Lazy Days and BBQs -How to Minimize Your Family’s Sugar Intake
Ice- Cream, potato chips, lemonade, cherry pie, soft drinks. The list could go on and on. Summer is full of delicious treats that could derail your family’s goal of cutting down sugar.
Sugar is highly addictive. In fact, indulging in sugar triggers the release of dopamine in the same area of the brain as heroin and cocaine and when you consume sugar regularly you develop a tolerance for it. This means you need to consume higher and higher levels of sugar to experience the same “rush”.
This leads to a cycle of craving and indulgence that can be especially hard to stop in the laid back routine of the Summer holidays.
While Summer is certainly the season to throw the schedule out the window and adopt a more free-spirited way of living, it doesn’t have to undo all of your sugar-free efforts. Whether you choose to stay totally sugar-free or prefer a more balanced approach, you don’t have to skip any of the Summer fun with these tips in mind.
Set a Good Foundation
The key to enjoying a Summer filled with fun and wellness is to lay a foundation that sets you and your family up for good health and empowers you to be able to choose to indulge and feel good about it knowing you’ve got the basics of your healthy life laid down solidly. These little efforts go a long way.
Stay Hydrated and Get Lots of Rest- Hydration is particularly important on hot and sunny days. Dehydration and tiredness can also amplify and be mistaken for sugar cravings, so make sure you and your family keep up with their fluids and sleep schedules to allow for maximum playtime enjoyment.
Eat Regular Meals- Keeping your blood sugar levels stable makes it easier to resist overindulgence when your blood sugar is low or in a crash.
Keep your Breakfast Routine- It’s a great idea to maintain your usual breakfast routine so that your family is off to a healthy start for the day.
Make Sure to Eat Plenty of Fat and Protein- I recommend eating protein with every meal, as this will help you feel satisfied and help regulate your blood sugar. Healthy fats will help keep your blood sugar levels more stable as well. Some of my favorite sources of healthy fats are nuts and seeds, avocados, and olive oil.
Take your Supplements- Chromium, berberine, cinnamon, and gymnema are some well researched and effective nutrients to help curb sugar cravings and balance blood sugars.
Low Sugar Fun
Now it’s time for the fun to start. Backyard BBQs, beach days, holidays. How can you keep your family’s sugar intake low without sacrificing any of the fun?
Watch Out for Hidden Sugar- Things like ketchup and BBQ sauce contain a lot of hidden sugar. Try making your own versions of these condiments so you can save your sugar intake for the good stuff. Common names for sugar in ingredient lists include high-fructose corn syrup, cane sugar or juice, maltose, dextrose, rice syrup, and caramel.
Book Accommodation with a Kitchen- When traveling, it’s a good idea to book accommodation with a kitchen where possible so that you can stay in control of your food and what goes into your meals.
Consider Going Bun Free- When you’re firing up the BBQ, consider serving options sans bun. White flour converts straight into sugar in your body, so get creative on what to sandwich your burger into. Some ideas are portobello mushrooms, lettuce, tomato, or grilled pineapple slices.
DIY Your Treats- You can make a lot of yummy and healthy alternatives to iced treats, soft drinks, and snack foods at home where you can control exactly what’s going into them. It’s also a fun Summer day activity to do with your kids. Banana Nice Cream, Watermelon Slushies, Real Iced Tea, and Homemade Potato Chips are some fabulous ideas to look into with your kids this Summer.
Use Sugar Substitutes- Natural sugar substitutes with a low glycemic load (Less dramatic spikes on the sugar rollercoaster) such as coconut sugar, monk fruit, and stevia are great options to sweeten your summer treats and baking.
Build your Events Around Activities, Not Food- Plan your Summer fun around games, sites, and activities so food isn’t the focus and you can stay on track with sugar-free and healthy meals.
Limit Alcohol- Alcohol carries enormous amounts of sugar as well as puts a strain on your liver and kidneys. Summer is an easy time to overindulge in alcoholic beverages, so I always recommend being extra mindful of your consumption.
Take Advantage of the Abundance of Fresh Fruit- We are fortunate in the amount of mouth-wateringly delicious fresh fruit that is available to us today. Summer, in particular, brings favorites like cherries, peaches, watermelon, and berries. Your body processes the natural sugars in fruit differently than refined sugar, plus fruit is packed with nutrients, fiber and also hydrate you so they make a perfect treat for your family.
Cultivate a Mindful Approach
When it comes down to it, over-stressing about your sugar intake is going to cause just as much of an issue for your health as eating the sugar. I always like to remind my patients that balance is key in everything and that it’s okay to do things just for the joy. Indulgence can be a part of healthy living as long as we are mindful.
Be mindful of the quality of the food you and your family are eating, but also the quality of the memories you’re making.