17 September 2024

Reducing Sugar Consumption

The World Health Organization (WHO) states that the daily sugar intake limit for adults is 12 teaspoons of sugar per person.

Excessive sugar consumption can affect your health, such as increasing the risk of diabetes or obesity.

Tips to Reduce Sugar in Daily Consumption:

1. Pay Attention to Food Labels
   When reading food or beverage product labels, you need to be more careful because the word sugar is often written with other terms, such as cane sugar, syrup, granulated sugar, honey, dextrose, fructose, sucrose, or any words ending in “-ose.”

2. Buy Food or Drinks Without Added Sweeteners
   A simple step to start a sugar-free lifestyle is to purchase food or drinks without added sweeteners, such as soy milk and oatmeal.

3. Combine Sugar with Protein, Healthy Fats, and Fiber
   You need to combine sugar with protein, healthy fats, and fiber in your meals. This combination can slow the release of blood sugar into your body and keep you feeling full longer.

4. Add More Flavor
   What makes it difficult to avoid sugar is the sweet taste it produces. Therefore, one way to reduce sugar is to add more flavor to the food or drinks you consume. For example, you can use cocoa powder, vanilla, or spices such as nutmeg, ginger, and cinnamon.

5. You Don’t Have to Give Up Your Favorite Cakes and Ice Cream
   There is nothing wrong with enjoying your favorite foods, such as donuts, ice cream, brownies, candies, and chocolates. However, you need to limit your consumption and avoid eating them too often or in excessive amounts.

6. Make Reducing Sugar a Habit
   Reduce sugar gradually, not suddenly. As long as it’s done consistently, little by little, you can adapt to a low-sugar lifestyle.

Reviewed by: dr. Innosensius Ibnu Ishwara, M.K.K.

Source: Hellosehat Health Article

Photo: freepik.com