All recipes written by Gordon Ramsay
The most popular question every January is: how to cut sugar after the holidays. In fact, the Christmas holidays are one of the periods of the year in which, more than others, there are real feasts of sugarspresent not only in panettone, nougats, sweets, but also in unexpected foods such as cotechino, zampone, cheeses and cured meats.
Limiting the consumption of foods rich in them immediately after the holidays is essential not only to avoid the risk of gaining many extra kilos, but also to avoid putting your health at risk. Frequent and exaggerated consumption of these nutrients in fact favors weight gain, but also the onset of disorders and pathologies such as hyperglycemia, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, insulin resistance, mood and even tumors.
Here then how to cut sugar after the holidays according to the nutritionist’s advice Valentina Galiazzospecialist in clinical biochemistry.
1. Limit consumption of dates and other rich foods
Dried fruit is much higher in carbohydrates than fresh fruit. For this reason it is necessary to eat it paying more attention to how it is consumed. «To avoid the risk of exaggerating with sugars, the ideal is to prefer those that have a lower glycemic index such as dried and natural apricots and plums, says the nutritionist Valentina Galiazzo. Then pay attention to the quantities. «To limit the consumption of sugars you need to ingest them a maximum of 30 grams per day and never at the end of the meal.”
2. Choose wholemeal bread for breakfast
«Granola, muesli and breakfast cereals in general often contain high quantities of added sugars including fructose and sucrose, which increase blood sugar peaks. A trick to cut the amount of sugar in your daily diet is to replace it with wholemeal bread, even better if stale and toasted, which has a lower glycemic index.”
3. Be careful with vegetable drinks
«Some vegetable drinks based on soy, coconut, almonds can provide a higher sugar content than that of milk of animal origin, explains nutritionist Valentina Galiazzo. «For this reason, before purchasing them, it is always a good idea to carefully read the information on the packaging and give priority to products that provide less sugar to avoid the risk of adding excessive amounts of sugar to the menus.
4. Consume more oranges and less juice
«Not only ready-made fruit juices, but also freshly squeezed citrus fruit juices have a high sugar content, including glucose and fructose, which the body assimilates quickly also due to the absence of fibre. It is better to consume more whole fruit which, thanks to the fibre, allows you to avoid sudden increases in blood sugar.”
5. Avoid sweetening your coffee
Even if you can’t do without classic white sugar, to reduce sugars, use spices instead of sweeteners. «They improve the flavor of drinks without increasing the sugar intake in the daily diet. Which ones to use? «Star anise is a very suitable spice for correcting the bitter taste of coffee, especially after lunch. It provides substances that, unlike sugars, facilitate digestion.”
Really lemon lowers blood sugar? Juicy and with a particularly sour flavour, the lemon it can be consumed in different ways. You can drink the freshly squeezed juice or use it together with the zest and pulp in dishes and dishes. Thanks to its particular aroma, this fruit is a real natural flavor enhancer. «Lemon adds flavor and at the same time allows us to reduce the use of other condiments which, in excess, increase health risks, explains the nutritionist Valentina Schirò, specializing in food science. «It also boasts an appreciable content of water, antioxidants, including flavonoids such as hesperidin and mineral salts, especially potassium. The organic acids it is rich in, including ascorbic and citric acids, are capable of improving the assimilation of some nutrients. «For example, they facilitate the absorption of heme iron present in foods of animal origin such as meat and fish and are capable of even doubling that of “non-heme” iron found in foods of plant origin such as whole grains, legumes including beans, vegetables, especially rocket, broccoli and artichokes.” In recent years several studies have focused on the properties of this fruit, in particular slow down the assimilation of sugars into the blood and consequently to have beneficial effects in the fight against the onset of type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance. So, returning to the initial question: does lemon really lower blood sugar? Here’s what’s true.
«Lemon is a fruit that can be consumed by those with alterations in sugar metabolism, for example in cases of diabetes. In fact, it has a reduced content of sugars that are easily assimilated by the body”, explains nutritionist Valentina Schirò. «The studies that have highlighted the benefits of this fruit in lowering blood sugar levels have mostly been conducted in vitro and in relation to the consumption of starches. In one study conducted on humans, a team of experts has highlighted that the consumption of its juice is able to reduce the body’s glycemic response to the glucose that is released by the consumption of bread starch, significantly lowering the average peak concentration of blood glucose by 30% and delaying it by more than 35 minutes. Another study highlighted that the consumption of lemon juice is able to lower the glycemic response and increase both gastric secretions and the speed of emptying. Although these studies both conducted on humans have highlighted the benefits of lemon juice, at the moment the evidence available in the scientific literature is still little and therefore insufficient to be able to recommend lemon for lowering blood sugar.”
Lemon is a fruit that is an ally for figure and health. It is therefore perfectly fine to use it in dishes and dishes, but it is better to avoid gorging on it. «Excessive consumption of lemon is associated witherosion of tooth enamel and in case of reflux and stomach acid problems it can worsen the discomfort due to the richness of acids”, says the expert. The juice of this fruit as well as the zest and pulp are excellent for reducing the use of salt and sauces rich in sugar and fat, the consumption of which is associated with various health problems. But the benefits also depend on what is consumed in the meal. «For example, consuming a salad seasoned with lemon juice in a meal rich in refined carbohydrates and with a high glycemic index such as rice, pizza or boiled potatoes does not have miraculous effects on blood sugar. The same applies if you use lemon in sweets or desserts, rich in rapidly absorbed sugars. So lemon, although rich in beneficial properties, does not lower blood sugar, as is often believed.”
After such a substantial salad you will certainly be full, but without weighing you down and there will also be a little hole left for dessert
By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. Click here to read more information about data collection for ads personalisation
The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this.
Read more about data collection for ads personalisation our in our Cookies Policy page
