If many people were asked to define their relationship with sugar, they would say, “It’s complicated.” A 2018 study found that 70% of US adults concerned about how much sugar they consume, suggesting many of us struggle with a toxic inner monologue when presented with cake, cookies and other desserts.
Why do so many of us find our relationship with sugar confusing and how can we fix our relationship with it?
Why many of us have a difficult relationship with sugar
If the diet had its own Disney princess movie, sugar would probably be the villain. “It’s hard to have a positive or neutral relationship with something that is constantly labeled as bad or bad. addictive“, – speaks Claire Chewning, RD, Certified Intuitive Eating Consultant. “Additionally, many of us have probably been on restrictive diets that demonize sugar and encourage us to reduce or severely limit our carbohydrate intake. These kinds of restrictions can cause us to lose control of sugar.”
Feeling like we’re not in the driver’s seat when, say, eating birthday cake can lead us to become overly panicked about how much sugar we’re eating. “It is true that eating too much sugar is unhealthy. But in reality, eating a little sugar every day is completely normal,” says Emily Van Eck, RDfrom Emily Van Eck Nutrition and Health.
Telling ourselves that sugar has no place in our diet can cause the ingredient to feel “off-limits” and cause overeating when we are presented with dessert. For example, maybe you eat a whole packet of cookies today so you can start a sugar-free diet in the house tomorrow.
“If you’ve ever lost control over sweets or couldn’t stop eating them, consider how any rules or restrictions on eating might have played a role,” Van Eck says.
1. Resist the urge to label foods as “good” or “bad.”
Van Eck notes that the language we use when talking about sugar tends to worsen our relationship with it. “Labeling foods as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ makes you worry about every detail of your diet,” Van Eck says. “Labeling foods as ‘bad’ can cause us to rebel against our own rules and start eating them in quantities that are not what our bodies actually want.”
Take a moment to think about how you currently think about sugar. Does it cause fear or anxiety? Does it make you feel out of control? What are your “rules” about this? See if you can change your thinking and become more neutral towards the ingredient. For example, try telling yourself, “Sugar is just one of many foods in my diet.” While it can be difficult to rewrite your internal script in one go, sending yourself neutral messages about sugar can reduce sugar-related stress over time.
2. Understand the vital role of glucose in your body.
“[Sugar] is your body’s preferred source of energy,” says Chewning. “Carbohydrates found in grains, dairy products, fruits and vegetables are broken down by the body into glucose—a simple sugar—that serves as fuel for your cells.”
When we deprive our body of glucose, it does not function properly. “The preference for sweet foods (carbohydrates in general) is deeply programmed in human physiology, since many processes in our body depend on carbohydrates for the proper functioning,” says Van Eck. “It makes sense that it would be extremely destructive to try to deprive our bodies of an essential macronutrient.”
Glucose is especially beneficial for people who enjoy activities such as walking, hiking, or running. In fact, the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) recommends consuming about one gram carbohydrates per pound of body weight an hour before your workout to help you achieve your best results. For example, a person who weighs 155 pounds, or about 70 kilograms, should consume about 70 grams of quality carbohydrates before exercise. Pre-workout supplements or whole grain foods such as whole grain bread, nut butters, or bananas are great options for achieving this goal and respecting the role that sugar should play in your body.
3. Eat well and varied.
“If you don’t eat enough in general, you may develop food cravings that you wouldn’t if you were being fed properly,” says Van Eck. Serving yourself meals that contain proteins, carbohydrates, and vegetables will help you feel full. Over time, this style of eating will help you regain trust in your body. You respond to hunger cues with nutritious food; your body gives you the energy to perform cognitively and physically throughout your life.
And of course, make sure you eat enough during the day. “Not eating enough can be another reason why you’re obsessing over sugar or losing control of it, so make sure you’re eating enough throughout the day,” says Chewning. “For most people, this will look like several meals with a snack or two in between as needed.”
4. Practice mindful eating
“Another way to reconnect with yourself while eating is to practice mindful eating,” says Van Eck. “Pay attention to how your body feels during and after eating. The more you can observe your body without judging the outcome, the easier it will be to make the changes you want to make,” she says.
Although this practice may seem difficult at first, over time it will help you pick up on hunger and fullness cues and enjoy the taste of what you eat even more. If you have trouble concentrating on your food for an entire meal, challenge yourself to do so for the first bite, then the first three bites, and so on. Start small.
4. Combine sweets with other foods
Instead of telling yourself you can’t have sugar when you crave something sweet, try combining a cookie or piece of chocolate with other ingredients. “Practice allowing yourself to eat sugar when you want it, but also keep in mind that your body will likely feel better, especially on an empty stomach, if you also have some fiber and protein. For example, if you like chocolate in the afternoon, eat some fruits and nuts with it,” recommends Van Eck.
Pairing sweets with other foods will not only help you feel satisfied, but will also help you realize that all foods Maybe fit on one plate. In other words, fruits, nuts and chocolate are not “bad” or “good” – they are simply elements of your diet, each with their own role to play.
5. Make small changes
If you’ve ever exercised or tried meditation, you know that Rome wasn’t built in a day. Improving your relationship with sugar takes ongoing work, so Van Eck recommends picking one of the tips above and focusing on it before moving on to the next tip.
“Healing your relationship with sugar won’t happen overnight, especially when the struggle may last decades,” she says. Be patient and remind yourself Why changing your relationship with desserts mattered to you above all else.
More nutrition tips: