Unless you’ve been living under a rock, chances are good you’ve heard mumblings about the growing movement that see’s people binning the sweet stuff. As research continues to be published linking sugar to all kinds of health conditions, many of us are wising up and looking for ways to cut down, especially on the refined, processed product that really, should only loosely be referred to as ‘sugar’.
While the premise itself sounds easy, cutting back can be hard work, especially once you learn to read food labels and realize that almost everything in a packet contains varying degrees of sweetener. Even revisiting favourite recipes that you might have previously considered to be the benchmark in healthy eating may include a teaspoon (or more) of sugar in the ingredients. When you start looking for it, it’s pretty much everywhere.
So how do we cut back, or quit altogether? One of the best strategies when you’re starting out is to replace your sweetened snacks with something sugar-free that will help curb cravings. Allowing yourself to get ravenously hungry will only backfire in the long run as you’re far more inclined to reach for the nearest tummy filling food in sight when you’re half starved.
Here are my top 5 suggestions to keep you satisfied as you beat that sweet tooth.
- Nuts – Raw nuts are a great way to keep hunger at bay. Once shied away from due to their fat content, we now know that that fat we were so worried about is actually the good kind that helps your body to feel full and satisfied.
- Dip and veggies – If you’re used to grabbing a piece of fruit whenever hunger strikes, swapping out all that fructose for chopped up veggie sticks can work a treat. Serve with a dip like hummous or babaganoush for a nutritious and filling snack.
- Healthy trail mix – Commercial trail mixes are full of added preservative and sugar. By making your own, you can keep an eye on the sugar content and include the bits you like the most. Try combing your favourite nuts with pepitas, puffed rice or kamut, and a small amount of dried fruit (goji berries are a great option).
- Cheese and wholegrain crackers – Make yourself a filling snack by choosing full fat, organic cheese where possible and wholegrain, low sugar crackers. You can usually find the best selection at your health food shop or in the gluten free aisle at the supermarket.
- Homemade loafs and bars – Cutting back on sugar doesn’t mean you have to banish your favourite treats. Baking your own cakes and muffins means you can literally ‘have your cake and eat it too.’ Try googling sugar free recipes, you’ll find whole websites dedicated to healthy baked goods.
By Naomi Cotterill
Naomi is a sugar free eating, green smoothie scoffing mum to one toddler and two cats. When not wearing her mummy hat, she writes and blogs about all things parenting, lifestyle and wellness for a number of print and online publications including her own site (Not) Just A Mummy (www.notjustamummy.com) If she’s not blogging, making up songs about eating avocado sandwiches or getting covered with sand at the beach, you can usually find her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest
