An Easy Way to Cut Down on Sugar

With refined sugar being so prevalent in our food supply, it can sometimes seem like an overwhelming task for reduce your consumption. There is an easy way to do it, though.

Start purchasing products that contain zero amounts of refined sugars or other sugar forms. Sugar forms include refined sugars such as white sugar, molasses, brown sugar, powdered sugar, syrups, high fructose corn syrup and turbinado sugar.

Other sugar forms include maltodextrin, sucrose, glucose and honey - to name a few from the top of my head.

Read the labels to be certain. Labels contain a wealth of information about the product's nutritional value.

Instead of buying your traditional style peanut butter, for instance, that contains added sugar, start buying the brands that are labeled as "all natural". "All natural" usually means the product does not contain any additives, preservatives or commercially-added sugars and/or fats. In the case of peanut butter, it means the product contains only peanuts and maybe salt. Better yet, use one of those machines that grinds the peanuts while you watch.

Getting used to foods in their least processed states is the easiest way to make the transition away from the dependence upon sugar.

Good luck!

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Forget Those Commercially Prepared "Healthy Yogurts"

Don't let the mass food manufacturers fool you, those fruit flavored yogurts are not healthy for you. Many of them are nothing but candy bars disguised as “healthy yogurt”. I find it disgusting and disconcerning to read the labels on these foods. If sugar isn't listed as the first ingredient, it is probably the second or third ingredient.

Commercially prepared, fruit yogurt varieties could be sweetened with ingredients such as sugar, dextrose, maltodextrin, corn syrup solids, aspartame, saccharin or fruit juice. The fruit juice may be one fruit or a combination of a variety of fruits with additional sweeteners.

Either way...you can make your own version of fruit yogurt without the added nonsense just mentioned. It is also much cheaper and healthier than the commercially prepared varieties. Here's how...

Buy a container of plain yogurt. (PLAIN without any vanilla or other flavorings). The low fat variety will save you calories and fat content.

Your chosen variety of fruit.
Mix together. It's that easy.
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One of my favorites recipes....

½ cup plain yogurt
5-7 bing cherries, chopped
½ teaspoon flaxseeds
3” banana, sliced and quartered
pineapple juice (adjust for taste)

Mix together in serving bowl. It makes a great breakfast.

NOTE: If you want to, blend all these ingredients together for a fruit smoothie. You may want to add more yogurt or juice, you decide on what consistency you want your smoothie.