Have a Healthy Halloween!

In light of Halloween just around the corner, we want you to be aware of the way sugar impacts your health and why you should limit your consumption. While it can be challenging to imagine life without sugar, keep in mind that natural sugars are perfectly acceptable, such as those found in fruit. Before you devour that Halloween candy, consider these natural sugars as sugar substitutes for a healthy Halloween.

What To Look Out For

You can find two types of sugar in foods you eat — natural sugar and added sugar. Foods like dairy and fruit contain natural sugar. However, any type of processed food, including dairy and fruit-based items, can contain added sugar. Take a close look at the ingredient list and look for sucrose, glucose, maltose, cane sugar, fruit juice concentrate, corn syrup, and molasses. You start to understand how common added sugar is in food when you begin looking at the nutritional labels.

Reduce Your Sugar Consumption

Making the extra effort to avoid added sugar makes much more sense when you consider the ways sugar damages your body. A diet high in added sugar can lead to chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. You can start by including foods like fruit, vegetables, nuts, oats, and dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate in your daily diet to naturally reduce your sugar intake.

Healthy Halloween Tips

When trick-or-treating, you are going to score a bunch of candy — it’s inevitable. So it is important that you have a plan. You can start by freezing half of your candy. This way all of your candy will not be at your disposal and you will have time to rethink that candy bar as it is defrosting on your kitchen counter. Next, have natural sugar substitutes readily available. Apples, grapes, and dark chocolate all have the crunch and sweetness to curb sugar cravings. Lastly, set some goals to reward yourself. Whether it is knocking out your to-do list at work or walking for 30 minutes every day, set a goal and once you reach your goal, reward yourself with a piece of Halloween candy. Give these healthy Halloween tips a try, your body will thank you!

By reducing the amount of sugar you eat daily, you will be able to improve your health both short and long term. If you have any questions about sugar consumption and your overall health, contact Livingston Chiropractic! We look forward to helping you have a healthy Halloween!

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