Refined sugar is full of ’empty’ calories and although it may taste good, it drains the body of precious vitamins and minerals through the demand of its digestion.
If you’re wanting to rid your body of unhealthy foods in 2018, then giving up or cutting back on refined sugar is the first thing you should do.
Here are the first five things I do when I am removing refined sugar from my diet. I find these steps help combat my sugar cravings and keep me from falling off the bandwagon.
Remove temptation
Firstly, it’s important to remove temptation from your home. This may be more difficult if whoever you share your home with doesn’t want to join you on your journey to cutting back on sugar, but it’s important to rid yourself of unhealthy food or drink.
I don’t like fizzy drinks, juice or sweets, but I am a huge fan of chocolate and biscuits, so these things have been bagged up ready to give to someone who will appreciate them. If you can’t find anyone to offload them to, then just bin them. It is honestly the best way to kick-start your new lifestyle.
Stock up on fresh fruit
In the first week, your sugar cravings will be strong and you will need to replace your usual naughty treats with something to give you that same sugar fix. Fresh fruit is full of naturally occurring sugars and the ideal treat to reach for when the cravings get too strong.
Learn to love dried fruit
Another alternative to get a more intense sweet hit is dried fruit. In particular, dates, figs and apricots give a satisfying level of sweetness. However, be careful with how much you consume as there is still sugar (though it’s naturally occurring) in these yummy snacks.
Experiment with sweet tasting teas
I’m an avid tea drinker and love experimenting with new flavours of tea. Holland & Barrett have a great range, including a special ‘choco’ tea which is ideal when you need a chocolate fix.
Read about it here.
Stock up on raw cacao powder
The ultimate treat when you need an intense chocolate hit. Organic cacao is a deliciously rich powder containing calcium, iron, vitamin C and magnesium.
It’s great for smoothies, hot drinks or for making guilt-free snacks.
These 5 steps are helping me to stay away from my usual snacks of chocolate, biscuits and cake. I’d love to hear any tips you have for removing refined sugar from your diet.
Lean with Janine 