MAKE 2018 THE YEAR OF LESS SUGAR! FIVE WAYS TO SWAP YOUR SWEETS!

This year, we’re tackling the granddame of foods that are bad for us: SUGAR! So many of us give in to our cravings of Sugar, as they’re so hard to avoid when they’re hidden in so many foods! And, let’s face it. Who doesn’t have at least somewhat of a sweet tooth? If you said ‘not I!’, then you’re one of the fortunate ones.

Swapping unhealthy sugars for more nutritious, sweet foods is one way to still have some sweetness while not giving it up altogether. Plus, this is the smart way to have sweetness because you’ll be adding more nutrition into your diet and better health from these minor switches in your lifestyle.

Let’s look at 5 easy ways you can sweeten up your foods while adding a bunch of important nutritional elements into your meals and snacking.

DRIED FRUITS

Dried fruits can be healthy for you, although some can still be packed with sugar. Opting for the prunes is a smart way to go because they are lower in sugar and have a low glycemic index of only 29. This means they are digested and absorbed slowly by the body, which helps to sustain energy over a longer period of time compared to foods with a higher glycemic index.

SKIP THE CREAMER, ADD THE HEALTH

Instead of that caffeinated, sweet latte, opt for the smoothie. Having a delicious, quick and easy smoothie is such a great way to start your day. While there are so many variations to choose from, make sure your smoothie includes a variety of these things: handful of rich greens, a bit of superantixidants in your fruit, and try a delicious healthful and pure fruit juice to bind it altogether. This jumpstarts your body, organs to be working and pumping purely, and puts you in the right mindset to stay on the right track all day!

TIP: Sunsweet Amaz!n Prune Juice only 8 grams of sugar per serving, 3g of fiber and provides 5 essential vitamins and minerals to help balance and maintain good digestive health.

BAKING TRICKS

Let’s say you need to make some healthy muffins, but they still call for a stick of butter or oil. There are natural ways you can still have that flavor, but make the overall muffin or baked good taste just as rich and sweet. Simply keep some puree on hand using prunes. That’s right – prunes. Simply puree them and keep them on hand for substitutions in pretty much everything! Your waistline won’t miss the extra butter or oil, we’re willing to bet!

½ cup oil  substitution:   ¼ cup oil + ¼ cup prune purée

1 stick butter  substitution:    ½ stick butter + ½ cup prune purée

ADD SWEETNESS SUBTLY

If you’re foregoing the intoxicating taste of sugar, it’s likely that you’ll be more apt to fall off the wagon! That’s why we think a bit of healthy sweetness in your regular meals will satisfy those gnawing cravings while also adding more health and nutrition. Plus, if you add a bit of fiber while you’re at it, you’ll feel fuller longer.

Go for the dates. With the perfect rich flavor, sweetness and lots of special health benefits to boot, they’re a great go-to for adding more flavor and to your meat entrées, or more texture, richness and flavor to stuffings, even salads! Because of their natural sweetness and sticky texture, dates work fabulously in desserts, too. Plus, it provides that fuller feeling longer with 3 grams of fiber per serving.

JUNK THE JUNK FOOD

When you’re on the go, running late or stuck in traffic, stress goes up! And we all know about stress-eating, right? That’s when our will power is challenged and we tend to turn to the quick fixes such as the afternoon sugary, carb-laden snacks. If you have healthier snacks on hand, healthy juices, waiting for you in advance, then you’re more likely to eat something that’s actually good for you! And, in a matter of seconds, you can satisfy those sugar cravings. Keep healthy snacks, a non-sugary juice or waters in your car. Anything to make sure you’re not tempted to (gulp!) pull into the fast food drive-thru!

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