We are programmed to love sweetness. Glucose is the preferred source of energy for our body and brain cells, and sweetness is our very first taste after we are born, in the form of lactose, or milk sugar.

To be our healthiest, despite the low-carb fads, we need regular intake of healthy sugars and carbohydrates in their natural unrefined, unprocessed state. In being our unhealthiest, refined sugar plays a huge role, and is implicated in many diseases including Type II Diabetes, Obesity, Heart Disease and Cancer. Over consumption on a daily basis results in hyperactivity, ADHD, poor concentration, anxiety, lack of energy and poor sleep.

Excess refined sugar is so damaging to our short and longer-term health, that it is referred to as a ‘white-poison’ and deemed more dangerous, and more addictive on a global basis, than cocaine!

Refined sugar, under its many guises (white sugar, brown sugar, beet sugar, cane sugar, sucrose, high fructose corn syrup or HFCS) is hidden in all types of foods. The worst offenders are the obvious sodas, confectionery items, baked goods, cereals, jams, ice-cream and yogurt. However, it is also hidden in sauces, salad dressings, canned foods, ready-made meals – basically anything that comes in a package will contain refined sugar in some form. Artificial sugars (aspartame, saccharin, nutrasweet, splenda) are chemicals, and have no place in any diet.

In a nutshell, the best way to cut sugar from our diet is to focus on eating the healthiest, most natural, wholesome foods that are available. Easier said than done, I know.

Here is a list of some strategies that will help in breaking a ‘sugar addiction’:

1. Start the day with a healthy breakfast consisting of quality protein and fibre – eggs on wholegrain toast, oatmeal (rolled oats, not instant or flavoured) with nuts, seeds, and somes fruit.

2. Increasing whole foods overall in our diet provides lots of healthy fibre – this keeps us satisfied for longer, thereby reducing hunger pangs between meals. This means we are less likely to grab a quick sugary snack.

3. Keep healthy snacks at hand for in-between meals – consume some protein or healthy fats as they take longer to digest. Ideal snacks are fresh fruit with yogurt, homemade trail-mix, crudités and hummus, nut butters spread on fruit or crisp breads.

4. Cut out all sodas and sweetened drinks (energy drinks, sweetened tea and coffee drinks). Experiment with your own flavoured water (add lemon or orange slices, ginger, cucumber, passion fruit, herbs) and the many herbal and green teas available. Dilute fresh fruit juices; these are high in sugars (although natural) and fibre has been removed – therefore, they are too readily absorbed, quickly raising blood glucose levels.

5. Learn how to understand nutrition labels and check the sugar source. Any item that is high in refined sugars should be left on the shelf. Remember, ingredients are listed from highest to lowest by volume, and sugar is often concealed under one of its many terms.

6. For sweetness, enjoy pickings from the wide range of fresh fruits. Freeze grapes, blueberries, sliced bananas, oranges, etc. for snacks; these are great added to natural yogurt, topped with nuts and seeds. Alternatively, blend frozen fruits, and add natural yogurt if desired, for a healthy sorbet or ice-cream. Dried fruits are also great to satisfy a sweet tooth, however take care not to over consume as these are a concentrated source of natural sugar.

7. Replacing refined complex carbohydrates (white flours, white pasta, white polished rice) with their healthier whole grain version will help curb sugar cravings. Refined carbs are stripped of their fibre, minerals and vitamins and are digested quickly, resulting in an unwanted spike in glucose. After the spike comes a dip, and we crave more sugar. Complex carbs do not cause such swings in our blood sugar levels and mood.

8. Adopt exercise as your ‘natural high’. Sugar is addictive, and can provide a short-term ‘pick me up’, but then comes the slump, with a craving for more sugar. It’s an addictive cycle. Exercise naturally makes us feel good for hours afterwards, and is so beneficial to our better health overall.

9. When baking and making desserts, use natural healthy sweeteners in place of refined sugars – soaked dried fruits, mashed banana, desiccated coconut and applesauce. A second option is to use less sugar than the recipe calls for, along with substituting with a suitable raw un-refined sweetener.

10. Experiment with spices e.g. cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves – while being naturally wonderfully sweet, each has it’s own medicinal properties. For example, cinnamon is reported to actually lower blood glucose levels and is helpful in reducing cholesterol.

Reducing the amount of refined sugar in our diet, whatever level we currently consume, can only benefit our health now and in the future. Decide what approach works best for you – one litle step at a time, or a ‘cold-turkey’ approach. The immediate benefits alone are more energy, better focus, better skin, and a slimmer waist. What more of an incentive do we need?

Visit the Health & Vitality Pte Ltd page to find out more about Liza's work.

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