The amount of sugar that we eat each year is astonishing. What isn’t astonishing, however, are the repercussions that come along with our country’s dependency on this addictive ingredient. In 2013, the American Heart Association (AHA) attributed 25,000 deaths in the United States alone to sugary beverages. This does not even account for the sugar we are eating.
Sugar comes in many forms; fructose, corn syrup, honey, and molasses are a few examples of the variety of ways in which sugar enters our bodies each day. Studies have shown that when eating fructose, it stimulates parts of our brain controlling hunger, and causes us to eat even more! Because of this, we especially want to limit the amount of fructose we are consuming.
Break the Addiction
First, keep the sugary foods away. Sugar is widely considered to be a more addictive substance than cocaine! This means that your cravings may be intense. It’s because of this that not giving yourself the option to give in to the cravings will help you greatly. Instead, keep a healthy snack around for when the cravings strike. Berries or carrots can be a perfect option for something to snack on when you are craving those sugary foods.
Starting out your day with a filling and nutritious breakfast can also do wonders in stopping your cravings. Going gluten-free for those ten days can also help your cause greatly. As it will help to make you feel better and give you more energy throughout the process.
You will need to be wary of the hidden sugars which are found in so many of the foods we eat. Watch out for reduced-fat products, as these companies often replace the calories with added sugar. Also avoid products that have sugar listed as the first ingredient or ones that have multiple different kinds of sugar, as this is one way that companies avoid listing sugar as the first ingredient.
If you stay strong and do not give in to sugar, you will have forgotten about your addiction before you even know it. Some say that it only takes 10 days to completely detox your body of sugar.