In one form or another sugar infiltrates most foods. People with high blood sugar as well as low blood sugar search for a way to give up the sweet stuff and some do with success. For others, conquering the obvious sugars doesn't pose a problem, but they often miss the sugars disguised under other names in highly refined foods. If you want to successfully kick the sugar habit you have to learn to recognize the sugar "aliases." Like any dietary changes you make, the transition goes smoother if you take baby steps over time.
Identifying Sugars
Pure table sugar goes by the name of sucrose. Note the suffix "--ose." You will see this ending on most sugars. According to Bhia Medical Advice and Herbal Remedies, glucose, dextrose, fructose, maltose and lactose belong to the sugar family as well. To identify these, check the label of highly processed foods. Generally, you'll find glucose, dextrose and fructose added to foods for deliberate sweetness. Maltose, or grain sugar, and lactose, or milk sugar, appear naturally in grain and milk products.
Eliminations/Substitutions
First, you should start by omitting those sugars that you will miss the least. The sugars hidden in processed foods such as breakfast cereals, white bread, soft drinks and other drinks can go first. Substitute whole grain, low sugar cereals, whole grain bread and diet soft drinks. Do this for a week or two before making more cuts. If you drink coffee or tea with sugar, replace the sugar with an artificial sweetener. Candy, baked goods and ice cream come next. If you eat these in great amounts, take away only one for a week before going on to the another. However, with some savvy substitutions, you make do well with this. For instance, ice cream comes in a "no sugar-added" variety. For the best move, find both a low-fat and low-sugar brand. Also eliminate regular ketchup and jellies. Both come in low-sugar forms.
Hidden Sugars
While difficult to eliminate all sugars from your diet, further reductions will come from recognizing and avoiding certain foods that are often overlooked as sugar sources. These include cold cut meats, particularly ham; white and sweet potatoes, fruit juices, corn, canned beets, glazed carrots, packaged oatmeal, hot dogs, puddings, yogurt and canned fruit in syrup. Your best choices include fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats and poultry, fish and whole grain breads, pasta and cereal. These "whole foods" come close to their natural state in that they do not contain other ingredients and are not processed with chemicals.
Sugar Diary
When giving up sugar, you may have both sugar cravings and headaches. The headaches last four to five days, but the cravings may persist. By making a notation in a diary when a craving occurs, you may find the triggers for the cravings. Maybe you saw a commercial for a favorite sugary product on television. You might have tasted something else that reminded you of another sugary product. Handle the cravings in one of two ways. Feed it with something sweet such as a piece of fruit or distract yourself and wait for the craving to pass. More than likely, as time goes on, you will experience fewer and fewer cravings. As your sugar intake declines, so does your desire for it.
Member Comments