Keeping The Sugar Out Of Your Diet

These days foods in the American diet are extremely rich in sugar and calories and many people don't realize just how prevalent sugar is until they begin reading the labels on the foods they eat. The problem is that many people don't know how to identify the sugar in the foods they eat very simply because sugar can be listed under a variety of different names.

Any ingredient that ends in ose usually is an indication that it is some from of sugar. Some common terms are fructose, glucose, sucrose, high fructose corn syrup and galactose. Whether the sugar is natural or manufactured the body still processes it like sugar and too much of it can cause problems with your health. It's time the American people educated themselves regarding sugar.

A general rule is that most things are okay in moderation. Sugar ingested in small quantities is fine but when you expose the body to high amounts of sugar on a daily basis it puts a strain on the body. More insulin is required from the pancreas to break down the sugars so the best course of action is to minimize the amount of sugar you consume. When you do eat sugar it should be in the most nutritious form possible. Fruit has natural sugars and they also provide your body with fiber and other nutrients beneficial to your body.

Unfortunately, in an attempt to eliminate sugar from their diets most Americans wind up introducing artificial sweeteners. At first glance most feel that this is a good compromise and one that will allow them to enjoy all the sugary delights that they want to but with none of the guilt. The basis of this is that Americans want it all but there are risks to eating all these chemically altered foods as well as they are not as easily digested by the body and may cause other problems to the body. While these are a reasonable alternative in moderation, great care should still be taken not to over indulge in these sweet snacks either.

Overall, a little bit of natural sugar in your diet will probably serve you best but take the time to read the labels because you will find that even those snacks that don't taste sweet at all may just contain quite a bit of the "ose". Avoiding those variations of sugar that exist throughout prepackaged foods can make a world of difference in how you feel and look. Sugar and sugar substitutes should be limited for a healthier, happier you.