Been there. Actually, I'd be lying if I said I still wasn't there. I have a MAJOR sweet tooth, and before I became more aware of the dangers of consuming too much sugar, I practically ate everything that was fat-free and high in corn syrup. As long as it was low calorie, I ate it.
So, you'd be surprised how devastated I was when I found out Special K and Clif bars weren't healthy (yes, I'm serious). Are they the worst thing for you? No, not necessarily. You're not exactly downing a gallon of soda, but there are definitely much better options on the market.
Sugar is dangerous for two reasons (or at least the two reasons I found most harmful to me):
-Natural fats (such as those in nuts and avocados) do not make you gain weight. Sugar does. Sugar, ultimately, is converted to on-the-spot energy for your body to use. If you do not use it, it's stored as fat.
-My skin was downright awful. I had no idea what I was doing wrong, as I always assumed my diet was "nutritious"
The only sugars you should be consuming should come from fruit and dairy, not refined or processed foods. This past year I've been making a lot of changes to my snacking. After a lot of experimentation, I was able to find low-sugar foods that still taste like my favorite treats. Here are just a few of the substitutions I've made:
1) Clif Bars have a whopping 20+ grams of sugar in each bar. Although it's "organic" sugar, it's still raw cane syrup (and therefore, not good). I used to eat one of these for breakfast every morning, and sometimes I still crave them, because let's be honest, they taste like cookies. However, I've found a new love, and it comes in the form of Quest bars. I'm obsessed! They all have 1 to 2 g of sugar, and they still taste great and are packed with protein. They've even become so popular that's there's pratically a cult dedicated to working them into your favorite dessert or breakfast recipes (see here). Personally, cookie dough, white chocolate raspberry, and double chocolate chunk are my favorite. You can find them at any GNC, or purchase them in bulk on Amazon.com .
2) Basically every variety of Special K cereal is a major no-no, as is the case with a lot of cereals. I've stuck to eating plain (NOT honey-nut) Cheerios with unsweetened vanilla almond milk. Although I kind of feel like my grandpa eating them, it doesn't make me feel gross after having a cup. For an added artificial sweetness, I'll sometimes sprinkle Truvia (i.e organic stevia) over them.
3) Unless it's in a crepe you're indulging on in Paris, I would avoid Nutella at all costs. Not only is it packed with sugar, but it's also grossly high calorically. Pb & Co. makes a dark chocolate peanut butter that I've found to be addicting and a worthy substitute. Spread over whole wheat toast with sliced banana = perfection. You can purchase this at any Whole Foods.
4) I love trail mix, and I never follow the suggested serving size (1/4 of a cup, seriously?!). Previously, I often bought the trail mix with fruit and chocolate (because, uh, yum) and never thought about how much sugar was packed into that small handful. Even the dried fruit manufactures tend to pack with sugar, so I'd be careful of that next time you go to grab trail mix. On the other hand, Kind bars have been a fantastic replacement. There are a couple that are only 5 g of sugar, and they label it nicely on the front so you know which ones are a-okay to buy. Dark Chocolate Almond Sea Salt is my personal favorite.
5) I'm forever in a love affair with Chobani. I can't stay away from it -- but, as you guessed, many of them are filled with sugar. The plain ones aren't bad sugar wise (because it's only lactose), but it obviously doesn't taste as good. I allow myself to buy one Flip Chobani a week (peachy pistachio dark chocolate...mmmm) and all other days of the week I eat coconut milk yogurt, which is a flavored cultured strain of coconut milk. Most of them are less than 10 g of sugar, as compared to Chobani's 20+ grams.
This all being said, just remember that you cannot always deprive your body from sugar, so go ahead and have that dessert every Saturday (or ya know, pancakes every Sunday morning). But these small changes in your every day life will make a big difference in the long run for your skin, energy, weight, and overall health, so do take a stab at it!
Do you guys have any low-sugar desserts you'd recommend? Let me know in the comments below!
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