Sugar! Processed sugar. For years we’ve been hearing about how the amount of sugar that the average American consumes has been growing. Estimates now place it at almost 20 teaspoons (82 grams) per day or 66 pounds per year! It’s hiding in many processed foods, fast food, and sodas.
It’s not feasible to remove all sugar from our diets as we have a natural drive to consume it. The World Health Organization recommends around 5% of the diet should come from added or natural sugars which comes to around 25 grams in a 2,000-calorie diet. An average chocolate bar has around 30 grams of sugar which would already put many of us over the daily amount. Instead we can satisfy our cravings with more natural servings that also provide us fiber and other nutrients. Fruits are an excellent way to curb your craving and limit the amount of sugar you intake. A cup of strawberries has about 7 grams and a cup of watermelon has 9 grams.
Shopping for Frutis
During the summer months, try buying fruits that are in season for your area for the freshest and sometimes cheaper options. Instead of fruit juices, try for wholesome fruits.
In southeast Kansas, these include apples, blueberries, cantaloupes, cherries, grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, plums, pomegranates, raspberries, strawberries, and watermelon. A great spot to find some these from local growers is the Independence Farmers Market on Saturdays from 7:30-10:30 in downtown Independence.
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