5 Sugar Alternatives to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth
5 tips to help satisfy your sweet tooth without adding to your waistline
Excess sugar
is one of the three primary drivers behind weight gain and a number of
common health issues (processed foods and “bad” fats are the two
others). Throughout our lives most of us have been programmed to believe
a few statements about what to eat and how to stay healthy:
1. Sugar is bad.
2. Whole grains are good.
3. Bacon and eggs are bad.
4. Low-fat is better than full-fat.
5. Vegetable oils are healthier than butter.
What if I told you that the only thing on that list that is in fact true is number 1? And that if you ate fewer whole grains, more bacon and eggs, more full fat products and more real butter, your sugar cravings would go away. And when you did want some sugar you could have it without worrying about weight gain, suppressing your immune system and messing with your blood sugar. Well, that is exactly what I am saying; a nutrient dense whole foods approach to eating can let you enjoy those sweet treats when you want them. More importantly you will find that you crave sugar less, enjoy more stable energy levels and ultimately lose weight.
Follow these tips for replacing the more commons sources of sugar with healthier alternatives and let your waistline be the proof.
1. Sports Drinks: Store bought sports drinks are loaded with sugar. Try making your own sports drink by adding lemon juice, stevia and celtic sea salt to your water. The lemon juice and the celtic sea salt are loaded with natural minerals/electrolytes and the stevia will give it that sweet kick you are looking for.
2. Energy Bars: Most energy bars are loaded with processed sugar. Be sure to choose energy bars that contain natural sweeteners such as dates, coconut sugar, honey and maple syrup. Also, look for a bar with as few ingredients as possible. If you are into beef jerky there are some great options out there as well that are lower in sugar high in protein/fat, which exactly what you are looking for in a snack (hint, hint).
3. Ice Cream: Aside from the fact that ice cream is loaded with sugar it also contains dairy which can be very difficult to digest. A delicious dairy free dessert can be made by letting some bananas ripen, peeling them and then freezing them. Remove the bananas from the freezer and blend with blueberries. You can add nuts and shredded coconut for some added texture. If this doesn’t satisfy you sweet tooth you can add some honey or maple syrup. (To note: Your favorite ice cream might also contain gluten, beware if you are following a gluten free diet.)
4. Yogurt: Most store bought yogurts are loaded with sugar. The low-fat yogurts have even more sugar since when they take the fat out they need to add more sugar so they taste “better”. Choose full-fat yogurts, preferably from a grass-fed source and add your own fruit and/or honey.
5. Chocolate: If you love chocolate (and who doesn't?), there is no reason to cut it out. As most of us have heard by now, chocolate has many beneficial qualities. You can take advantage of these benefits by making sure you are eating the highest quality chocolate you can find. This will also result in a chocolate bar with less sugar. Choose organic chocolate bars with a high cacao count (over 72%) and organic sweeteners.
Steven Macari is a nutritionist and the founder of SLVRBK Health and the SLVRBK mat.
1. Sugar is bad.
2. Whole grains are good.
3. Bacon and eggs are bad.
4. Low-fat is better than full-fat.
5. Vegetable oils are healthier than butter.
What if I told you that the only thing on that list that is in fact true is number 1? And that if you ate fewer whole grains, more bacon and eggs, more full fat products and more real butter, your sugar cravings would go away. And when you did want some sugar you could have it without worrying about weight gain, suppressing your immune system and messing with your blood sugar. Well, that is exactly what I am saying; a nutrient dense whole foods approach to eating can let you enjoy those sweet treats when you want them. More importantly you will find that you crave sugar less, enjoy more stable energy levels and ultimately lose weight.
Follow these tips for replacing the more commons sources of sugar with healthier alternatives and let your waistline be the proof.
1. Sports Drinks: Store bought sports drinks are loaded with sugar. Try making your own sports drink by adding lemon juice, stevia and celtic sea salt to your water. The lemon juice and the celtic sea salt are loaded with natural minerals/electrolytes and the stevia will give it that sweet kick you are looking for.
2. Energy Bars: Most energy bars are loaded with processed sugar. Be sure to choose energy bars that contain natural sweeteners such as dates, coconut sugar, honey and maple syrup. Also, look for a bar with as few ingredients as possible. If you are into beef jerky there are some great options out there as well that are lower in sugar high in protein/fat, which exactly what you are looking for in a snack (hint, hint).
3. Ice Cream: Aside from the fact that ice cream is loaded with sugar it also contains dairy which can be very difficult to digest. A delicious dairy free dessert can be made by letting some bananas ripen, peeling them and then freezing them. Remove the bananas from the freezer and blend with blueberries. You can add nuts and shredded coconut for some added texture. If this doesn’t satisfy you sweet tooth you can add some honey or maple syrup. (To note: Your favorite ice cream might also contain gluten, beware if you are following a gluten free diet.)
4. Yogurt: Most store bought yogurts are loaded with sugar. The low-fat yogurts have even more sugar since when they take the fat out they need to add more sugar so they taste “better”. Choose full-fat yogurts, preferably from a grass-fed source and add your own fruit and/or honey.
5. Chocolate: If you love chocolate (and who doesn't?), there is no reason to cut it out. As most of us have heard by now, chocolate has many beneficial qualities. You can take advantage of these benefits by making sure you are eating the highest quality chocolate you can find. This will also result in a chocolate bar with less sugar. Choose organic chocolate bars with a high cacao count (over 72%) and organic sweeteners.
Steven Macari is a nutritionist and the founder of SLVRBK Health and the SLVRBK mat.
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