dried fruits, unsweetened applesauce and spices, such as nutmeg or cinnamon. Eat regular meals, don't get yourself too hungry and avoid overeating to maintain a stable glucose level. Drink plenty of water, adding a little lemon if you prefer, instead of going for the juice or soda.
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