Reducing the intake of sugar is always high on many new year resolution lists.  Short of going cold turkey—which is very difficult-- a great baby step is to use sugar substitutes. 

Seems like such a good idea but…

New research has linked artificial sweeteners with increased risk of stroke, blood clots and heart attacks.  The problematic ingredient is Erythritol, which is present in Splenda, Truvia and some monk fruit sweeteners. 

But it’s not always easy to spot Erythritol in foods because current federal guidelines don’t require Erythritol to be included on ingredient lists.  Here are some guidelines:

• Be suspicious if listed in the ingredients is “artificially sweetened with natural products.”
• Another red flag is if a product claims “low-calorie” or “zero-sugar.”

Yikes!  Just when we thought we had a good way to curb sugar in our diets.

Cutting sugar completely out of your diet is recommended by many experts.  But breaking up with sugar entirely is intense and challenging given our busy, time-pressed lives.  So in the spirit of “steps in the right direction” here are some tips to ease sugar out of your diet:

• Minimize processed foods (sugar is everywhere – peanut butter, pasta sauce, yogurt, etc.)
• Avoid hunger by eating meals at regular intervals (we’ve all experienced that desperate tearing into a bag of chips driven by a growling stomach)
• Don’t drink your sugar – avoid sodas and other sweetened beverages
• Eat fruit! Fruit is a great and natural way to get your sweetness fix because fruit contains vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber (fiber paces the speed at which the sugar hits your system).

Moon Fruit is a healthy and convenient way to reduce sugar in your diet.  It’s made from whole fruits and gluten free oats –there’s nothing else in there!  Moon Fruit is a great choice when you need a healthy quick snack or healthy snack on the go.  

Sources:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/artificial-sweeteners/

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/artificial-sweetener-erythritol-linked-to-heart-attack-and-stroke-study-finds/

https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2023/02/28/which-products-contain-erythritol-amid-new-study/