There are friends, and there are frenemies. Friends can be trusted and enhance your life. On the other hand, frenemies pose as one who can be trusted all while doing destruction behind the scenes. When it comes to your wellness journey, there is one frenemy that every woman should be aware of – sugar.
Sugar is exactly how it sounds… sweet, yummy, and goes good with almost anything. Meanwhile, beneath the surface, it is doing some major damage. And this, girlfriend, is why you should not only be aware of this frenemy but also make every effort to get it out of your life completely.
The Sweet Danger of Sugar
The biggest issue when it comes to sugar is added vs. natural. In most foods processed, especially processed, you will find the added sugar. This is the sugar the food manufacturers add to products to enhance taste and extend shelf life (red flag number one!).
At first thought, you’re probably thinking soft drinks, fruit drinks, flavored yogurt, and so on. However, did you know that manufacturers hide sugar in foods such as: breads, soups, cured meats, and ketchup?! Aren’t they slick?
The results of this hidden sugar are why we see an increase in diabetes and obesity – especially in women. When you think you’re being healthy by baking that chicken but topping it with a seasoning that has processed sugar, it’s actually being counteractive. So, how do we get rid of this frenemy?
3 Ways to Get Rid of Sugar
Become a label reader.
This is the single best thing you can begin doing immediately. Start reading the labels for ingredients such as:
- Brown sugar
- Corn sweetener
- Corn syrup
- High-fructose corn syrup
- Anything ending in -ose (dextrose, fructose, glucose, lactose, etc.)
Manufacturers have gotten smart and have now given sugar over 50 different names, but the more you become familiar with them, the easier it will be to point them out.
Track your sugar intake.
At first, it may seem difficult to completely part ways with added sugar, and that’s okay. It’s all part of the journey. One way you could ensure you are definitely kicking it to the curb is to track (or monitor) your sugar intake. Keep in mind that about half of added sugar comes from beverages, so that’s a good place to start.
Something else to be mindful of is the sugar switch. While you may cut back on sodas and fruit drinks, don’t reach for sugar-filled foods to satisfy your sugar cravings. This can be in forms of refined starches, which can be found in white bread and white rice.
Keep it natural.
Back to the added vs. natural sugar, natural is always the best way to go. Sugar occurs naturally in foods that contain carbohydrates. These are your fruits, vegetables, grain, and dairy – making these foods the best to add to your wellness diet.
Another perk to keeping it natural is your body digests these foods slowly, meaning the natural sugar in them offers a steady of energy to your cells. Have you noticed the opposite happening when you eat things filled with processed sugar? Cue in the sluggishness, depression, and addictions to craving more.
I Challenge You
Of course, I can’t leave you with a challenge. Perhaps you’ve always known sugar is an enemy. Maybe you were looking for ways to kick it to the curb. Regardless of where you are on your wellness journey, I challenge you to begin saying goodbye to sugar once and for all. You won’t only be kicking sugar to the curb, but also health-threatening diseases like obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers.
When you choose the natural route, you’ll be saying hello to healthier eating habits, natural energy, and overall feeling better.
One more thing, I recently launched Girl, GET OFF the Couch Podcast and in Episode 2 I talk more about this frenemy. I share my personal testimony about it, as well as more facts and encouragement to help you combat this well-known frenemy. Listen here.
