Sweet Poison: Why You Should Quit Sugar Today

There is no way to sugarcoat this so we'll jump straight into it: Sugar is as addictive as a drug and equally harmful.

A survey carried out by TOI revealed a shocking dependence on sugar when it came to Indians. According to the survey, 26.3 grams was the average daily sugar consumption for a Mumbaikar; 23.2 grams for Delhiites; and 19.3 grams for residents in Bengaluru.

Ask any wellness coach, fitness trainer or a dietician about sugar and they are outrightly going to brand it as the one ingredient that is pure evil. And that is why you must resolve to stop eating sugar.

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Even if you are convinced you aren't consuming a lot of sugar, there's a possibility that you are eating more of it than you realize. Added sugar is found in almost everything ranging from sodas, breads, milk to even those healthy snacks that claim to be good for you.

So why should you quit sugar in the first place?

A lot of people still think the only evident result of eating sugar is an increase in weight. But a significant amount of research now clearly showcases that sugar negatively impacts your metabolic health.

Dr Robert Lustig, professor of pediatric endocrinology at the University of California, San Francisco, in his 90-minute lecture called Sugar: The Bitter Truth, spoke about how sugar does more than just increase your weight.

"Sugar turns on the aging mechanism in your body," he said. Simply put, the more sugar you eat the older you appear.

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Research put forward by Harvard Medical School titled 'The sweet danger of sugar' published in May 2017 clearly links consumption of sugar with hair loss, depleted energy levels, stiff muscles and inability to stop consuming sugar because that's how addiction works.

How much sugar is okay?

Let's get real. It's not super easy to quit sugar. And even if you stop adding sugar in your tea and coffee and swear off sugary drinks, you'll still be consuming a lot of it.

"Whether you are thin or fat isn't a consideration when it comes to quitting sugar. It's just not good for you. Nine teaspoons of sugar in a day for men and six teaspoons for women is healthy and absolutely crucial," Dr Priyanka Jain, a New Delhi-based dietician told Indiatimes.

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And for those who are brave enough to give sugar up, here's where you should start.

Start by giving up sugar in your tea and coffee. It also makes sense to give up soft drinks like colas and packaged fruit juices. Replace all these with water and by the end of it, you'll have great, clear skin.

Try incorporating natural sugars like jaggery, honey, and fructose from fruits that will keep your sugar cravings in check.

Watch your breakfast as a lot of added sugar is consumed then. Instead of yogurt and cereal, you can opt for a healthy meal involving eggs or fish. Think scrambled eggs or homemade yogurt.

And lastly, remember, you can still eat dessert and enjoy other sugar perks in life if you plan it well. Eating two bites of cake will help you in the long run than finishing two slices and feeling bloated and heavy.

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