In a recent blog post about
post-holiday sugar addiction, I outlined a basic anti-sugar diet. A friend of
mine recently asked, “What exactly does that look like?” This menu structure
should help:
Breakfast:
Build breakfast around healthy protein sources (about 20grams) such as eggs
(two eggs with whole grain toast), yogurt (a yogurt/fruit smoothie or parfait
topped with granola and fresh fruit), nut butter (on whole grain toast or in
oatmeal), avocado or last night’s leftovers.
Mid-Morning
Snack: A piece of fresh fruit and handful of walnuts or almonds. Fruit provides
some sweetness if you’re already sniffing around for cookies.
Lunch:
Some examples for the largest meal of the day include a chicken stir-fry, tuna
sandwich and salad, lentil soup and salad, or pasta with salmon. Add some maple
syrup to a vinaigrette (oil and balsamic) for sweetness.
Mid-Afternoon
Snack: Hummus with raw vegetables (celery, peppers, cucumbers, carrots, etc.).
If you’re jonesin´for a sugar snack, yogurt and fruit will do the trick.
Dinner:
Fish with vegetables and some whole grain rice is my favorite dish. To add
sweetness, top your protein-du-jour with chutney or a fruit-based salsa (I buy
a great mango salsa) or some sliced fruit (pineapple works well with most
meats). You can also add honey to salad dressing or fresh or dried fruit into a
salad, or drizzle maple syrup over butternut squash or Brussels sprouts before
roasting.
If you’re still hungry after dinner, make
yourself a delicious chocolate (now I’ve got your attention) protein shake
(sorry) or have a couple of spoonfuls of vanilla yogurt.
There isn’t anything wrong with enjoying a
square of high quality dark chocolate now and again; in fact, studies are
showing that it can benefit your health in numerous ways.
Isn’t life sweet?
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