The detrimental effects of sugar......

Sugar in our diets is a highly contentious issue and hot discussion around many circles.

Although some sugar is necessary to provide our brain and bodies with energy, research has shown that too much sugar can lead to a range of detrimental effects to our health and wellbeing including;
- Increased fat storage if not used as energy,
- Increased risk of tooth decay,
- Decreased immune system effectiveness,
- Increased risk of developing thrush and yeast infections,
- Fatigue,
- Alter your bodies hormone levels,
- Increase your risk of developing diabetes (raising the hormone insulin, which can increase the storage of cholesterol and fatty build up in your blood vessels and arteries),
- A reduced ability for your body to uptake the nutrients it needs to stay healthy,
- Hyperactivity and insomnia,
- Skin issues.

*The world health organisation advises that we should be consuming no more than 10% of our daily calorie intake from added sugar.
 
The list goes on......So what can we do to try and manage the amount of sugar that goes into our 'temples' (a.k.a our bodies!!)??
- When cooking at home, use the link below to give you a guide as to how to substitute high sugar and fat ingredients into regular recipes. http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/free-docs/how-to_convert-recipes.pdf
- Try to cook your own food as much as you can, particularly adding as many natural ingredients as you can (Many processed foods, spreads and sauces can have tablespoons of sugar and salt added to them!!),
- If you can't deal with not having something sweet in your tea or coffee, consider adding a natural substitute such as Stevia,
- Be wary of buying smoothies and juices. they sound 'healthy', but often are laden with sugar (if you're desperate, stick to a smaller size and only have it occasionally),
- If you have the option, go for brown or wholegrain bread/rice.
- Read the label of any food or drink that you purchase. The more you become familiar with the amounts of sugar/fat/salt etc. in certain foods, the easier it will be to make a 'healthy choice'.

Happy 'sugar reduction quest' Gorgeous Girls!!! xxx