A Simple Holiday Sweet Tooth Hack

Did you know that the RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) of sugar is 6 teaspoons a day, or about 22 grams? And yes, this is *plenty* of sugar for a single day, but wow does it add up super fast in packaged and processed foods…and holiday treats. Processed sugar consumption is a big problem here in the US, with the majority of people consuming triple this daily amount of sugar. Why does this happen? Two reasons: 1. Processed sugar is in over 80% of the packaged foods found in our grocery stores, making it actually impossible to avoid unless you’re really, really paying attention, and 2. Processed sugar is, in fact, legitimately addictive. The sugar industry knows this, and works hard to make sure it continues to infiltrate the foods you buy and consume every day. But, as with most things regarding our dietary habits, we do have a lot of control over the choices me make, and I have a simple holiday sweet tooth hack that’s almost effortless to try.

When I have a sweet craving, I add just a bit of honey (about 1/2 teaspoon) to my tea. This is equivalent to about 3 grams of sugar. This natural sweetness can help to re-train your tastebuds to be satisfied with natural sweetness without craving the more processed or artificial sweeteners that are so abundant in almost every single product we buy the grocery store. During this time of year, sugar is all around us in holiday treats and sugary beverages. If you keep a thermos of tea with you, sweetened with a small amount of raw, organic honey, it can help you control those sugar cravings, and have something handy to turn to instead of the processed, sugary treats.

Can you reduce your sugar intake to just 22 grams a day? Pay close attention to your ingredient labels this month, especially the Serving Size, listed at the top of the label, and then at the Sugars section, and see just how fast you reach that 22 grams. You’ll probably be shocked that just your breakfast food and beverage alone exceeds that limit! Remember, if the serving size of something is 3, for example, and you consume the entire thing, TRIPLE the amount of sugar noted in the Sugar section because you consumed three times the serving size. This is an excellent practice in paying attention, and taking control of your food choices and making conscious decisions about what you’re purchasing, and later consuming.