Reduced salt content

Each teaspoon of salt, which weighs about 5 grams, contains 2 grams of sodium.
Salt adds flavor to food and sodium is good for the body, but too much sodium can be detrimental to your health.
We consume salt in excess. Children and teenagers are especially at risk because they are more likely than adults to eat processed foods and high-sodium snacks. And this can cause the development of hypertension and obesity at a young age. Reducing sodium intake will help improve healthy eating.

How much sodium do we need?

In 2013 World organization Health has issued the following recommendation:

Reducing your sodium intake to 2 grams per day, the equivalent of one teaspoon of salt, will reduce blood pressure, as well as the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Recommendations to reduce salt in the diet are also supported by the Israeli Ministry of Health, which recently initiated national program promoting an active and healthy lifestyle. Details here:

http://www.health.gov.il/NewsAndEvents/SpokemanMesseges/Pages/161111_2.aspx

How to reduce salt intake?

The habit of eating salty foods is not difficult to change. It turns out that our palate and taste buds get used to gradual changes. Therefore, you should gradually, day by day, reduce your salt intake, getting used to the new taste sensations and a new degree of saltiness of food.

Adviсe

We get more than 70% of our sodium from industrially processed foods. Read food labels and check sodium content on nutrition facts tables.

The packaging of some products contains the inscription “ Low content sodium." This means that for every 100g of product there is a maximum of 120mg of sodium. Look for such products on the shelves.

Reduce your consumption of foods with high content sodium (including canned pickles and pickled vegetables, olives, snacks, nuts, baked goods, soup powders and seasonings, ready-made sauces and ready meals).

During the cooking process and during the meal, do not reach for the salt shaker out of habit! It is advisable to first take a sample and, if necessary, add a little salt or use pepper as a flavoring agent instead of salt. You can even remove the salt shaker from the table. If you are unable to give up the habit of shaking a salt shaker over a plate, replace its contents with ground spices.

Adviсe

Dress your salad with fresh lemon juice instead of salt.

Instead of salty snacks, you can fry vegetables - for example, zucchini, pumpkin, carrots, so that they look and texture like snacks.

You can bake vegetables in the oven and serve with meat or fish. Roasting helps bring out the concentrated flavor of the vegetables.

Use fresh and dried instead of salt and soup powder herbs and vegetables. This way you will enrich the taste of the dish, make it healthier thanks to the addition of vegetables and significantly reduce the need for salt. Basil, thyme, cilantro, celery, onion, garlic, ginger, za'atar, lemon - just to name a few.

Before serving, sprinkle the fish or schnitzel with lemon juice and sprinkle with black pepper to enhance the flavor of the dish.

Reduced sugar content

Added sugar goes by many other names - glucose, fructose (fruit sugar), lactose (milk sugar), sucrose (white sugar and brown sugar), and is also found in foods such as honey, syrups (corn syrup) and fruit syrups. concentrates.

Why should you consume less sugar?

Sugar is not at all a component necessary for our body, and the calories contained in sugar are considered “empty”.

Sugar itself is not harmful - the problem is that we consume it in large quantities.

Excess sugar in food increases the number of calories we consume and therefore causes health problems, leading to obesity, diabetes, tooth decay and many other diseases.

How much sugar can you eat?

According to the American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines published in 2010, women should consume no more than 100 calories per day from sugar (about 5 teaspoons of sugar) and men should consume no more than 150 calories per day (about 7 teaspoons). ,5 tsp sugar).

In fact, we consume much more than the recommended amount of sugar.

How to reduce your sugar intake?

Drink less sweetened drinks, and drinking water is best. You can add mint leaves or a little to the water lemon juice for taste. You can make a homemade cold brew by brewing your favorite herbal tea and chilling it.

We are unaware that many foods contain sugar. These are baked goods, bread, spreads, sauces, etc. How do you know if there is sugar in a particular product? Check if the names of sugar appear in the list of ingredients.

The list of ingredients is in descending order. That is, if sugar is among the first on the list, we can conclude that sugar is in this product a lot, and vice versa.

You can always add less sugar to your coffee, tea, or dough recipe. It is important to reduce the amount of sugar gradually.

Did you know that every spoonful of sugar added to your coffee costs an extra 20 calories? If you reduce your daily sugar intake by 1 teaspoon, you will save about 7,000 calories over the course of a year, which corresponds to about one kilogram of sugar.

Adviсe

Give preference to whole fruits - do not squeeze juice out of them.

The baked fruit tastes sweeter, although the amount of sugar remains the same.

You can enhance the sweet taste of your dishes by adding vanilla (bean, powder or extract) or cinnamon.

We all love sweets very much. It is simply impossible to imagine your life without these delicacies. Even if we don’t eat all kinds of sweets every day, we definitely drink tea or coffee with sugar in the morning. But for some reason, many experts believe that sugar is harmful to our health and call for reducing sugar consumption.

There wasn't much talk about this before, but in lately The doctors' calls are getting louder. It is quite possible that soon the dangers of sugar will be written on the sugar packages themselves. From this article you will learn why doctors are against consuming sugar and why it is so harmful.

Sugar is an organic hydrocarbon compound that includes fructose and glucose molecules. Sugar belongs to the group of carbohydrates, and when it enters the human body, after breakdown it turns into glucose.

Previously, sugar was a scarce product and was not available to everyone. Nowadays, sugar consumption has become widespread. Many people consume sugar in huge quantities, which is very harmful to the body. This is what contributed to the anxiety of doctors.

The history of the origin of sugar goes back to ancient times, when Alexander the Great led his conquests. It was Alexander's warriors who first discovered the source of this product - sugar cane and sugar beets. It was from this moment that sugar began to spread from India to Persia, then to Egypt and the East.

In the 12th century, sugar first appeared in Russia. Its production began under Peter I. Several centuries later, the famous German physicist Andrei Markgraf made the discovery that sugar can also be obtained from sugar beets. The production of sugar from beets was launched by chemist Karl Arhard in early XIX century. It was from this moment that sugar consumption began to increase around the world.

According to statistics:

• in 1789, on average, one person consumed 1 kg of sugar per year;
• in 1880 this figure was already 8 kg per person;
• in 1900 a person consumed 17 kg of sugar per year;
• in 1960 – already 30 kg;
• currently this figure is 36 kg.

In fact, men should consume no more than 60 grams of sugar per day (that is, about 14 teaspoons), and women - 50 grams (about 12 teaspoons). According to statistics, it turns out that we consume about 100 g per day, which is equivalent to 25 teaspoons. This number includes not only granulated sugar itself, but also products made with its addition.

The interests of sugar producers are opposite. On the contrary, they are trying to increase sugar production in order to make a profit. The largest supplier of sugar to the world market is Brazil, which produces a quarter of all world production. It is worth noting that every year sugar production increases by about 3%, and this is a significant figure.

To improve the taste of their products, food manufacturers add preservatives and hidden sugars, which are the main reason for the increase in sugar consumption. These sugars are used in the production of all kinds of juices, drinks, canned food, sausages, yoghurts and others. canned food. Of course, the sugar content in each of these products is different, but the leading position in its content is occupied by juices and drinks - their sugar content can reach the daily norm.

Is sugar our whim or our body’s need?

On the one hand, we really love sugar for its taste, but on the other hand, it is a need for our body. Sugar, or rather its breakdown products, is one of the main sources that can satisfy physiological needs body.

For example:

• we feel full for a long time thanks to glucose;
• glucose is one of the main sources of energy and is necessary to perform all vital functions;
• Glucose promotes the production of the substance serotonin, which, in turn, is involved in the formation of more than 40 million brain cells. These cells stimulate vital important functions brain and are responsible for our mood, feelings of joy and pleasure, appetite, etc.

Of course, if a person consumes as much sugar as his body requires to perform all functions, then there will be no harm from this product. But if a person begins to become overly addicted to sugar, irreversible processes begin to occur in the body.

Excess calories and energy that a person does not have time to expend begin to be stored as excess weight. Moreover, this process is aggravated if a person leads an inactive lifestyle.

Before consuming any product, you need to pay attention to the amount of sugar it contains. Some people simply do not notice how they are ruining their health, considering their weight to be quite normal, and in some cases, ideal. But if you are a girl and your waist circumference is more than 80 cm (for men this threshold is 96 cm), then you have reached the first degree of obesity and it’s time for you to think about reducing your consumption of sweets.

Obesity in itself is not so scary, but its consequences are terrible - the diseases to which it leads to the emergence and development. It's heartfelt vascular diseases, And diabetes mellitus, and dental caries, and all kinds of inflammatory processes in the body. In addition, sugar in large doses capable of killing liver cells.

What should you do to protect yourself?

First of all, it is necessary to reduce the consumption of sugar and sugar-containing products. But not always and not everyone manages to reduce their consumption of sweets, so you can switch to substitutes. These are sweeteners - they have taste, but do not contain calories. However, their use is not permitted in all countries. For example, in the USA they believe that sweeteners are very harmful because... are carcinogenic substances. In Russia, the use of this substitute is not prohibited.

You can also use honey instead of sugar - it is no less sweet, natural and useful product. To reduce your sugar consumption, do not spend money on buying juices; it is better to use this money to buy fruits and make the juice yourself. As a last resort, you can use unrefined sugar. brown– it contains a large number of minerals and trace elements necessary for our body.

The most important thing when going to the store is not to give in to temptation and buy all kinds of sweets that you did not plan to buy. It's best to make a list in advance. necessary products by writing everything down on paper. In the store, strictly follow this list.

Ann Ritchie - nutritionist, healthy eating specialist. Develops individual weight loss programs using diets based on traditional recipes from different countries. Anna gives 4 simple and absolutely stress-free recommendations for the body on how to reduce sugar consumption and start getting rid of extra pounds.

Sugar belongs to the type of fast carbohydrates, which become the main cause of obesity. Dependence on sweets is akin to alcohol and drug addiction, because often a person who does not control himself in food cannot feel happy and go without food even during night sleep. Having decided to reduce our weight, we go to the store and carefully examine the packaging of goods to see if they contain harmful additives and sugar. But manufacturers add it everywhere, even to ketchups and other sauces, breads, syrups, drinks and low-fat foods.

By reducing your carbohydrate intake, you can slim down your figure and improve your health. Here are four simple recommendations how to stop overeating on glucose and start healthy image life.

1. Give your body a month (or more)

It is difficult to cope with any addiction, even if a person knows that it can lead him to serious illnesses, and sometimes to fatal outcome. Many people are familiar with the situation when the body begs you to eat a little more of “that delicious waffle”, and you give in to temptation, and then feel guilty.

Such self-flagellation does not lead to anything good. You shouldn't count on next day, as if by magic, you will never again want to eat anything harmful: flour, sweets and foods containing gluten. In fact, with the right approach, saying goodbye to carbohydrate-containing foods may not be as painful as you think.

The most in an efficient way in the fight against overweight is a gradual reduction in sugar

The most effective way to fight excess weight is to gradually reduce sugar, which will give your body the opportunity to calmly adapt to the upcoming changes. Although, if you have already gained 100 kg, but still cannot tear yourself away from the cake, you probably still need to sharply reduce your menu. But this rule only works in such severe cases.

2. Start by eliminating the main source of sugar.

The first thing you need to do is remember and write down everything you eat throughout the day. This way, it’s easy to identify the main sugary foods that are causing you to gain weight quickly.

For example, a can of carbonated drink, a couple of spoons of sugar, which you generously pour into tea, pastries - something one from this list can definitely be on the standard menu modern man. Guided by the first rule, reduce hedgehog daily norm sweets gradually, and you will see how the consumption of fast carbohydrates will sharply decrease, and the craving for overeating will disappear over time.

3. Eat more natural foods

The list of foods that contain artificial additives is endless. Sugar is always found in store-bought cakes, cookies, ice cream, popcorn, chocolate bars, and condiments. Low-fat products, the composition of which is indicated on the packaging, may still contain hidden sugar additives that have a bad effect on the human body.

If you eat a lot of unhealthy food, start replacing it little by little with fresh fruits, vegetables and other natural products. Cook yourself, try to visit restaurants less often fast food, and within a month your body itself will begin to reject the taste of fast food and food with numerous E-shkas.

4. Get enough sleep at night

A well-rested person does not need to consume kilograms of sugar. Someone who spends his nights doing anything but healthy sleep, and sleeps only 5-6 hours, the next day risks eating the entire daily allowance of sweets in one sitting.

For example, children and adolescents, whose school day begins early, load up on sweets, increasing them in their diet to 52%.

A well-rested person does not need to consume kilograms of sugar.

Research in the field of nutrition shows that a person needs night sleep from 7-8 hours. To accomplish a seemingly impossible mission and force yourself to go to bed earlier, remember golden rule: before going to bed, leave all gadgets (tablets, smartphones, players, etc.) in another room and turn off the computer - now nothing should stop you from relaxing.

Translation: Lena Mukhina

Everyone loves or has at some point loved sweets: some more, some less, and in principle there is nothing wrong with this as long as the body is healthy and absorbs sugar normally. But over time, sweets begin to have a stronger effect on the body: excess sugar can lead to diabetes, hair loss, weakness, drowsiness, caries and a bunch of other problems, so the sooner you limit yourself to sugar, the better.

Reducing your sugar intake will not an easy task because This habit takes years to develop and is difficult to break, but there is a proven technique:
1.Drink more water– I don’t know how many times we’ve given this advice. If you want to drink something sweet: water, coffee, tea, then try drinking regular plain water first. You realize that you don't really want to drink these drinks.
Avoid drinking coffee because... caffeine increases cravings for sweets.

2.If you can’t imagine sugar-free drinks, then try replacing sugar with a sweetener, drinking fruit and herbal teas, or drink tea/coffee with additives - honey, jam.
The best option for tea without sugar is biscuits.
Try replacing sugar with fructose - it is much sweeter than sugar and in order to make a drink sweeter, fructose requires less than sugar.

3. Don't stress yourself. During depression, the craving for sweets increases a little, which is why you run to the store and buy something for yourself. Just be less nervous and such situations will not happen.

4.Eat more foods that contain complex carbohydrates, protein and fiber: fruits, cereals (buckwheat, rice, millet), hard-boiled eggs. Very useful to add to your diet linseed oil, which generally has a positive effect on the body:

5.Avoid drinking sugary water, juices, fast food, pure sugar and sweets flour products, but give preference to fruits, fermented milk products, berries, vegetables - if you want something sweet, eat some of these.

6. Avoid fasting.
At this point, many recommend switching to a 5-meal diet. Eat small portions every 3-4 hours and only healthy foods.

7. If you still want sweets, then eat them only when you have already consumed the main food and quenched your thirst. In this state, the desire to eat sweets will decrease and you will eat less.

8. Take a break, if you really want something sweet - go for a walk, take a shower, go in for sports.

9. If it’s difficult for you to give up sweets right away, then start from afar. For example, first give up sugar in the morning, or reduce your consumption, then continue at lunch and in the evening.
Or vice versa, set aside a day for yourself when you can allow yourself a little sweet.
You shouldn’t give up sugar completely because... he plays important role in our body.

The main thing is to set a goal for yourself, eat less sugar and stick to this goal, cutting off all the temptations that may arise along the way, and they will arise. Believe in success and everything will work out for you. Good luck!

Even if you try not to drink soda or eat sweets, sugar can end up in your diet. Many processed foods that are considered healthy also contain it. For example, whole grain bread, peanut butter and protein bars. Sugar may be added to them in the form of syrup, nectar, honey and other similar ingredients. If you consume natural sugar, such as that found in fruit, this is completely normal. Otherwise it should be limited. What happens if you can do this? Let's take a closer look at these changes.

You will lose belly fat

Added sugar is synonymous with extra calories. Once you ditch processed, sugar-filled foods in favor of fiber-rich foods, you'll instantly notice a slimmer waistline. Your body will get rid of belly fat and you will get the figure you have always dreamed of. In this case, you won't even need to carefully count calories - this one change in diet can be more than enough for impressive results.

You will get rid of increased appetite

Products filled with simple carbohydrates and processed sugars, such as donuts or cookies, can cause dopamine spikes, leading to increased cravings for sweets. Research has shown that regular consumption sweet food activates opioid receptors, which leads to rapid absorption of sugar and can lead to excess weight in the future. Give up sweets to get rid of this destructive habit. Your body will be very grateful to you for this, and you will quickly notice that you are no longer drawn to junk food with the same force as before.

You will increase your energy level

If you always eat buns and pancakes in the morning, and then constantly notice the desire to drink coffee, it's time to reconsider your habits. Avoid these foods and replace them with sources of slower-digesting protein and healthy fats. Such food provides a long-lasting feeling of fullness and allows you to be much more energetic.

You will reduce your risk of diabetes

Research has shown that for every five percent of your calories from added sugar, your risk of diabetes increases by eighteen percent. If you eat about 1,800 calories a day, you shouldn't consume more than 24 grams of sugar. It is enough to drink a can of sweet carbonated drink - and you will already exceed this amount by several grams! Think about this and try to choose healthier drinks.

Your heart health will improve

Since the use large quantity sugar increases cholesterol levels, experts recommend controlling foods with it in your diet to reduce your risk of death from cardiovascular diseases. Research shows that people who get a lot of their calories from sugar have an increased risk of premature death by thirty-eight percent. Try to stabilize your diet. This is especially important for people who have genetic predisposition to cardiovascular diseases.

You will prevent tooth decay

A love of sweets can have an extremely negative impact on the condition of your teeth. Research has shown that sugar in food or drinks is a leading cause of tooth decay and tooth decay in both children and adults. Limit bad carbohydrates- and your teeth will remain healthy much longer! Even if you already have tooth decay, cutting out sugar makes sense: you'll prevent further tooth decay and strengthen your enamel.

You will be able to concentrate better

Research shows that a diet high in processed sugar can negatively impact brain function and increase symptoms of depression. If you want to keep your mind sharp, consider cutting out sweets. After making changes to your diet, you will see changes for the better within the first few days.

You will get rid of bloating

Salty foods are usually associated with bloating because they cause swelling. However, if you reduce your sugar intake, you will also notice an improvement. If your body has a hard time processing sugars like fructose or lactose, your belly will react by becoming bloated, so the problem can be forgotten. If this does not help, you may need to see a doctor for a more detailed diagnosis. Bloating should not be ignored, because digestive problems negatively affect the condition of your body as a whole.

Your skin condition will improve

Are you trying to improve your complexion and finally stop suffering from breakouts? Most effective strategy self-care will include giving up sugar. Eating sweets causes inflammation and disrupts the collagen fibers needed for firm skin. If you give up sugar, you will stop deteriorating the structure of your skin. This will allow you to maintain your youth for a short time! In addition, the decrease in intensity inflammatory processes will help you deal with acne. The result will not keep you waiting, believe me!

You'll sleep better

Try to break the habit of eating sweets in the afternoon. According to researchers, consuming sugar during the day leads to sleep disturbances. Even if you don't wake up completely, sugar in the body disrupts the phase deep sleep and the next day you feel tired. Additionally, consuming too much sugar throughout the day can lead to low energy levels. If you have been unsuccessfully struggling with insomnia for a long time, just try reducing the amount of sweets in your diet. Probably exactly poor nutrition and is the cause of poor sleep.

Your muscles will become stronger

According to research, there is a link between processed sugar and related age-related changes muscle loss. This is because sugar inhibits your body's ability to use protein for muscle development. If you are actively involved in sports and want your body to look ripped, you should limit the amount of sugar in your diet. This will instantly bring results.

You will reduce your risk of obesity

Excess body weight is one of the leading causes of death, although this condition could be completely prevented. However, obesity affects one in three people in many modern countries. How to get rid of the threat of accumulating extra pounds? Simply reduce your intake of sugar, which is found in soda water, processed grains, sugary cereals and other similar foods. This way you will get rid of accumulated excess fat around your waist and prevent metabolic disorders associated with obesity. In addition, you can prevent other diseases associated with excess weight, such as type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease.

You will reduce your chance of cancer

A groundbreaking study was recently published. According to him, sugar leads to rapid growth cancerous tumors. If you want to protect your health, review your diet to prevent the spread of cancer cells. This method may seem too simple, but it really works effectively. Don't delay making healthy changes to your diet!