If you think you are eating too much sugar, you probably are. In this new world of “gluten free”, “dairy free”, “pescatarian-ism” and “vegan”, the biggest danger is being overlooked. Sugar is a killer! Not only is sugar bad for your waistline but it wreaks havoc on your skin.
Sugar breaks down collagen in the skin, causing sagging, wrinkles and looseness. This is called glycation. Too much sugar can also cause redness, dryness and brittle skin. This takes years to develop but glycation is always occurring as your body breaks down sugar. Think twice before you reach for that candy.
Sugar is found in everything and is most likely lurking in food and drinks that you don’t even think about. This can cause weight gain and high blood sugar levels. When grocery shopping read the ingredients, they’re provided for a reason. Stay clear of ‘hidden sugars’ such as (HFCS) or high fructose corn syrup, maltose, sucrose, fructose and glucose. Beverages are the worst when it comes to hidden sugars. Energy drinks, juice and coffee drinks can contain up to 62 grams of sugar! The recommended daily intake of sugar for women is 24 grams or 6 teaspoons and for men 36 grams or 9 teaspoons. 24-36 grams is still a lot of sugar!
You don’t have to fully cut sugar out of your diet, there are ways to slowly replace it with healthier options. When baking try replacing sugar with almond, vanilla, orange or lemon extract. Try using spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg. Unsweetened applesauce is another great substitution and its yummy!
Hopefully this didn’t scare you too much, the occasional cheat with chocolate is allowed, just all in moderation. Share your low-sugar/sugar-free recipes with us!