The Hidden Sugars in Sri Lankan Foods That May Be Slowing Your Weight Loss

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Sugar is believed by many Sri Lankans to be found only in sweet cake and soft drinks. This means they will try to skip the wide variety of obviously tart desserts, but despite the effort, they will be unable to lose weight. The reason is frequently the disguise of the sugar. Hidden sugar is hidden sugar, which is added to foods and beverages that aren’t necessarily very sweet, anyway. These sugars, if consumed regularly, can lead to weight gain, an energy spike and subsequent dip, and increased difficulty in weight loss. Knowing where hidden sugars are on your food labels will enable you to make smarter choices and still enjoy your favourite foods.

The amount of hidden sugar in milk tea is high. Many teaspoons of sugar can be added to each cup. Almost everyone consumes 2 to 3 cups of coffee a day without realising the amount of sugar they take in. While tea itself is low in calories, the added sugar can quickly add up.

Other sources of hidden sugar are:

Milk tea and iced tea were also noted as being sold.

• Packaged fruit juices
• Flavoured yoghurt
• Breakfast cereals
• Biscuits and crackers
• Sweetened coffee drinks
• Energy drinks

Sugary drinks, such as fruit drinks made from juices, are those sold as bottled beverages and marketed as fruit drinks.

Surprisingly, to some, packaged fruit juice is another food they come across. It’s assumed by many that since Fruit juice is derived from fruit, it’s healthy. But a lot of the items have added sugar. Even without sugar, juices contain little fibre, and this is a sure way to make you feel hungry! This does lead to eating an excessive amount of sugar over a relatively short period.

Be sure to scrutinise flavoured yoghurt as well. While the yoghurt is a source of protein and calcium, the flavoured varieties tend to have a high sugar content due to the added sugar. The nutrition label can assist you in finding products that are lower in sugar and you can use it as a tool to compare products.

Breakfast cereals may be another source. Some cereals are supposed to be healthy, but may have some grains or sweeteners coated in sugars or contain pieces of chocolate. Breakfast foods containing too much sugar could make you feel hungry earlier in the morning, which can lead to grazing before lunch.

A large number of people in Sri Lanka prefer to eat biscuits during tea time. Biscuits may not sound like much, but they could regularly contribute heavily to someone’s sugar intake. This is especially true if biscuits are consumed with sweet tea.

How does hidden sugar relate to weight reduction? One of them is that sweet food is simple to consume rapidly. They might not satisfy you for as long as you’d like, and thereby cause you to overeat a bit later on. It’s also due to foods that are loaded with added sugar being high in calories and low in nutrients.

People whose diet may have a hidden sugar addiction include those who:

• Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
• Feeling  hungry shortly after eating. When you get hungry shortly after eating.
• Plant growth and activity are stunted during the day.
• Eating more than is recommended on the Food Pyramid.

The battle with weight loss goals is slow to go. The weight loss battle languishes.

Luckily, this doesn’t have to mean saying goodbye to all your favourite sweets. Slow and steady can win the race in the long term. Replace any sweetened liquids in the cup by allowing people to have plain tea, water or fresh king coconut water. For lovers of yoghurt, opt for plain yoghurt and sweeten it with fresh fruit.

Some options to limit sugar are:

• Gradually reduce sugar in tea and coffee
• Before purchasing products, read nutrition labels
• Drink fruit beverages that are 100% fruit rather than fruit drinks.
• Only eat sweet food between meals
• Even if you’re not thirsty, bring water with you when you’re on the move.
• Have healthy snack ideas ready to go.

There is a fear that healthier options for consuming food will become more costly. Actually, simple local foods can aid. Fresh food is usually less expensive than junk food, junk drinks and ready-to-eat meals.

A great tip is to read ingredient labels. The ingredients are typically listed in order of ingredients. The closer to the top it is, the more of the product will contain a high amount of sugar. Sugar can also take the form of glucose or syrup, maltose, fructose or sucrose.

This requires that weight loss rely on no single food. But the extra sugars, these hidden ones, can add up without you realising it, sneaking in a few calories here, a few there, until you end up gaining weight. There may be a few unneeded sugar sources to remove and steps taken which can make a huge difference within weeks and months. This method of dieting is easier than strictly adhering to an extreme diet that is hard to sustain.

There is no need to be perfect. It’s fine to be at a party and have dessert that night or take a sweet treat sometimes. It’s all about recognising foods around you that have more sugar than you realise. As you learn more about these foods, you can make choices to take care of your health and work toward weight loss.

The awareness among the Sri Lankans on hidden sugars and the gradual awareness of changes can help them gain better energy, improve their eating habits and produce a consistent weight loss. Choices can be significant if made throughout the day, seemingly inconsequential in the moment.

Planning will make shopping easier. Sweets tend to be a staple of the lunch baskets when people are in a rush or need comfort when they get hungry. It’s easier to make healthier choices when good food is available at home.

Smart shopping tips:

• Make a list of Groceries before leaving home
• Pass when extremely hungry!
• Compare label costs between brands
• Always opt for unsweetened products if available

Increase the amount of foods on the table that are unprocessed foods and reduce the number of packaged snacks.

Parents can also assist in fostering healthier practices for their kids. Serve fruit, nuts or homemade snacks rather than sugary snacks, to help teach children from a young age how to eat a balanced diet. These habits gradually become part of life instead of short-term rules. Eventually, they become habits and not rules.

Keep in mind that weight loss takes time and consistency is key. You may not notice a change in your health immediately, but making it a daily habit could make for an impressive long-term change.

Any amount of sugar restriction can be beneficial in the long run and promote better health and nutrition in the future.