5 Smart Ways to Eliminate Unhealthy Sugars From Your Life
Say goodbye to refined sugars for better health and performance
Refined sugar is practically an invasive species. It’s everywhere and in everything. It’s cropped up in the most unsuspecting of places. You look to the food label where you think you’re about to buy something healthy, only to find processed sugar is smiling right back at you.
The sugar industry is just as deceptive and dangerous as the product itself. It cloaks sugar in so many different names. The goal is to both confuse and convince the consumer.
The product you’re buying either has no refined sugar (being natural and organic), or the sugar is disguised under a completely different name, so you think there’s no harmful sugar. Therefore, refined sugar flies under the radar, completely unnoticed and unsuspecting.
Stealthy, right? Unfortunately, it’s worked for decades.
Many ill effects come from consuming refined and processed sugar throughout your life. The Standard American Diet (aka Western Diet) relies heavily on quick processed meals and snacks. Everyone is super busy, but everyone needs to eat too. And the food manufacturers and scientists were keen to queue in on this detail.
Extensive research and untold amounts of money have been invested in food science and the sugar industry. Everything from the product itself, to the final packaging, marketing, and advertising are all centered around getting people hooked on buying processed foods that are convenient. In doing so, we’re fueling a whole new breed of addiction.
But it doesn’t have to be this way.
This article will discuss five ways to eliminate refined and processed sugars from your life.
Before discussing how you can eliminate refined sugars from your diet and lifestyle, let’s first look at what some agencies deemed as “safe levels” of sugar in the American diet.
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends no more than six teaspoons daily for women and nine teaspoons for men. They recognize that “sugar-sweetened beverages are the biggest source of added sugars in the American diet.”
Let’s translate: 6 teaspoons of sugar are approximately 25g of sugar for women, and 9 teaspoons are approximately 38g of sugar for men.
See this AHA infographic for some more information and tips.
According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly the American Dietetics Association), “the 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting added sugars to no more than 10% of your total daily calorie intake, which is 200 calories per day for a 2,000-calorie eating plan.”
Translation: 200 calories equate to approximately 50g of sugar.
How many grams of sugar are in one 12oz can of soda? 39g (on average).
No wonder people are confused… the AHA says 25–38 grams of sugar and the ADA says 50g. There’s not enough time to even touch on what some of the other government agencies say about reducing refined/added sugars in the American diet. This topic alone could literally be a dissertation.
Interestingly enough, in looking up information for this article, every agency recognizes and agrees with the fact that refined sugars are a problem in society. Yet, what’s truly being done about it? Will there ever be a solution?
More and more food options are being created that have processed and refined sugars hidden in the ingredients. Either the food scientists and manufacturers are becoming more clever, or society as a whole hasn’t awakened to the fact that we’re slowly being poisoned.
Again, I go back to my earlier statement of “confuse and convince.”
The good news is you ultimately have total control of what you put in your body! You have complete control over your lifestyle and nutrition and can take steps to remove harmful refined sugars (if you so wish).
1. Stop consuming sugary drinks
Sugar is prevalent in the fluids we drink.
It’s in everything from the mass-produced cold brew coffees, to iced tea, and even the flavored sparkling waters at the grocery store. I won’t even mention the syrups and flavorings added to coffee and tea every morning to kick start the day.
What about those little juice boxes for kids? Unfortunately, they’re filled with sugar too; 23g to be exact. That seems a lot for a little kid!
Let’s think about this for a moment… if the maximum daily recommended amount of sugar for adult women and men is 25–38g of sugar, and one little juice box for a child already has a whopping 23g of sugar, isn’t that a tad overboard? By the way, the daily sugar intake recommendation for children over the age of two is 25g of sugar per day. It’s practically the equivalent of an adult recommendation. I would think it would be a smaller amount, for a smaller human.
Is it just me? Or is anyone else seeing this as problematic?
Soda (aka “pop” in some regions) and energy drinks are in a class all to their own and are practically nothing but sugar. It’s basically the equivalent of drinking poison.
Is there a solution? Yes. It’s not an easy one either, and people tend to cringe at the thought. But here it goes… swap out the sugary drinks for more water, or find alternative options. Consider brewing your own coffee or tea at home. Use healthier flavoring options such as organic creamers or plant-based sugars like stevia or monk fruit. And add some fresh fruit to flavor your agua.
What about orange juice? Solution: eat a real orange! You could even go one step further and just juice an orange. It won’t taste like acid. Oranges are naturally sweet and delicious, unlike the junk orange juice that’s offered to consumers in the grocery store. I think it’s been close to twenty years since the last time I had mass-produced orange juice because it tasted so gross.
There’s a plethora of alternative options available. It just takes a little creativity and learning to find something better. But we always want quick and easy. Who ever said practicing better health was going to be easy? But, the good news is, the more you practice the better you become!
Know better, do better.
2. Eat more fresh fruits
If satiating your sweet tooth is what you’re after, fruits are a perfect alternative. It’s better and healthier to eat closer to the source than something created in some weird science lab. And if at all possible, buy organic fruits and veggies from local farmers.
Let’s use the modest mango as an example. It’s one of the sweetest, juiciest, and most flavorful fruits on the planet.
You can consume a mango raw. You can cut it up and add it to smoothies or salads. Fresh mango salsa is amazing. And you can add it to plain water (any fresh fruit in water is far better than any added sugar). However, the downfall of the deliciously raw mango is cutting around the massive seed in the center. It really is a pain in the ass. But the tasty reward is worth the 3-minute challenge to get it. Or you could buy it readily cut.
What are some of the other sweetest fruits, besides mangos? Cherries, strawberries, watermelon, valencia oranges, grapes, peaches, apples, and pears top the list. These fruits are naturally sweet and a much healthier option than processed foods with refined and hidden sugars.
And yes, there are fruits lower in natural sugar that are still considered sweet. These include berries such as blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, or boysenberries. All are delicious options to add to any meal or drink.
It’s also worth mentioning that before the mass production of refined and added sugar, humans rarely consumed sugar in large quantities. While the sweeter fruits (and some vegetables) contain natural fructose, overall they provide relatively low amounts that aren’t considered harmful to one’s health.
Life’s short, eat the mango and enjoy.
3. Increase your protein intake
I know this sounds pretty strange, but stay with me here.
If weight loss is one of your goals, increasing your protein intake with each meal can tremendously help. If adding lean, healthy muscle is one of your goals, increasing protein intake is a must.
According to Runtastic.com:
“a protein-rich meal can actually slow down the absorption of sugar and prevent glucose spikes, which, in turn, can reduce your sugar cravings”
Protein keeps you fuller, for longer. It has the ability to eliminate sugar cravings. In the Standard American Diet, protein intake is very low. Yet, it’s an important macronutrient that’s underrated for its overall health benefits.
If your diet lacks adequate protein and healthy fats, you could find yourself craving sugar. When your body is only fueled primarily by refined carbohydrates (which the Standard American Diet is), this leads to a sudden spike in blood sugar, then a rapid drop (“crashing”). The crash is usually when people crave a quick sugar fix to regulate this. And this, in turn, opens up a vicious cycle that becomes repeated without further thought. Soon you begin consuming more sugar so as to guard against that crash.
The Standard American Diet is a modern dietary practice that’s characterized by eating high amounts of pre-packaged foods, refined grains and starches, over-processed meats, high-sugar drinks, candy and sweets, fried foods, highly saturated or hydrogenated fat products, and high-fructose corn syrup. There is very low consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, pasture-raised animal products, fish, nuts, and seeds.
In truth, protein should be consumed at each meal, including breakfast. Beyond the lowly egg, greek yogurt or cottage cheese is a delicious option and you can jazz it up with some fresh fruit.
While fruits and veggies don’t have a whole lot of protein, there are other alternatives. Beef jerky or snack sticks are a good option. It’s high in protein, and convenient for on the go. There are many companies now producing organic and clean protein snacks.
A protein shake is yet another option. A clean whey isolate or plant-based pea protein is a healthy choice. And you can even add these to your morning coffee.
4. Choose better and healthier snacks
Who doesn’t love a good snack to satisfy a sugar craving?
Snack foods are smaller food items that are eaten between the three major meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner). This typically ranges anywhere from chips and pretzels, to trail mix and candy bars, to popcorn and peanuts. There’s an endless variety of foods to snack on.
Some common snack foods include:
- Granola Bars — be careful here. Even though the label says it’s “healthy”, you’ll want to pay closer attention. Usually, granola bars are filled with junk ingredients and are high in added sugars and processed grains. It’s a wolf hidden in sheep's clothing.
Alternative: the best bars have been made with whole foods. They are likely to be higher in fiber and contain more beneficial nutrients. Another option is to make your own snack bars or trail mix. The internet is filled with recipe ideas. Go explore!
- Candy bars — The amazing Snickers bar was my personal go-to; my second option was Oreo cookies. Both are not healthy. Both are delicious and filled with sugars. Candy bars and sugary snacks are easily accessible, plentiful, and cheap. They are available in every convenience store, every sporting event, every checkout lane, and every vending machine in the workplace or public setting.
Candy and sugary snacks were something I had to completely walk away from. It wasn’t easy, but it was totally worth it. Oddly enough, since detoxing and being set free from refined sugars, I no longer crave them nor can I eat them. Firstly, I’ll get a migraine. Secondly, knowing what I know now about refined sugars and processed foods, I don’t want that stuff in my body.
Alternative: A small piece of delectable dark chocolate can suffice and help a sugar fix; specifically 75%+ cacao. Dark chocolate is also good for your health because it’s high in antioxidants. One to two ounces each day is the recommended guideline.
- Potato chips — You can’t eat just one. Ever. I tried that challenge and failed miserably. Potato chips are practically the perfect snack… crispy, crunchy, and salty; Also another downfall of mine. My chip of choice was either Herrs sour cream and onion or Herrs salt and vinegar. I salivate at the thought of either.
However, most potato chips are either deep-fried, baked, or air-fried until crispy and delicious. Despite their seemingly benign existence, mass-produced potato chips aren’t that healthy for you. The greasy goodies actually provide little to no nutritional value. Eating chips and similar fried, fatty foods are not very healthy and can result in weight gain and other negative results.
Alternative: If you have a hankering for some potato chips, they can easily be made at home. You can slice up some potatoes, and either bake or air fry them for a healthier option with no added preservatives. If it’s the crisp and crunch you’re after, try some raw veggies like carrots, celery, or bell pepper strips.
5. Learn the importance of reading food labels
Become aware of what you’re eating.
This might be the most important step you can take to eliminate refined and added sugars, even though it can seem a little intimidating at first.
At the same time, aren’t you a little curious to know what’s in your favorite box of granola bars? I bet you didn’t know how many sugars, preservatives, and other things you can’t pronounce are in that bag of trail mix you put in your shopping cart. It’s honestly mind-bending.
I came across a blog article that nicely explains the revamped food labels. Knowing this information helps remove a lot of the guesswork.
The packaging and marketing that appears directly on our foods and the food label itself are beyond misleading. There are many “keywords” you read in order to purchase a specific food item. There’s a whole scheme going on with false claims that food manufacturers make. After all, their primary goal is sales and for you to buy their product over another competitor.
Another article on Healthline nicely sums up that whole process:
“Food labeling regulations are complex, making it harder for consumers to understand them. Health claims on packaged food are designed to catch your attention and convince you that the product is healthy.”
Affirmation of my earlier “confuse and convince” statement.
Learning to read food labels can be a game-changer. Once you understand what to look for and identify, you can begin to make not only better food decisions, but change the relationship you have with food as well. Over time, it will become the quality of the food, not the quantity of the food.
Key Takeaways
Refined/added/processed sugars are harmful to the body. Yet, they seem to be everywhere in almost anything we consume.
Processed and added sugars go by many different names. The food science industry has cleverly disguised them so you least suspect that you’re consuming harmful sugars at all.
The different names are the food industry’s way to hide and manipulate the sugar being consumed. While it’s highly palatable, there’s little to no health benefit; case in point, high-fructose corn syrup.
Looks are deceiving. The packaging of food appears very different than what’s actually listed on the food label. Just because it says “healthy” on the outside doesn’t mean it is.
This article discusses five ways to remove harmful refined sugars:
- Stop consuming sugar-filled drinks
- Eat more fresh fruits
- Eat more protein
- Choose better and healthier snacks
- Learn to read food labels
By eliminating refined and added sugars, you’ll not only feel healthier but you’ll perform and function better as well. Your brain will also thank you.
I hope you enjoyed this article and found it helpful! Thanks for reading!
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