Are you and your kids eating processed sugar on a daily basis?

Sugar is nothing but empty calories, the calories that only make you gain weight and don’t provide you with any benefits because they don’t contain any nutrients. Cutting out sugar can be very hard, especially when you have a sweet tooth. 

Here are some tips to help you stop eating sugar. 

• Start slow and take baby steps: 

If you try to cut out all sugar at once, it ain’t gonna happen.  Those cravings will come back with a vengeance. It’ll feel more like a punishment than an accomplishment. Instead of completely cutting out all sugar at one time, start controlling the amount of sugar you DO consume. For example, if you take three teaspoons of sugar in your tea or coffee, try cutting back to two for one week, then down to one. For that sweet tooth, start by just cutting out chocolate and candy before you abandon everything like baked desserts, or just save it for special occasions. 

• Use sugar alternatives:  

Instead of using sugar when you do want it, replace it with unfiltered raw honey or stevia.  

• Challenge yourself: 

Some people like to challenge themselves and love the feeling of accomplishment when they fulfill that challenge. If that’s you, try to challenge yourself to not eat sugar for a week (or for a day, if you have a serious addiction.) Gradually extend your time, and celebrate each milestone 

• Choose fruits over desserts:

Fruits are a sweet and a healthy alternative to desserts. If you feel like having cake or a favorite dessert, then grab some blueberries or another sweet fruit. The natural sugars in the fruit will help curb those cravings.  Stack your fridge with fruits and don’t leave Oreo cookies in your pantry. Guess what’s gonna happen when you’re stressed? 

• Know the benefits of quitting sugar: 

When you cut out processed sugar, your cardiac health improves, your skin begins to glow, and your acne starts clearing up. Furthermore, cutting out processed sugar will boost your mood and you’ll stop feeling cranky, moody or tired all the time. Your memory will improve and you may be able to lose the extra weight you always wanted to shed.  

• Add fennel seeds to your eating habits:  

If you just can’t shake off your sugar addiction, try adding fennel seeds.  You can either add them while cooking, you can chew them raw, or drink fennel tea. Fennel seeds don’t contain any sugar or empty calories but they have a naturally sweet taste.  

• Don’t start your day sweet:  

According to a study by Brown, if you start your day by eating something sweet then you’ll crave sugar all day long.  Instead of having something sweet, have a savory breakfast including healthy proteins and healthy fats.  Don’t even use the sugar alternatives in your breakfast.  

Sugar is an addiction, and it takes time, consistency, and determination to abandon it completely. Start small and take little steps toward removing it from your lifestyle.

Do you find yourself eating sugar daily? craving it daily? I’d love to hear from you in the comments and let me help you with sugar addiction.