How to Withdraw From Sugar

Refined sugar is one of the most problematic ingredients in the standard North American diet. Many of the foods that people eat on a daily basis are packed with refined sugars. Excessive sugar consumption increases your chances of obesity, which puts you at risk for heart disease, high-blood pressure, diabetes and other life-threatening conditions. Reducing your sugar intake is one of the best ways to improve your diet and safeguard your health.

Instructions

• 1

  Find out how much sugar you're actually eating. Make a food log and write down everything that you eat, including snacks and beverages, for an entire week. Put a star next to every food you eat that contains sugars.

• 2

  Start reducing sugar in your diet slowly. This makes it easier to quit. For instance, if you typically eat a donut every morning, start by cutting back to five a week. Cut out another donut out each week until you've removed them from your diet except for the occasional treat.

• 3

  Start making snack substitutions. Snacking is actually an essential part of a healthful diet. Replace sugary snacks with a healthful alternative. For instance, if you usually have a chocolate bar in the afternoon, try some apple slices with peanut butter instead. You'll get some natural sugar and protein to satisfy your hunger, and the sweet taste will make you less likely to crave sugar.

• 4

  Shop smarter by buying unsweetened versions of your favorite foods. Buy fruit juice that doesn't have sugar added, and if you like cereal, make sure that it's made from whole grains and doesn't have added sugar. Read the label of everything you buy to make sure that it isn't loaded with sugar, which can lurk in surprising places.

• 5

  Cut the soft drinks out of your diet. Opt for water, black coffee in moderation, plain tea, milk, unsweetened juices and the occasional diet soda to replace sugared soda. Just a single soda contains almost enough sugar to put a woman over the recommended daily intake.