Everyone loves sugar. Whenever we eat it, our brains stimulate the chemical dopamine, thus making us feel happy. However, it is important to keep a check on the amount of sugar we consume every day, especially as it is a part of a healthy lifestyle. It becomes a mandatory affair if you have already been diagnosed with diabetes or pre-diabetes.

Sugar is an ingredient that is consumed in many forms. Let alone the delicious taste of sugary confectioneries, they are, in a way, addictive and are even linked to many dangerous yet preventable health conditions. Although sugar cannot be labeled as completely bad, it does have some natural benefits if consumed in moderate quantities.

Once consumed, sugar is also broken down into many different categories from which one can determine whether it is wrong or suitable for them.

  1. Monosaccharides turn into glucose, galactose, and fructose.
  2. Disaccharides turn into sucrose, lactose, and maltose.
  3. Oligosaccharides turn into maltodextrin and raffinose.
  4. Polyols (sugar alcohols) turn into sorbitol, mannitol, and xylitol.

Natural sugars- 

Glucose, Lactose, and Fructose are naturally added sugars derived from fruits, dairy, or the starch in vegetables such as potatoes. These are some forms of natural sugar that are healthy for the body.

Artificially added sugar- 

Products with artificially added sugar vary as and when manufacturers feel the necessity of making them into the desired consistency. They could vary in preservation technique, texture and mouthfeel, volume, and intense color resulting from caramelization. They can be found in fizzy sodas, packaged fruit juices, desserts, candies, baked goods, and cereals.

Health conditions from consuming an excess amount of sugar

  • Cavities: Children with a sweet tooth are prone to cavities from a young age as they like consuming many sugary products such as candies, chocolate, sodas, desserts, etc. It is essential to teach children to consume sugar in moderation so they will learn to avoid it and choose a healthier alternative when available. Adults, too, can get cavities with excessive sugar consumption, which can deteriorate the health of their teeth and gums.
  • Diabetes: Overeating sugar is the worst thing you can do to your body. Unable to handle it, the body spikes up the blood sugar level. Type 2 diabetes develops when the body becomes resistant to insulin, and the pancreas cannot produce enough insulin. A wiser choice, therefore, is to consume it in moderation if you want to enjoy the ingredient throughout life.
  • Obesity: Added sugars lead to weight gain and chronic health conditions, such as obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. They affect both adults and children. Sugar is also known to be a factor in hormonal changes. Switching to a healthier alternative to sugar or cutting down on it can help you avoid many severe health abnormalities and treat obesity.
  • Fatigue: Simple sugars can lead to sudden spikes in blood sugar levels. This can come crashing back, making you feel tired and groggy. Complex sugars and carbohydrates are slower to break down, keeping the blood sugar more stable.

Tips To Reduce Added Sugar

  • Cut out on Table Sugar: Table sugar has no nutritional value. However, it does contribute to some serious health problems you don’t wish to have. Although cutting out the table entirely from your daily consumption can be a drastic change, you could start with small steps like consuming only 1/4 of the amount you used to take earlier.
  • Find different alternatives: There are many alternatives available in the market that use plant-based sugar as a substitute for going sugar-free. You could try getting familiar with the options available. Natural sweeteners such as honey or jaggery are also a good option for sugar. Still, it is a must that you read the label of these products, as many come disguised and filled with an unhealthy amount of sugar. Organic raw honey and jaggery are effective ways to cut down on sugar. 
  • Healthy Breakfast: Start your day with a healthy and nourishing breakfast. Do not consume sugar-laden cereals; switch to healthier alternatives such as oatmeals, muesli, or even homemade breakfasts such as parathas, dosas, or idlis. Include fruits for breakfast if you feel like having something sweet. Avoid health drinks that claim to give energy because they’re fully loaded with sugar. Instead, switch to some fresh, homemade fruit juice.
  • Bid Goodbye to Sugary Snacks: Everyone likes munching on sugary snacks in between meals. However, cutting out snacks containing entirely sugar from your diet is necessary. Have a fruit if you feel like snacking or a non-sugary item. Often, sugary snacks are marketed as healthy such as granola bars that are available locally are marketed as healthy and filling; however, they do no good on your commitment to reducing sugar; try making your granola bars at home with ingredients such as dates or jaggery in a limit to give it the sweetening flavor.
  • Sugary Drinks: Sodas and aerated drinks are nothing but soda water with added flavors and loads of sugar. If you are trying to lose weight, sodas are an absolute no. Also, packaged juices are unhealthy and contain a lot of sugar, so avoiding them is a smart choice.
  • Never lose control: Eliminating sugar from your daily routine can be difficult. At the start, you might feel these options are staying the same and need to return to the old table sugar. Try resisting your urges, as you might slowly start to notice once you’ve decreased the number of sugary foods in your diet and substituted them with homemade versions or even whole food options. You will begin to see that those intense sugar cravings have gradually disappeared. In this way, we can “re-train” our taste buds to appreciate the natural sweetness of foods, and we may not even fancy highly sweetened foods after a while.