The Sugar Debate– In or Out of Your Diet

I’m going to try to break it to you as easily as possible.  If your ultimate goal is weight loss then you are going to have to restrict the amount of sugar you consume.  I know this may seem tough but sugar isn’t good for you and definitely won’t help you lose weight.  Many meal plans aim to restrict the amount of sugar consumed and it is rightfully so.  Since sugar is a carbohydrate it contains 4 calories per gram.  Even though sugar is a carbohydrate it is not the same as say, whole wheat bread.  Sugar is a simple carbohydrate, which means that is broken down by your body relatively quickly, as opposed to complex carbohydrates that take a longer time to digest.  Sugar also doesn’t contain the same nutrient value that other foods do.  Finally, consuming excess sugar causes a spike in your blood sugar levels.  This along with being overweight can lead to adult onset diabetes of Type 2 diabetes.

When you are planning out your meals each day you would be best served to go with low sugar or sugar free foods.  For the most part you are going to want to keep your sugar level down.  Now I’m not telling you that you have to totally give up sugar all together.  There are instances when you can allow yourself a little “cheat” of sorts.  Say you have been doing really well on your diet and you are really craving a sugary snack, then go a head and get yourself one.  The key to this is to make sure that you control the size of your portion.  A small snack does not mean that you can consume half of a cherry pie.  Along with having lots of calories, it would also have a lot of sugar.  If you just cannot eliminate sugar completely from your diet then make sure to build in a day where you treat yourself to a little sugar.  However, for the majority of the time you  should be choosing low sugar or sugar free foods.