Many Americans are likely to admit that they have a bit of a sweet tooth. While indulging in this craving every now and again will do little harm, too much sugar can be detrimental to your heart health. At Integrative Cardiology Center of Long Island, we can help keep your heart as healthy as possible. To do this, we’d like to share some tips on how to reduce your sugar intake and the issues that can take place if you fail to do so.
Sugar And Your Health
Before giving you tips on how to consume less sugar, we’d like to dive into why it’s important to do this in the first place. Not all sugar is bad. Sugars found in fruits can help give you the energy needed to get throughout the day. However, artificial sugars and sweeteners are where issues can arise. So many food products and beverages have more sugar in one container than the daily recommended amount. Consuming all this can lead to an array of health issues, including some of the below:
- Unhealthy weight gain.
- Increased blood pressure.
- Interference with cholesterol levels.
- Added strain on the heart.
Always Read Food Labels
One of the best and easiest ways to reduce your sugar intake is to always read the food labels before making a purchase. Even if you think an item is healthy, there is often more sugar in it than you would believe. Labels will point out what percentage of the daily recommended sugar intake the product makes up, as well as how many servings it contains. Being knowledgeable about these two things works wonders in limiting the amount of sugar put into your body.
Stick To Water
Soda, juices, and sports drinks can all be refreshing at times. However, they are also loaded with sugar. That is why we recommend sticking to water when possible. Doing so allows you to remain hydrated without damaging your heart.
Eat More Fruit
As previously stated, the sugar found is not harmful for most people. Eating more fruit on its own is a great way to reduce processed sugar intake, but it can also be added to some of your favorite foods to enhance the flavor. Instead of going for an artificially sweetened version, try adding fruit to the below to increase the sweetness healthily:
- Oatmeal.
- Cereal.
- Yogurt.
Additional Methods
There are no shortages of ways you can cut back on your sugar intake. Our team knows this, which is why we’d like to share as many strategies with you as possible to give you the best chance of remaining healthy. Additional ways to do this include:
- Do not eat more than a serving of dessert.
- Limit the use of sugar-filled sauces in meals.
- Consume more full-fat foods.
- Stick to whole grains.
- Try to incorporate more fiber and protein into your diet.
Contact Us
If you’ve been someone who has spent the majority of their life not monitoring their sugar intake, it can be hard to break old habits. Fortunately, our team at Integrative Cardiology Center of Long Island is here to help. To learn more about how important it is to manage the amount of sugar you consume, please feel free to contact our team today.