I Broke Up With Sugar – 6 Tips To Help You Do The Same

Now that the holidays are over, I think it’s an excellent time to set some health goals. I used to have a hopelessly sweet tooth. I still LOVE a good dessert, but I learned to balance my sugar intake because I simply decided one day that I wanted to lead a healthier lifestyle. So if like me you’re determined to control your sugar intake, this post is for you! Saying no to sugar is easier said than done, which is why I’m sharing with you the little changes I made that personally helped me ditch the horrible effects of sugar on my body. Here are some of those effects:

• Feeling tired all the time.
• Skin problems – acne around my mouth and chin.
• Felt moody, irritable, and stressed out.
• I sometimes couldn’t get a good night’s sleep.
• Lost motivation to work out.

It’s important I mention first that when we talk about too much sugar, we mean added sugar. The main difference between the two is simple: Processed sugar is added to food like white sugar, fructose, and corn syrup (there are so many others too), while natural sugar is naturally found in some food like dairy products, fruit, and vegetables.

1. Cup of Tea, Sugar Free

Don’t freak out. In fact, adding sugar to tea ruins the initial taste! I used to add 3 tsp of sugar to any kind of tea I was having. I gradually started decreasing the quantity to 1 tsp and eventually started drinking my tea with no sugar at all. It was only then that I realized how many tea flavors I was missing out on! If sometimes I feel like adding a sweetener, I throw in half a cinnamon stick which gives a naturally sweet taste, or 1/2 a tsp of honey. You can also add milk for the creamy feel. It’s all a matter of time until your taste buds get used to natural sweetness and will no longer ask for added sugars.

2. Frothed Milk With Your Coffee

Coffee is a bit harder for me to swallow without sugar. Although I already used to have my occasional coffee with milk, it was still hard for me to enjoy it without sugar. I later learned that it actually tastes sweeter when frothed! Nevertheless, I ended up reducing, even more, my coffee consumption because I didn’t feel excited about it anymore. I can live with that. I’m more of a tea and herbal infusions enthusiast but I suppose you already figured that one out.

3. Chocolate? Go Dark!

I’m a HUGE chocolate craver, but I always preferred dark chocolate. And, it’s much healthier! 100 grams of dark chocolate with more than 70% of cocoa contains iron, magnesium, and zinc. While some brands can contain up to 90% cocoa, I usually stick to 70% or 80% ones. The higher the cocoa content, the lower the sugar levels, and the less you need to satisfy your cocoa cravings. This way you will be reducing your sugar intake! Try it!

4. Homemade Desserts

I decided to limit my purchase of sweet snacks. This way when I crave something sweet, I have to prepare it myself or eat fruit instead of binging on unhealthy added sugars! I always search for low sugar recipes or add less than the amount indicated in one. Doing so, I enjoy homemade desserts guilt-free, because I know exactly what’s in there. When you prepare your desserts yourself, you control the quantity and kind of sugars you include. Furthermore, it can be super helpful in case you, a family member, or a friend coming over has food allergies or dietary restrictions. You avoid the risk of any allergic reactions, and everyone can enjoy a dessert baked with love!

5. Watch Out For Hidden Sugars!

Sugar is everywhere! There are hidden sugars in canned food, ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, BBQ sauce, Teriyaki sauce, pizza sauce, Sriracha, salad dressings, crackers, chips, and granola bars to name a few. Added sugars are present in almost all ready-to-use products and we buy it because it’s convenient. However, many dressings can easily be homemade including ketchup, salad dressings, chocolate spreads, etc. Believe me, there are so many things you can prepare yourself and they don’t take time! I will share some ideas in later posts. If you really need to buy something ready-made, then make sure to read the nutritional facts label and choose the one with no “added sugars” or the least sugar quantity.

6. Eat Fruits

I admit I personally used to prefer dessert over any fruit up until I realized how bad the effects of sugar were on my health. Therefore, I started to eat more fruits instead. Doing so satisfies your sweet cravings with natural sugars instead of running after the unhealthy ones. Oh, and don’t replace whole fruits with juice, dried fruits, and smoothies because those contain higher levels of sugar and it’s more concentrated! For instance, one cup of orange juice consists of three medium oranges! Moderation is key. Let’s just say I make sure not to drink it very often. As for dried fruits, I save them for hiking trips or long rides when I need that extra energy boost.

I hope this helps! I can honestly say I’m over my relationship with sugar. It was difficult at first but gradually became easier, so don’t be too hard on yourself. You will feel so much better when you control your consumption! But hey, I still enjoy every bit of my occasional Caramel Mocha and indulge in delicious desserts, but that just became less frequent. Let me know what you think, how it goes, and if you found other ways to avoid added sugar, share your ideas with me in the comments I would love to hear from you!