Cut the Sugar Challenge : Day 6

So hey everyone! 

First I want to thank YOU all for an amazing welcome for my book Cut the Sugar being released yesterday!! There’s been an overwhelming excitement for it and I could not be happier!! 
There’s a fun social media celebration going on for the #cutthesugar mission and some awesome bloggers are joining forces in sharing my mission to Cut the Sugar!! So join the fun and share your photos on Instagram and other SM with less sugar, no sugar + healthier sugar! It can be as simple as unsweetening your tea or coffee, or choosing fresh fruit vs sweet treats when sugar cravings hit!

And that’s exactly what we’re chatting about today! Fresh fruit!

One of the reasons I’m not anti-sugar completely or anti-fructose and I don’t think you have to quit sugar to live healthy – is that there are sugars that are actually good for you!

This one example of healthy sugars is actually fruit! 

The sugar in fruit gives you natural energy and it’s loaded in vitamins and antioxidants that your body needs to function properly! Depriving yourself of these nutrients isn’t healthy + is miserable! Humans have a natural craving for sweets since birth because even breastmilk is naturally sweet! Our brain thrives on sugar because it boosts serotonin – the feel good hormone! 

But sugar is tricky – because the information out there is confusing. And 80% of our food in the grocery store shelves contains added sugar! So we are overdoing it without knowing AND when it comes to sugar, it’s addictive so we want more and more! But not all sugars are created equal! Not all sugars are bad! But we have a huge problem differentiating between all these sugars out there because there is SO much! Plus it’s hidden from sight unless you’re great label-reader! Plus we over-consume! We don’t know when it’s enough – and even with healthy sugars – you can have too much! So if you think you’re health conscious and love smoothies in the morning but add 3 bananas and another cup of frozen fruit and drizzle maple syrup on top – you’re eating too much sugar! Sure, maybe it’s healthy sugar, but you’re still overdoing it! That’s because in the end all sugar as well as carbs turns to glucose in the body and our body sees it all as the same – all sugar spikes our blood sugar!

So what’s the bottom line here if all sugar is the same? Healthier sugar, like the sugar found in fruit AND eating it in moderation is key!

Why eat whole fruit if you’re supposed to cut out sugar?

• We have a natural sweet craving : it’s energy + brain & hormone booster!
• Whole fruit has nutrition! So choose fruit when you get a sugar craving so you at least get a healthier type of sugar + you benefit from all the vitamins your body needs anyway! (vs empty calories in pop or chocolate bars)
• Control your portions of fruit so you have one or two servings at a time (15 -20 grams of sugar per snack at a time – so that’s a handful of fruit)
• Whole fruit has fibre which is very important in the way this type of sugar is digested. Fibre slows down digestion and it takes longer to spike your blood sugar. Whole fruit is much better than fruit juice even pure fruit juice.
• You feel more satisfied with whole fruit vs. if you just drink fruit juice. The fact that you chew it first is very important as it excretes enzymes in your saliva which benefit in digestion – your digestion already starts in your mouth! (Yup, our bodies are so fascinating!!) :)

So, there you have it – Fruit is good, but not too much!

I hope this helps you all in reaching for better food choices out there in this sugar ladened world!
Essentially it’s up to you to stay informed and just make better choices and do your best. And if you have a slip don’t beat yourself up about it. 

I like to keep fruit around me so that it’s right there when I get a sugar craving. It can be as simple as apples in a fruit bowl at home or in your purse when you’re out.

My husband swears that when he has an apple with him in the car on his way back from work – he’s happy to much on it and feels like his sweet tooth is satisfied! If he doesn’t, he will pretty much always stop at a gas station and buy a chocolate bar or bag of M&Ms (his big time weakness!)

So for today’s challenge – eat some fruit when you get a sugar craving!! Simple as that!! :)

Don’t forget to share your progress on social media with hashtags #cutthesugarchallenge #cutthesugar and #cutthesugarbook for chances to be featured!

We’re still celebrating the launch of the book – so keep sharing your photos!!

Hope you have a fruitful SWEET day!! :)

ella