6 Low-Sugar Foods You Should Eat While Trying To Lose Weight, According To A Registered Dietitians
January 8, 2022 by Justine Schwartz
This story is authored by Jennifer McManus, RD, LDN, CDCES, a registered dietitian at Pendulum Therapeutics.
The connection between sugar and your gut is so important!
That sweet tooth of yours will be hard to ignore during the holidays… Between the cookie exchanges and post-dinner pies, all of that sugar will add up. The Standard American Diet (SAD) is notoriously high in added sugar and fat which continues to lead to the rise of obesity, metabolic disease, dysbiosis in your gut, and overall poor health. Added sugar is one of the main contributors to inflammation in the body – yikes! Being more mindful and making “healthy swaps” to some of your favorite recipes during the holidays are two ways to keep your sugar intake in check.
It is not recommended to completely limit all sugar from your diet as you would be missing out on many vital nutrients and naturally-occurring fiber sources coming from fruits, vegetables, and whole-grains. Ultimately, we want to limit our intake of refined sugars — the ones that are found in processed foods such as baked goods, cereals, ice cream, sweetened beverages, and other sweet treats.
The sugar that is naturally found in foods (fruits, vegetables, and whole grains) are some of the best fiber-containing sources! Fiber is a carbohydrate, (don’t freak out, keep reading) however, it is a type of carbohydrate that passes through the body undigested — meaning it will not impact your blood sugar levels. Soluble fiber, specifically, also feeds the gut microbiome. Eating more soluble fiber helps keep the microbes in your gut happy, healthy, and diverse. This leads to overall improvements in your gut health! Lastly, fiber helps with satiety — meaning it will keep you feeling full for longer. Increasing your fiber intake is extremely helpful on your weight loss journey as it will prevent you from heading back to the counter, refrigerator, or pantry for additional food!
Here are six low-sugar foods you can snack on while trying to lose weight: