During the holiday season eating healthily is harder than ever with all of the seasonal drinks, desserts, and alcohol. Holiday food often has tons of sugar and to enjoy the treats this time of year you don’t have to give up sweets completely, you can just limit your sugar intake. Here are some tips for cutting back on sugar during the holiday season.
Enjoy Small Indulgences
Stick with the sugary treats you can’t live without and have a small amount of them each day. A few small squares of dark chocolate, a tiny slice of cake, a small cookie, or a cup of hot chocolate are fine to enjoy once a day.
Swap Sweets for Fruit
Instead of having sweets, eat fruit, which has natural sugar and will solve your sugar craving. Fruit is loaded with fiber and nutrients. In baked goods, replace sugar with applesauce or make “nice cream” for dessert.
Use Spices in Holiday Drinks
Punch, spritzers, and dessert coffees are loaded with sugar. So instead, add non-sugar flavor enhancers like cinnamon, vanilla, and mint to your drinks.
Know Your Triggers
When you know what foods tempt you, you can be more prepared to limit your intake of them. Try keeping fewer sweets in your house and if you do have them, store them in the pantry so you won’t see them all the time.
