When people talk about eliminating sugar, they usually take it to an extreme. Your body needs a balance of all flavours, and that includes sweet as well. Don't simply eliminate the sweet component, just learn to satisfy your cravings in a healthy way.
For a healthy adult male, upto 37g of sugar per day is acceptable although keeping levels of processed sugars at much lower levels is good for health.
These are some of the methods I have tried myself over the last 3 weeks. You can take these easy steps to get started:
1. Take your time
While grocery shopping or just grabbing a quick snack, keep your eyes open for packaged foods which are filled with hidden sugars.
You may think you are going the healthy way by picking soya milk, but have you seen the amount of sugar added to 100ml of your favourite flavoured treat?
Once you start reading labels, there is no turning back. My eyes automatically scan whatever I buy for added sugar levels on the label (yes, that includes chips, dips, sauces, and other salty foods). Now it's reached the point where I instinctively know what to buy and what to avoid.
2. Discover your hidden talents
If you ever want to give yourself a real shock, watch recipes of how your favorite desserts are made. The sheer quantities of sugar, heavy cream, butter, etc. may well dissuade you from digging into your next indulgent dessert.
This is not to say that you should not indulge in the finer things in life, but if, like me, you have a massive sweet tooth, homemade desserts are the way to go. From processed sugar to jaggery and refined flour to oats, healthy substitutes will satiete you without saturating your arteries.
3. Find your weak spots
If you analyse closely, you might find a pattern in your eating habits.
Do mood swings affect more than just your sleep and peace of mind? I almost always find myself turning to chocolate during a stressful week, when hormones swing out of balance or when I just feel low.
It may also be that stress makes you skip meals, leaving you tossing and turning in bed which may in turn lead to midnight cravings which are inevitably junk food.
4. Not so solid
The easiest way to consume excess sugars is in what you drink.
Whether it's a mid day coffee, a packaged fruit juice with breakfast or an iced tea at the end of a long, hot day we often don't realise that with the refreshment and caffeine comes a shot of sugars as well, most of which are ignored. It is important to remember these quantities are not negligible.
Cold coffee may have as many calories and sugars as your favourite dessert but for you, it may be something you consume multiple times a week. Wherever possible, resort to a tall glass of water or fresh juices instead.
5. Variety is the spice of life
And on a more literal note, spices may well be your saviour.
Adding cinnamon to your coffee, nutmeg to your oats and using herbs judiciously will give you a variety of flavours, not just sweet. These can be used effectively in combination with fruits, honey, jaggery, etc to balance out your food experience so you aren't bored with bland food.
It will also help with the feeling of being deprived of desserts and sweets when you try to cut down sugars. And who knows, you may just stumble upon a combination which is even better than your usual!
These are just a few easy tips which helped me get started. I hope these help you in improving your health as well.