Are You A Sugar Addict? Read This!

One of the top foods that is sure to lead to weight gain is refined sugar. As a society, we have been eating more and more sugar over the past 200 years, which has led to rising obesity numbers. In 1822 the average person consumed 6.3 lbs of sugar per year. In 2012, this number rose to a whopping 130 lbs of sugar. This is more than 20 times as much sugar in our modern diet! No wonder we are bigger than ever… 

Our diets are filled with refined sugar - especially since it is included in virtually every processed food out there. This is yet another reason that it's important to cut those processed and packaged convenience foods out of our diet. 

Cutting sugar from your diet is easier said than done. This is because once it is a part of your daily diet, cravings strike, causing you to eat it even more frequently. This doesn't mean, however, that there's no turning back. The following tips can help to reduce your consumption and get you back on track when it comes to your health! 

1) Include More Protein

A diet rich in protein helps to keep you more full, satisfied and less likely to crave sweets. A great way to make sure that you are getting enough is to plan each meal and snack around a protein. Plan breakfast around eggs or a fruit smoothie with protein powder; lunch and dinner around baked chicken breast or beans/lentils; and make snacks hard boiled eggs, baked meatballs or Greek yogurt. Try the recipe below for a protein-packed and satisfying snacks.

2) Avoid Artificial Sweeteners

One of the biggest health myths out there is the idea that calorie-free, artificially sweetened beverages don't impact your fat loss results. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but the truth is that the diet soda you're sipping is making it harder for you to reach your goal weight. While the diet soda itself doesn't contain calories, it has been proven to cause cravings for sugary foods. Put down the diet soda and instead pick up a refreshing bottle of spring water.

3) Steer Clear Of Saboteurs
The sad truth is that people in your life will try to sabotage your low sugar diet. You'll run into that pushy person at the office who insists that you eat a donut, the well-meaning family member who dishes you up a bowl of ice cream, and the friend who comes over with a plate of her home-baked cookies. The best avoidance strategy is to sincerely thank the sugar-pusher for their gift, tell them you wish you could eat it, but that you're trying to make healthier choices by cutting back on the amount of sugar you eat. Again, easier said than done, but you'll feel better mentally and physically after you resist the temptation!

4) Try Dark Chocolate
For those moments when your sweet tooth is relentlessly badgering you for something sweet, ditch the super-sugary candies and stick with a small square of very dark chocolate. Keep dark chocolate that is 70% or higher in cocoa content on hand for when you're looking for that sweet treat. You also want to avoid any chocolate that contains partially hydrogenated oils. The benefit of the cocoa, in addition to the lowered sugar content, makes dark chocolate an occasionally justifiable treat.

5) Stick With Fruit
What's sweet, colorful and comes in hundreds of flavors? Organic, seasonal, fresh fruit, of course! As you remove refined sugar from your life, feel free to add in some natural sugar by way of fresh, local fruit. It's amazing how satisfyingly sweet fruit is – it's truly nature's candy.

6) Change Your Palate
As you begin to limit your intake of refined sugars, you'll find that your tolerance for sugar decreases. This means that something that didn't taste sweet before – say a green apple – now has uncanny depths of sweetness. What's happening is that your sweet receptors are becoming more finely tuned, now that you're not overwhelming your palate with sickly-sweet refined sugar.

7) Workout Like You Mean It
A regular, challenging exercise routine will not only get you into amazing shape, it also reduces your cravings for sugar. The endorphin rush brought on by vigorous exercise is an even more powerful feel-good-feeling than the pleasure gotten by indulging in sugary foods.

Why is Sugar So Bad?

Not only does it promote rapid body fat storage, but it also promotes other health concerns:

• Sugar Weakens Your Immune System
• Sugar Causes Insulin Resistance
• Sugar is As Addictive As Hard Drugs
• Sugar Speeds Up the Aging Process
• Sugar Raises Your Risk of Disease
• Sugar Is Empty Calories

Meatballs

Here's a wonderful protein-packed snack recipe. The addition of homemade BBQ sauce takes these meatballs from regular to extraordinary. Enjoy as a power snack or throw a couple on a pile of greens for a light meal. 

Makes: 18

Ingredients

• 2 beaten eggs
• 1/2 cup blanched almond flour
• 1/4 cup flax meal
• 1/2 cup onion, finely minced
• 2 Tablespoons coconut milk, canned, full fat
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 12 oz ground cooked ham
• 12 oz ground raw pork
• 1/3 cup coconut crystals
• 2/3 cup organic, no-sugar-added ketchup
• 3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Preparation

1. In a large bowl combine eggs, almond flour, flax meal, onion, coconut milk, Dijon, and pepper. Add ground ham and ground pork; mix well. Shape into 18 balls, using about 1/4 cup mixture for each ball. Place ham balls in a lightly greased 2-quart rectangular baking dish.
2. In a bowl combine coconut crystals, ketchup, vinegar, and Dijon. Stir until the coconut crystals dissolve. Pour a spoonful over each ham ball.
3. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree F oven about 35 minutes or until done. Transfer ham balls to a serving platter and enjoy!

Nutritional Analysis: One meatball equals: 122 calories, 7g fat, 293mg sodium, 5g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, and 9g protein