More than likely, you’ve heard of those diet challenges that require you to give up certain foods or drastically cut back on specific ingredients. The Atkins Diet, which is extremely low in carbs, is a popular example of one of these diets. Recently, another popular diet challenge has involved cutting sugars out of your daily intake. Before you dive into one of these diets, however, there are some things you need to know.
Myth 1: You Must Give Up Dessert
One of the biggest misconceptions that keeps people from attempting to ditch sugar in the first place is the notion that doing so automatically means giving up dessert in the process. This simply does not have to be the case, nor should it! There are plenty of great recipes with no added sugar that can still satisfy your sweet tooth, such as zucchini muffins and protein energy balls.
Myth 2: All Sugar is Bad for You
Keep in mind that it is impossible to cut out all sources of sugar from your diet. In fact, natural sugars aren’t necessarily bad for you, so long as you aren’t eating them in excess. The main problem that most people experience comes with added sugars—that is, foods that do not have natural sugars but are instead infused with sugar during processing.
Myth 3: Sources of Sugar Are Pretty Obvious
Cutting sugar out will be easy enough, right? After all, you can cut most sources of it out by simply shying away from those sugary snacks in the vending machine. Not so fast! Unfortunately, it can be very challenging to spot sources of sugar without taking the time to carefully read nutrition labels. You might be surprised to see that added sugars can be found in the strangest of sources, including savory sauces!
Myth 4: Your Sugar Intake Isn’t a Problem
Ideally, you should be getting less than 10% of your daily calories from added sugars. In reality, however, most people consume twice that amount daily. Even if you don’t have a huge sweet tooth, there’s a good chance that your current sugar intake is too high and you may want to consider making a dietary change.
These are just a few of the most common myths about cutting out sugar from your diet that you need to be aware of. Please be sure to speak with your physician about your plans to ditch sugar before you commit to or begin a change in your daily nutrient intake!
Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/better/diet-fitness/5-myths-about-quitting-sugar-debunked-n749391
