21 Feb
21Feb
Pros of Cutting Down on Sugar Intake
Cons of Cutting Down on Sugar Intake
Helps you physically feel a lot betterIt can feel overwhelming
Helps you not pack on as many poundsIt is really hard at first
You are in more control of your bodyThere are so many yummy treats to try
Helps inspire othersSugar is a big deal in our culture
Sugar is empty caloriesIt can be hard to realize how much sugar you are eating
Sugar foods are more expensiveBad sugar habits are hard to break


About three years ago, I would go through three or four large bags of chocolate a week. I literally would get headaches if I didn’t eat chocolate. It didn’t help there was an outlet store two blocks from me that sold all kinds of sweet treats for pennies. 

After having a second baby, I went through some terrible postpartum depression. During this time, I learned that eating large amounts of chocolate can hurt your mental health. I am not sure if this is 100% true, but I decided to give it a shot. After cutting back for a couple of months, I found my mood had changed drastically for the better. Saying this, I still love eating sugar. Here are some of the pros and cons of cutting back on your sugar intake.

https://www.bonfire.com/pros-and-cons-of-cutting-down-on-sugar/

Pros of Cutting Back on Sugar

  1. You physically feel a lot better. Try cutting in half the amount of sugar you eat every day. You’ll find your energy levels increased dramatically.
  2. Sugar tends to pack on the pounds. Do you want to lose weight? Are you tired of looking at the scale and seeing the numbers rise? Cutting back on sugar will help you meet your weight goals.
  3. You feel more in charge. We all know that sugar is addictive. After cutting back, I felt like I wasn’t always thinking about the next treat. Instead, I could choose when I wanted a dessert instead of just having it to have it.
  4. Sugary foods don’t have a lot of vitamins or nutrients. If you have to have a treat at every meal, you might want to keep in mind that you are just eating empty calories. Most processed foods will try and supplement their products with vitamins. This is a step up but does not beat the natural sources. So by cutting back on sugar you are giving your body the nutrients it needs.
  5.  You can inspire others. By cutting down, I know that I can help others reach their goals because I understand where they are coming from.
  6. Sugar can be expensive. You can buy a lot of fruits and vegetables for the price of a bag of Milky Ways. Bellow I showed you how much it will cost for a lb. of Milky Ways vs. a lb. of healthy produce . Be prepared to be amazed? And people say that eating healthy is too expensive! Note: I picked the cheapest Milky Way/ oz. I could find on Walmart's website

How much more does it cost me to buy Milky Ways instead of  produce?

Product
QuantityCost/oz.Cost/lb.Does it cost more or less then a lb. of Milky Ways?
How much Cheaper is it then buying a Milky Way/ pound?
Milky Way1 pound40¢/oz.$6.40NA NA
Mushrooms
1 pound
23.5¢/oz.
$3.76Less$2.64
Bananas
1 pound
3¢/oz.48¢Less$5.52
Fuji Apples
1 pound
9¢/oz.$1.37Less$5.03
Strawberries1 pound
34¢/oz.$5.46Less94¢
Blueberries
1 pound
26.5/oz.$4.24Less$2.16
Spinach
1 pound
31.1/oz.$4.98Less$1.42
Baby Carrots
1 pound
6¢/oz.96¢Less$5.44

Cons of Cutting back on Sugar:

  1. Sometimes it feels like if you’re not perfect, what’s the point? I go through phases of having more desserts one week than the next week hardly anything. I don’t think it Has to be an all or nothing to have the benefits.
  2. It is super hard at first. Any addiction’s hard to overcome. It can be frustrating and depressing for a couple of days. I remember wanting a giant bag of chocolate more than anything!
  3. There are so many Nummy treats to try! I love scrolling through Pinterest and looking at all of the mouth-watering desserts. Too bad vegetables don’t look as good as most deserts.
  4. Sometimes sugar is a way to bond with someone. My husband and I sometimes have a hard time thinking of a date that does not include something sweet. 
  5. In our culture sugar is a big deal. Almost all events you go to, there are some refreshments served. I remember as a young teenager going to dances, youth activities, church socials, and all of them would have multiple varieties of brownies or cookies.
  6. You may not know how much sugar you’re eating. If you look on the back of anything you buy, it will almost always have sugar listed as one of the top ingredients. Even if you were trying to cut down on sugar it is almost as if you were eating it without knowing. Set goals and stick to them!
  7. With most bad habits, you need to replace them with something else to break it. What can you do instead of reaching for your favorite candy bar? Do you have time to go for a run, make a salad, or watch a favorite show for a couple of minutes? Being willing to replace sugar with something you enjoy is a big step to success. What are you going to do?

"Our goal is to help the world make decisions with a list of Pros and Cons. We invite all to add to our lists to help others make the most educated decision possible. We are all in this world together to help each other and learn from what others have learned from their lives journey." - Pros and Cons Team

Written by: Sarah 

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