Sugars That May Help You Reduce Belly Fat
People who are on weight loss programs are often told to stay away from foods containing sugar; especially foods like cakes, donuts, sugary drinks, chocolates and candy. But as you know, somewhere entangled in our evolutionary history we have developed an intense affinity for all things sweet. Unfortunately, unlike our predecessors who spent most of the day in physical pursuits, modern man spends almost the entire day sitting and lounging. This preponderance of inactivity allows little or no time for the body to burn up the great amount of sugar we consume on a daily basis. As a result, excess sugar in the body quickly turns into fat and stimulates the development of common ailments like hypertension, diabetes and of course obesity.Sugar is the fertilizer for obesity. Belly fat in particular thrives on the availability of sugar and given the way we eat and drink today no wonder our waistlines are continually expanding. But are there any sugars we can eat without the fear of weight gain or even more importantly adding ghastly inches to our waistlines? Believe it or not there are; in fact theses sugars may even help you lose weight and reduce your waistline. I have listed a few of them below:
- Stevia is a natural sweetener made from the leaves of plants native to South America. Unlike refined sugar, stevia does not elevate blood sugar levels. Many studies have shown that when stevia is added to a healthy diet it may actually help the process of weight loss.
- Fructose is sometimes confused with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Unlike HFCS which is highly processed, fructose occurs naturally in fruits like oranges, apples, pears, etc. It is safe when eaten in moderation and does not spark weight gain.
- Raw honey is produced naturally by honey bees. It has long been used as a sweetener and for medicinal purposes plus it is packed with antioxidants. When consumed in moderation its impact on total weight or weight gain is minuscule.
- Dark chocolate is a product of the cocoa plant. Because it is the purest form of chocolate with only a small amount of additives, the negative health impacts usually associated with other types of chocolate do not obtain. Moreover, its overall health benefits are well documented.
Given what we know about sugar in terms of its deleterious effects on health and the role it plays in perpetuating obesity, it is rather counter-intuitive to say that some sugars may actually help you manage your weight. But studies have shown that when natural sugars like stevia are used weight gain may be reduced and associated problems like belly fat can be effectively eliminated.
