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We all know that too much sugar is bad for us, but for those of us with a sweet tooth it can very hard to resist sugary things. To help protect your health while satisfying your craving, here are some of the things that you can do.
Experiment With Fruit
Fruit is packed with sugar. In fact, your average fruit contains more sugar than a chocolate bar. So, why is fruit healthier? Firstly, fruit contains natural sugars (or fructose) which the body knows how to dispose of more easily. Secondly, fruit is packed full of vitamins and minerals that compensate for the sugar.
Fruit isn’t always as appealing as candy, but there are fun and creative ways to make it more appealing. For instance, try freezing fruits – grapes take on the texture of boiled candy and bananas take on the texture of ice cream. You can also turn fruit into smoothies as well as baking certain fruits like bananas and pears.
Switch To Dark Chocolate
If you’re a chocoholic, why not switch out milk chocolate for dark chocolate? Dark chocolate tends to contain less sugar and is rich in antioxidants due to the added cocoa. Not everyone likes the bitter taste of dark chocolate, but for those that don’t mind it, it’s worth making the switch.
Use A Straw
Soft drinks are full of sugar and are one of the biggest source of tooth decay. While cutting down on soft drinks is the most effective thing you can do, the second best option is to drink soft drinks through a straw. This stops many people swilling soft drinks around their mouth, preventing our teeth from getting coated in sugar.
Drink More Water
Drinking lots of water during the day can suppress the body’s craving for sugar. When we’re dehydrated, the body struggles to release glycogen to help energize us, which makes us crave sugar more. Next time you have a craving, try drinking water instead.
Drinking lots of water is also good for our dental health.
Up Your Dental Regime
If you’re trying to cut down on sugar because of the impact on your teeth, you may be able to compensate by upping your dental regime. If you’re brushing your teeth regularly and flossing, you can get away with eating more sugary snacks.
On top of improving your personal regime, it’s important to make regular visits to a dentist. Regular check-ups can help you to detect plaque build-ups and decay early, allowing you to improve your brushing or seek treatment.
Stay Active
If you’re worried about sugar’s impact on the body, you can compensate by upping your exercise. You can consume more sugar during and after exercise because your body needs the energy. If you’re not being active, the body has no need for the sugar and it often gets converted into fat.
Photo by Jennie Brown on Unsplash
