Low sugar foods can be purchased everywhere. Most people choose to lower their sugar consumption simply because they either want to reduce weight, and lower their carbohydrate intake, or they are diabetic. However, most people also make common mistakes while thinking they are on a sugar free diet.
Here are the top 5 most common mistakes:
#5 - Eating fruits that have high sugar content
Most people thinking they are 'going healthy' end up eating fruit or drinking fruit juice that are very high in sugar. Maybe they throw a banana on their cereal, or blend an apple in their juice for lunch. These fruits are very high in sugar, and the consumer will wonder why they are still not losing weight.
How to fix this: If you really want to get your daily intake of anti-oxidants, try blending some fruit that is low in sugar, such as cranberries, raspberries or blackberries. Then to sweeten, add some sugar alcohol like Erythritol or Xylitol. These sugar substitutes are a much better option than Aspartame, or other artificial sweeteners. Some may prefer Stevia or its extract Rebiana, but it may have an bitter after taste.
#4 - Substituting Honey or Agave Nectar for their table sugar
It may be obvious to some, but people still substitute honey, agave nectar or maple syrup for their sugar, thinking that because it's not exactly sugar, it won't increase their blood sugar level. In fact, all of these 3 products contain either the same level of sucrose or fructose as normal sugar, and must not be used as a substitute. Although honey may contain some nutritional benefits, the cost to dieters or diabetics far outweigh the benefits.
How to fix this: Again, we recommend using Erythritol or Xilitol to replace these products. However, you may not be able to achieve the same caramel like consistency as honey. Erythritol and Xylitol are usually sold in granular form, so it feels like normal sugar, so you'll have to mix it with water to get it into a liquid form.
#3 - Eating low fat foods hidden with sugar
This can be surprising to those on a diet. The packaging says low fat or fat reduced, which is true. But upon closer inspection, you find that the fat has been replaced with sugar. The next time you see reduced fat yogurt, compare it with normal yogurt and see which one has higher sugar content.
How to fix this: Read the label. Check that just because it's low fat, that it's not at the expense of high sugar. Or substitute the product for something different. For example, instead of low fat mayonnaise, use hummus.
#2 - Eating everyday foods hidden with sugar
Some users may accidentally be consuming everyday foods hidden with sugar. Foods such as mayonnaise, ketchup or BBQ sauce, breads and buns from food outlets, are all foods that contain hidden sugar. Without reading the labels, this can be quite unexpected. Even a humble 'cup of soup' in powder form contains on average 3 teaspoons of sugar. A can of tomato soup can contain up to 6 teaspoons of sugar.
How to fix this: Golden rule here is to read the label. This may be difficult at some food outlets that do not display this information. If in doubt, you can always cook your own meals, starting with basics. Instead of buying canned tomato soup, start with fresh tomatoes. And use Erythritol or Xylitol, instead of table sugar in all of your cooking.
#1 - Consuming artificial sweeteners
This is the most common mistake low sugar consumers will make. Substituting sugar with chemically manufactured products such as saccharin, aspartame and sucralose. Although they are FDA approved, there are numerous health issues raised against them which can no longer be ignored. As always, it is up to the consumer to decide the validity of these cases.
How to fix this: Use sugar substitutes which are naturally fermented from fruits. Not all sugar alcohols are free of side effects. However, Xylitol and Erythritol are two of the best. Xylitol can still cause some bloating or have a laxative effect, but Erythritol is very well absorbed by the body and has minimal side effects.
Rachel J Smith is a proud home cook and enjoys trying out new products to make her recipes more healthy for her family. She is a contributing member of SugarSubstitutes.org.
Their website can be found at http://sugarsubstitutes.org
Their website can be found at http://sugarsubstitutes.org
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