Dentists and other medical professionals often suggest reducing sugar in your diet to protect your health. Sugar is notoriously bad for your teeth, especially. It reacts with the saliva to become acidic which can eat away at the structure of your teeth. Then your smile grows vulnerable to cavities and other dental dangers.
Though you know the oral health risks, eating less sugar can be hard to do. Read on to learn about three ways that you can lower the amount of sugar you consume and better protect your smile.
Tips for Eliminating Excess Sugar
Cut Added Sugar
The first step to adjusting your diet to eat less sugar is to take stock of what you usually consume in a day. You may want to keep a food diary to log your meals and how much sugar is in them.
Through this activity, you can see how much sugar you routinely eat and how you can easily cut certain foods that contain high amounts of sugar. For instance, many people will add sugar to coffee or tea to enhance the flavor. You can stop this to greatly reduce the sugar in your diet.
You can also stop drinking or eating items that feature a very high sugar content such as sodas. Consider swapping these beverages with sugar-free options or water. These small decisions can make a great impact on improving your diet and therefore your oral health.
Alter Your Recipes
Your recipes, especially in baking, often call for certain amounts of sugar. But when you are in the kitchen, you have a great amount of control over what goes into your food. You can cut the amount of sugar in your recipe by a third or even in half in many cases. You will likely not notice a difference in the taste either, but you can keep your smile safer.
Another way to lower the amount of sugar when cooking or baking is to substitute it with other flavors. You can try vanilla or almond extract to enhance the flavor of your dish. Or you can use spices like cinnamon or nutmeg for another effect. Experiment with these options to find flavors you enjoy that can replace overloads of sugar.
Prepare to Counteract Your Cravings
Preparation is key if you want to change your eating habits. When you start to avoid sugar in your diet, you may find yourself craving this sweetness as a result. This can make it difficult to stick to your routines.
However, if you keep healthy snacks on hand, you can anticipate these cravings and avoid caving into them. If you want something sweet, try eating dried or fresh fruit instead.
Acknowledging these cravings and having food ready to indulge in as an alternative can help you avoid harmful eating habits. Find more preventative dental care tips when you visit your dentist for a routine oral health exam and teeth cleaning.