Did you know that the average Canadian consumes about 26 teaspoons of sugar a day, a whopping four times the amount recommended by the 
World Health Organization? How is that even possible? Unfortunately, it’s not difficult. Sugar is everywhere and it’s highly addictive. According to Dr. Mark Hyman, author of The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox, sugar is eight times more addictive than cocaine! So even if you have the best of intentions and avoid things like sweets, candy, ice cream, and chocolate, you’re probably still consuming way more sugar than you realize.
The Odds Are Never in Your Favour!
Don’t feel bad! It’s human nature to crave sugar. According to Dr. David Jenkins of the University of Toronto, “Sugar, fat and salt are all the basic drivers for survival.” The food manufacturing industry works hard to make their products so tasty, inexpensive, and convenient that they are almost impossible to resist. A lot of the sugar we consume is hidden in processed food that we wouldn’t even think of as sweets. For example many popular yogurts contain up to 5 teaspoons of sugar, a tablespoon of ketchup contains about 1 teaspoon of sugar, and a can of pop contains up to 10 teaspoons of sugar.
Ready to Kick Your Sugar Habit?
The good news is you can break the sugar cycle. Try some of these strategies to kick your sugar habit once and for all!
- Exercise regularly! When you feel a sugar craving kicking in go for a brisk walk or jog. Do this often enough and soon you’ll be craving exercise instead of sweets—the power of endorphins is amazing!
- Eat smaller, more frequent meals. Keeping your stomach satisfied, but not too full, reduces cravings.
- Drink half your body weight in ounces a day to stay hydrated and to maximize body functions.
- Don’t skip breakfast! The body absorbs the majority of vitamins and minerals between 6am & noon. Beginning each day with a balanced meal stimulates the brain’s neurotransmitters to contribute to a feeling of well being all day!
- Try to distract yourself when cravings kick in – take up a hobby when you’re bored, or write in a journal when you’re depressed.
- Substitute with healthier alternatives like organic raw honey and organic blackstrap molasses.
What one thing can you do today to reduce your sugar consumption? Be sure to share your tips and tricks in the comments section below – I’d love to hear from you! As always, please feel free to share this blog with your friends, and family.