When I created Epic Oat Pots I was adamant that they would be low in sugar, as so many breakfast cereals and snacks have far too much sugar added in. I think we are all now aware that sugar is no tour friend and is in fact an empty food – one with no or little nutritional value. Not only that, but it is highly addictive and causes all sorts of health issues from headaches, mood swings and fatigue to more serious problems such as diabetes, heart disease and obesity.
So, if like me, you are keen to reduce sugar in your diet here are some of my top tips to help you:
1. Research shows that eating a satisfying breakfast can help you make better food choices later in the day – so ditch all those sugary cereals and choose a high protein, high fibrebreakfast instead. Epic Oat Pots is obviously a great choice! I also recommend Spinach or Avocadoon wholemeal toast topped with a poached egg.
2. Include protein in all of your meals – this keeps you fuller for longer and curbs those cravings.
3. Choose naturally sweet fruit and veg such as sweet potatoes and berries – this will keep you energised so you don’t experience a sugar crash.
4. Avoid “low fat” alternatives. These are usually loaded with sugar instead.
5. Read food labels – as often sugar is in products that you might not necessarily expect it to be in
6. Cook food from scratch whenever possible – as ready meals can contain an awful lot of sugar as well as sodium
7. Swap fizzy drinks and fruit juices and smoothies for herbal teas or water. When it’s hot I add frozen berries into water–or use fresh herbs–to make water that little bit more interesting!
8. Get plenty of sleep – when you’re tired it’s easy to reach for those sugary snacks. Research shows that people who get a poor nights sleep often make worse food choices.
9. Try using healthier alternatives to sweeten food such as dates, agave or honey
10. If you use alt milks make sure you choose the unsweetened varieties.
Hope these tips help! And don’t forget all of our Epic Oat pots contain less than 5g of date sugar and are high in protein and fibre too!
