SOS - Swap Out Sugar - Promoting Health in Families of Northern Colorado

09/01/2020

This New York Times article has all the information you've been craving about sugar and your health!
Read up and take their 7-day sugar challenge.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/30/well/eat/sugar-diet-healthy.html

One of the best things you can do for your health is to cut back on foods with added sugar. Our 7-Day Sugar Challenge will show you how.

14/12/2019

If you like your breakfast served in a bowl with milk.. try making your own (no sugar added) granola at home! This recipe calls for egg whites to get it nice and crispy. You can play around with add-ins to make the recipe your own.

https://www.superhealthykids.com/recipes/healthy-sugar-free-granola-recipe/

If you've been looking for a crunchy, healthy granola recipe with ZERO grams of sugar, this is it!

09/12/2019

Taking an extra moment in the grocery store to read the nutrition label on prepackaged foods can help you keep track of how much added sugar is making its way into your home. A recent revamp on the nutrition label makes it easier than ever to spot added sugar! Here is a side-by-side comparison of the old versus the new label. Don't forget to spare a glance for serving size!

06/12/2019

27/11/2019

The number one source of added sugar in most people's diets is from their drinks! For more information and tips on cutting back on sugary drinks, check out the Rethink You Drink campaign at the AHA website.
https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/sugar/rethink-your-drink-reducing-sugary-drinks-in-your-diet

20/11/2019

Since not everyone who is interested has been able to attend the community courses I have been hosting, I am starting a web series to highlight some of the information-- starting with a rundown on fructose.

21/10/2019

The American Heart Association has 10 great tips for decreasing your sugar intake!
https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/sugar/tips-for-cutting-down-on-sugar

Keeping tabs on how much sugar you&rsquo.

12/10/2019

"The previous school of thought was that sugar was just an issue for calories and weight gain. We now know that added sugar, at levels commonly consumed in the American diet, is a major risk factor for heart disease, liver disease, type 2 diabetes, and tooth decay. There is some emerging evidence showing sugar may be a factor in Alzheimer’s and cognitive decline. Importantly, these chronic health conditions can occur even in people who are of normal weight." - University of California San Francisco

03/10/2019

The director of the National Institutes of Health has a blog! His latest post is titled "Americans Are Still Eating Too Much Added Sugar, Fat". The study he references found that 42% of the average American's daily calories come from "refined grains, starchy vegetables, and added sugars".
However, we are making shifts towards healthier diets over the past 20 years. And, as Dr. Collins says: "There are plenty of good choices that can help to turn things around, from reading food labels and limiting calories or portion sizes to exercising and finding healthy recipes that suit your palate."

You can find the full post here: https://directorsblog.nih.gov/2019/10/01/americans-are-still-eating-too-much-added-sugar-fat/

Most of us know one of the best health moves we can make is to skip the junk food and eat a nutritious, well-balanced diet. But how are we doing at putting that knowledge into action? Not so great,…

25/09/2019

Hi! I'm so excited to be working on this program for our community. If you're able to take a moment to complete a quick survey, I would appreciate it. The link is located at the bottom of this post.
The purpose of this survey is to collect data relevant to this community in order to determine where attention should be focused to aid families in improving eating patterns and decreasing sugar intake. Participation is voluntary, and all answers are anonymous and confidential. It will take less than 5 minutes. Completion of this survey is consent to participate. Participants must be 18 years of age or older to participate, and have at least one child under the age of 18 living at home at the time of completion.

https://byui.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_ekRSJvlVg7J416d

Qualtrics makes sophisticated research simple and empowers users to capture customer, product, brand & employee experience insights in one place.

25/09/2019

Sugar has found its way into more than 75% of packaged foods, and it adds up quick! Here are some examples of 25 grams of added sugar, the recommended amount not to exceed for the entire day.

29/08/2019

If you don't feel satisfied after a meal until you've had something sweet, try replacing sugar-filled desserts with fresh fruit. Here's a simple how-to for my favorite "special occasion dessert". It's simple, elegant, and delicious!

22/08/2019

Today, 31% of American adults and 13% of kids suffer from non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

21/08/2019

Aim for no more than 25 grams of added sugar per day!

19/08/2019

Here's a reminder of how quickly 25 grams of added sugar can add up over the day!

17/08/2019

Here's one woman's experience cutting out added sugar for two weeks, before setting her limits at the AHA recommended 25 grams per day.
How will your story go?

I thought breaking up with sugar would be easy. In my mind, we were never really that close anyway. As someone who's never had a problem skipping dessert, I

07/08/2019

Did you know that sugar reacts with dopamine receptors in the brain, making you feel good? This can lead to addiction, and too much sugar can even lead to increased tolerance levels and symptoms of withdrawal, much like a drug.
To learn more about the affects of sugar on the brain, check out this TED-Ed Video:
https://www.ted.com/talks/nicole_avena_how_sugar_affects_the_brain?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare

When you eat something loaded with sugar, your taste buds, your gut and your brain all take notice. This activation of your reward system is not unlike how bodies process addictive substances such as alcohol or ni****ne -- an overload of sugar spikes dopamine levels and leaves you craving more. Nico...

05/08/2019

Swap out juice for this fun spa-inspired water! Involving your child can help build their enthusiasm. Let your kiddo add the cucumber slices and mint, and enjoy a glass together when it's done!

02/08/2019

70 grams of added sugar each day can stack up! Anybody want to guess how many pounds of fat that can convert to, if the energy isn't used?