Cut out the Sugar

The USDA reports that the average American consumes 140 pounds of added sweeteners a year. -- that's a 20 percent increase since 1970. There doesn't appear to be a single, conspiratorial cause -- some point to technology, which allows us to refine thousands of tons of barley, corn, fruits, rice, and sorghum into concentrated sugars available year-round; others speculate that the low-fat trend swung our nutritional pendulum in the direction of sugar. The results of our collective sweet tooth, though, are unmistakable: Sugar's abundance is jeopardizing our health. Undeniably, this startling figure goes hand-in-hand with obese figures in America. In order to avoid becoming another statistic, focus on foods that are naturally sweet, such as fruit, while weeding out those with extra sugar and refined ingredients. This strategy will help your body adjust to a healthier sugar intake.

What are the benefits of shaking off the sweet stuff? Healthier weight, even mood, and a decreased risk of illness. This weekend, start reading the ingredients labels, and see how your body feels after a couple of days without excess sugar. Processed foods and juice concentrates will most likely have sneaky sugars, but be sure to check breads, sauces, soups, and yogurt, too. In their place, stick with whole foods or those that have been minimally processed.

Bringing your body and mind back into a balanced relationship with sugar can help you maintain a healthy weight, reduce your risk of illness, boost your energy, and even out your mood. And it doesn't have to be a course in misery. What initially might feel like deprivation may eventually become a bonanza. By stemming the deluge of added sugars that usually overwhelm your taste buds, you'll awaken your palate, allowing naturally sweet flavors to come alive.

Over the next few weeks I going to try to cut out sugar with a plan I found on Martha stewert.com

Week 1: Raise Your Sugar ConsciousnessDuring the first week, your goal is simply to become aware of your relationship to sugar -- without changing your diet at all. By scanning ingredients lists and keeping a food diary, you'll discover where the added sugars are hiding in your diet and notice when you succumb to sugar-laden foods.

Beaware that sugar has many guises -- in fact, there are dozens of varieties of added sugar. Although it is unlikely you'll remember all of them, you can keep some of the most common in mind. Familiar sweeteners like cane sugar, honey, and molasses are easy enough to spot; other common sugars include dextrose, fructose, fruit-juice concentrates, maltose, and sucrose.

High-fructose corn syrup is especially abundant in processed foods -- and especially problematic. Its use has directly paralleled the rise in obesity in America, says Klauer. Derived from corn and inexpensive to produce, high-fructose corn syrup is a very concentrated sweetener. "Also, because fructose is metabolized through the liver," says Klauer, "consuming high-fructose corn syrup strains the liver and has been linked to increased levels of triglycerides and total cholesterol."

In your hunt for sugars, don't search just in the expected places; in short, check anything with a label. Nutrition labels don't delineate added sugars -- "sugars," listed in grams, includes naturally occurring sugars -- so it's hard to determine how much you're getting.

Keep in mind, though, that ingredients are listed in order of quantity, so if any type of sugar is listed in the first few ingredients, the food is most likely high in added sugars.
Start a Food DiaryFor the next three weeks, keep a food diary to track the foods and beverages you consume every day. Beside every meal, snack, or drink, record the time of day and your mood, and keep note of any impulsive eating behaviors and food cravings. For the first week, keep close track of all sugar-containing foods, without trying to cut down at all. Read labels, and don't forget the small servings -- the teaspoon of sugar you add to your coffee or the mint you eat after lunch.

After a few days, you may notice a relationship between your eating patterns and your energy level -- for example, an afternoon lull in energy followed by an intense craving for chocolate, or a sluggish feeling after eating sugary cereal for breakfast. Knowing your patterns will help you prepare for the weeks ahead.