AMHERST, N.Y. (WKBW) — What part of your life will you change this year? We are talking about 2020 transformations.
Diet...eat healthy...how to lose weight...you've heard it a hundred times.
This week we are showing how to eat healthier by reducing the amount of sugar you eat.
"Sugar is addictive and inflammatory," said Andrea Langston, an integrated nutritionist at Thrive Nutrition and Wellness in Amherst. "There are lot of different links to various health conditions that the more sugar that you eat, the more likely that you are to develop these conditions."
The U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend that you should only consume 50 grams of sugar if you eat a 2,000 calorie diet; however the average American consumes 77 grams of sugar a day.
What are some ways you can decrease your sugar consumption?
"Cut down on those naturally sugary foods like juice and soda," Langston said.
Langston adds that the best place to starting eliminating sugar begins with breakfast, by switching out sweet for more savory options.
Instead of cereal, try steel cut oats with berries and nuts, or eggs.
"If you start your day with carbs and sugar you tend to want it more and more throughout the day," Langston said. "People are going to feel a lot better, and they are going to get the nutrition their body is looking for and to help to eliminate those cravings.
Another tip is to check out food labels.
Foods like tomato sauce, peanut butter, and salad dressings can have more added sugar than you think.
While you are checking out the label, you want to also look out for words that mean sugar, without actually saying the word.
"Sometimes its high fructose corn syrup, or agave," Langston said. "It's all of these different words that mean sugar that we are just not aware of."
