Outsmart Your Sweet Tooth

Question: How do I lower my sugar intake without cravings destroying me?

(from reader George Hardcastle)

Answer: An outspoken sweet tooth doesn’t mean you’re doomed to crave sugar for the rest of your life. “Your body is very adaptive,” says Mike Roussell, Ph.D., a Men’s Health nutrition advisor. “The longer you go without eating lots of sugar the less your body will crave it.” But you don’t need to quit cold turkey. The best way is to slowly replace high-sugar foods in your diet with zero-calorie sweetened, reduced-sugar versions, or foods without added sugars such as fruit. “Your health will benefit from small stepwise reductions in your sugar intake and cravings will subside,” Roussell adds. (Check out these 6 Steps to Curb Your Sugar Habit for real ways to lessen your sugar bomb.) 

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