How To Cut Down On Empty Calories

1. Stop consuming food with obviously high sugar content on a regular basis.

This ones simple right? You obviously know carbonated drink and chocolates contain a lot of sugar. So do a whole lot of desserts which are basically just ice with syrup.

2. Reduce sugar intake gradually.

One of the ways to wean our sweet tooths craving is to slowly reduce the sugar consumption daily. This ensures that we dont get a deprived mentality and suddenly binge when we get the chance to. For the record, indulging yourself after going cold turkey is just going to send a signal to your body to store up fats in case of deprivation again. Not good.

3. Examine food labels for sugar content.

Sugar is known by brown sugar, palm sugar, cane sugar, corn syrup, fructose, fruit juice concentrate, glucose (dextrose), high-fructose corn syrup, honey, invert sugar, lactose, maltose, molasses, raw sugar, (table) sugar (sucrose), syrup. The food should contain no more than 10% sugar by weight.

4. Have a low-calorie, high nutrition snack handy with you all the time.

So that when you feel a need to munch on something, you wouldnt hurry to the nearest donut store. Having a list of low-calorie, highly nutritious food wouldnt hurt. Plan your meals, it is better to eat smaller and more frequent meals rather than stuff yourself three times a day.

5. Use sweet substitutes for sugar in your food preparations.

Use spices and herbs such as cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger to enhance the flavor of foods naturally. Or simply eat fruits that are sweet naturally. Spices are a great way to impart rich flavors to your food without adding empty calories to your diet.

6. Be careful of energy bars and drinks which might be a source of high sugars content.

If you are a sports person, beware of over-replenishing what you lost during the workout. Do some research initially and you can use the same post-workout meal for a long time to come. Variations to your post workout meals is a must, spend some time researching nutritious meals you can pack to the gym. This will benefit you in the long run.

In conclusion, even if youre not someone struggling with weight issues, remember that a high sugar intake may lead to other health problems such as suppressing your immune system, contributing to hyperactivity, anxiety and depression. It also increases the risk of coronary heart disease and causes diabetes and osteoporosis.

So there you have it, six simple ways you can cut down on empty calories! If you liked what youve just read in this article, theres plenty more related articles where this came from. All to help you slim down and tone up a great looking body!

Article Source: EzineArticles