Medical Keywords - Everything you need to know about health.

Cutting Sugar Out of Your Diet

There are many reasons why you may want to cut the sugar (or at least some of the sugar) out of your diet. For one, too much sugar causes health problems. If you are diabetic, or concerned about diabetes, then you will need to limit your sugar intake everyday. Too much sugar may also lead to tooth decay. Of course, everyone knows that too many sweets and sugary foods will also lead to weight gain and obesity.

When looking at diets and ways of cutting sugar out of your diet, you will see that there are several ways of doing this. Diet fads such as South Beach, Sugar Busters and Atkins all concentrate on limiting sugar intake. There are also different kinds of sugar and you will need to know the differences. For example, refined sugar is the white sugar you normally add to your coffee or to your baked products. This kind of sugar is not as healthy for you as natural types of sugar such as honey, or those derived from fruits. You will have to decide if you wish to cut all sugar from your diet or just refined sugar.

Here are some tips for cutting or eliminating sugar from your diet.

Read the labels: Reading the labels on what you buy will help you become aware of the amount of sugar you are eating. You may think that some foods are relatively healthy until you look at the sugar content. Even low fat or no fat foods can contain a very high amount of sugar. Read the labels carefully so you know exactly what you are eating.

Stop adding sugar to your foods: This is the most common mistake people make when they are trying to cut sugar. If you get in the habit of adding sugar to whatever you are eating, it can pack on the pounds. For example, learn to enjoy tea and coffee without the sugar. Don't add sugar to your oatmeal or cereal. Take the sugar bowl off the table.

Reduce your carbs: You don't have to follow a strict no carbs diet, but you must remember that refined or processed carbs will convert to sugar when you eat it. This means that breads, pastas and other snacks that are made with refined (or white) flour, are your worst diet enemies. To combat this, try whole wheat products instead.

Have a varied diet: This is important. You need a varied diet and this will help you reduce your sugar intake. Look for foods that are in all food groups and don't forget that foods come in all colors. One diet expert recommends that you shop according to color. Concentrate on a rainbow of colors when you buy foods. You will get more fresh fruits and vegetables and less refined products when you shop with this mentality.

Think about other sources of sugar: While natural sugars such as raw sugar or honey are better for you than refined sugar, your body really does not know the difference. Therefore, you need to be aware of your total sugar intake, even from fruits and natural fruit juices. You will also want to use artificial sweeteners sparingly.