Did you know consuming sugar regularly may lead to infertility, or make your existing fertility issues worse? Researchers have proven sugar to be highly addictive time and time again, and the regular blood sugar spikes and pitfalls that come with regular consumption of sugar may lead to insulin resistance which messes with ovulation and hormone balance. If you’re concerned with fertility and reproductive health, here are eight tips to help you kick your sugar habit.
- Stop drinking sodas & sweetened drinks.
Drinking sugary beverages can end up contributing most of your daily sugar intake.
- Stop eating processed & packaged foods.
Foods that have been chemically processed and made from refined ingredients and artificial substances are usually loaded with added sugar.
- Make your own dressings and sauces.
Many dressings and sauces are hidden sources of sugar in the diet. Many sauces will have more than four times the recommended allowance of sugar per two-tablespoon serving.
- Learn sugar aliases.
Sugar goes by many names, some terms to look for include lactose, brown rice syrup, molasses, and dextrose, to name just a few. Get in the habit of reading labels, and filter out high-sugar foods before they hit your shopping cart.
- Concentrate on proteins.
Eating a protein-rich diet has been shown to reduce cravings for less healthy foods, including sugar, and increases levels of dopamine.
- If you’re going to splurge, eat the real thing.
Quitting sugar cold turkey is too drastic and a recipe for reverting to old habits. Making small, simple changes to your nutrition is easier to sustain and allows you to retrain your taste buds to enjoy items that aren’t riddled with sugar.
- Add flavour using spices.
Cooking with herbs and spices adds flavor and has the ability to increase the enjoyment of food and as an added benefit, many offer health benefits through abundant phytonutrients and other physiologic effects such as digestive support.
- Substitute fruit in place of dessert.
The fruit is packed with nutrients and fibre that will help to flush out your system and leave you feeling energized and full.
References:
- T Halton, F Hu. The effects of high protein diets on thermogenesis, satiety and weight loss: a critical review. J Am Coll Nutr. 2004 Oct;23(5):373-85. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15466943
