Hidden Sugars

I hope everyone has been successful in taking a look at their sugar consumption and perhaps also been successful in cutting back on the sugar in their diet. I have noticed interestingly, that as I try to eliminate sugar, I find myself wanting crackers and pretzels and tortilla chips! What is that all about? After doing some research on this I have found that these foods act like sugar in your body and in turn, as you decrease the obvious sugars, your body will crave these foods more. Beware of this, try to get your sweet fix with fruits. I always recomend whole fruits over juice as you will get the benefit of fiber and nutrients that are in the skin. Be careful not to eat too much fruit as it is sweet and may trigger your craving for sugars more. Apples, oranges, pears, strawberries, blueberries and cantelope tend to be lower in sugar than some of the more tropical fruits like pineapples and bananas. Beware of the sugar that is hidden in processed foods like ketchup, crackers, cereal and yogurts. The rule of thumb is on the label, every 4 grams of sugar is equivalent to 1 teaspoon of sugar. Best of luck this week and please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.