To Eliminate Sneaky Sugars or Substitute?

Welcome to Day #9 of PureFormulas’ Sugar Crush Challenge: 30 days of tips, recipes, and tools to help you cut down on sugar and crush those cravings!

Keeping a food journal is an extremely useful tool for understanding where you are going wrong when it comes to eating habits, and it’s no different when talking about sugar. Sometimes we are not fully aware of how some foods that are not dessert sweet in taste are so high in sugar.

Here’s a good example: ready-to-drink chocolate flavored milk, whether it’s dairy or almond. Someone that is trying to increase their calcium intake and doesn’t enjoy the taste of pure milk, might find this to be a reasonable alternative, right? The only problem is that just one 8 oz. cup has over 20 grams of sugar. Although in the case of milk, some does come from lactose (which is naturally found in milk) the rest is still added to enhance flavor. Can you imagine if someone has more than 8 oz.?

Should I give it up?

If this is something you enjoy, and especially in this case where it comes with amazing nutrients, there is no need to eliminate. Instead, why not make smarter choices. In the milk example, you don’t have to force yourself to drink it plain if you truly have an aversion to it. However, be in control of what goes into your milk. One way to do this is by adding unsweetened cacao powder, cinnamon, and a little bit of honey. Some of you might already be mentally screaming “honey IS sugar too!”, but think about it, chances are you’ll be adding a lot less sugar than the ready-to-drink version. Not only will you be shaving off grams of sugar from your day but also can have fun with it and make it your own.

Does this apply to my favorite candy bar too?

This is where it gets tricky. The difference between this example and the previous one is that the candy bar is not going to provide you with many benefits other than the two seconds of comfort shortly followed by the strong craving for more. I guess it will be up to you to decide whether you can give it up for good, find a healthier option, or save it for special occasions. As long as there is not a daily special occasion to have your treat, you will always be the better judge of what works for you. I happen to love chocolate and my coworkers know that as part of my work desk decor they will always find 70% dark chocolate available for my moments of need. Only one square needed!

What about you?

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