Half a million Australians are currently unaware they have pre-diabetes, often there are no signs or symptoms. While family history and genetics play a role, lifestyle and diet can have a significant effect on the development of type 2 diabetes, particularly for at-risk individuals.
Let’s not sugar coat things, while it’s a myth that sugar alone causes diabetes, it’s certainly a chunky component in making healthy lifestyle changes that will help to lower your and your employees risk
Sugar is in almost 80% of the foods we consume, with most adults consuming a whopping 30 teaspoons a day, when the WHO recommendation is six. Diets high in sugar are linked to decreased energy, concentration and mood.
According to “That Sugar Movement” , we need to also seriously consider the imagine what impact this is also having on your workforce, “employees who consume an unhealthy diet are 66 percent more likely to experience a loss in productivity compared to those who regularly eat fresh fruits, vegetables, low-fat foods and whole grains.”
To sweeten the deal, we’ve put together a list of quick changes you and your employees can implement today to reduce your sugar intake, such as:
- Swapping your white bread loaf for a wholemeal grainy version
- Cutting the usual amount of sugar you add into your hot drinks by half a teaspoon and wean down from there
- Instead of fruit juice or fizzy drinks, try flavouring your water with fresh mint, lemon, or orange slices
- Instead of adding sugar to your morning porridge or cereal, add fresh fruit and/or nuts
- When baking, reduce the sugar amount listed in the recipe, often you won’t notice the difference
- Enhance foods with spices instead of sugar; try cinnamon or nutmeg.
You may be wondering why we haven’t recommended a sugar substitute, according to Diabetes Australia “Most sugar substitutes contain just as many kilojoules and as much carbohydrate as regular sugar. We know that the amount of carbohydrate eaten has the biggest impact on blood glucose levels; therefore, the end result on your blood glucose levels is going to be similar.”
Want to keep the tips front of mind for all? Click here to download our sweet-less sugar tips!
