How to Unfriend Sugar in 5 Easy Steps

You might be surprised to find out that many foods in our regular diet contain refined sugar. It comes in a variety of forms, and not all are easy to find on the label. That bread in your pantry? Sugar, or corn syrup is likely on the ingredient list. The same goes for yogurts, sauces, and even sushi rice. While a little bit of sugar in your diet is perfectly normal, exceeding the daily recommended sugar intake can result in unpleasant health issues. Let's take a look at how sugar affects your body and what steps you can take to easily curb your consumption of this sneaky ingredient.

Why Should I Avoid Added Sugar?

The CDC recommends that added sugar amount to no more than 10% of your diet. That means if you consume 2,000 calories a day, added sugar should not add up to more than 200 calories. Sugary foods generally contain fewer nutrients, so if you are overdoing it with your sugar intake, it could mean you are not eating a well-balanced, nutritious diet. Sugar overconsumption can also result in weight gain, tooth decay, acne, low energy, and an increased risk of heart disease.

Unfortunately, getting rid of your sugar cravings can be easier said than done. Luckily, these 5 simple steps can help you unfriend sugar for good and improve your health and energy levels!

Get a Good Start to Your Day

Starting your day off with a high-protein breakfast with no refined sugars can help you feel full and energized for a longer period of time. So choose to forgo high carbohydrate breakfast foods like cereals, juice, waffles, and bagels, and opt for a high protein meal instead. A high-protein breakfast can help rev up your metabolism by 30%, boost your energy, and help you avoid mid-morning food cravings and energy crashes. Try mixing 1-2 scoops of Daily Protein Plus™ with water, organic 2% milk, unsweetened almond milk, or coconut milk for a quick protein-packed breakfast on your way out the door.

Improve Your Gut Health

Having a gut imbalance can often result in sugar cravings. For example, candida, a yeast that lives in your digestive tract, feeds on sugar. When candida over grows your system, you are more likely to desire sugary foods. Ensuring you have enough healthy fiber in your diet can help regulate your gut health by helping with bowel motility and toxin elimination, encouraging good bacteria growth, and supporting healthy weight management. High fiber foods include fruits and vegetables like berries, avocados, apples, beans, lentils, and beets. In addition, you can use a high-quality fiber supplement like Fiber Helper™ to provide an easy boost to your fiber intake.

Avoid Snacking After Dinner and Between Meals

If you are reaching for a treat between meals or after dinner, it could be due to your sugar cravings and not hunger. Avoid unnecessary snacking by using nutritional supplements like LeptiSlim®. LeptiSlim contains bitter herbs and pancreas supporting nutrients and is great for curbing those late-night food cravings!

Eat Healthy Fats

Eating a diet full of healthy fats is great for reducing sugar cravings and for promoting your overall health. Healthy fats are an essential part of any diet and help support cell function and energy levels. Try to eat some form of healthy fat in each meal. You can add olive oil, avocados, and nuts to your meals to ensure you are getting a proper amount of healthy fats, or add a high-quality DHA (essential fatty acid) supplement like Leptinal® to your diet.

Drink Plenty of Water

Thirst is often confused for food or sugar cravings, so next time you are craving sugar, reach for a glass of water instead. You could even add a squeeze of lemon. If your sugar craving fades away, it is a good clue that your body was actually thirsty. Drinking plenty of water also has many other health benefits like carrying nutrients to your cells, aiding digestion, and protecting your organs and tissues.

Sugar cravings can be pretty intense. Use these tips to set yourself up for success and see how saying goodbye to sugar will help you reach your health goals!