Knowledge is power folks – at least in the case of food shopping and eating healthy. Inspired by the viral sugar shock images of “how many teaspoons of sugar” in a can of Coke or a Starbucks Frappuccino, I thought it would be a nice surprise to see how much sugar is in the stereotypical “healthy” foods (including that organic, dark chocolate bar from Whole Foods).

You see, the real source of your success is YOU, not any particular food or diet. Taking the time to learn the fundamentals of eating and living healthy, while also paying attention to how your body feels, is what’s going to get you over the hump, no matter what your barriers are (“no time,” “no money,” “no energy”).

For me, I didn’t grow up with a lot of money. My mom was a single parent, raised three girls on a teachers salary, and there were times where she had to make choices between what she could afford that month. No matter what, there were always healthy options on the table. One of the most upsetting things for me as a wellness professional, is seeing how our food has taken a huge left turn, loaded with garbage to decrease the cost of production, increase profit, and cause more disease and illnesses than ever before. When you ARM YOURSELF with fundamental food KNOWLEDGE – knowing how to read food labels, knowing how to shop and stock your pantry, and the basics of weekly meal planning – you will go far with very little.

Springer and my goal is to provide you with those resources…and to be quite honest, we prefer to keep the EAT LIFE WHOLE journey simple, beautiful, and delicious. Now let’s dive in.

REMEMBER THIS

4 Grams = 1 Teaspoon of Sugar

Fruit-filled yogurt: With almost 5 teaspoons of sugar, you can easily ditch fruit-filled yogurt and enjoy a big bowl of plain, Greek yogurt with seasonal fresh fruit.

Boxed cereal and granola: Pour 3 teaspoons of sugar on your breakfast OR NOT. Try our low-in-sugar Maple and Honey Granola recipe. Super simple and loaded with delicious seeds and nuts.

Jarred Jam and Jellies: Would you like to pour about 3 teaspoons of sugar on your toast every morning? If you don’t, you can easily make your own seasonal compote. Recipe in our 21 Day Eat Real Challenge: Spring/Summer Edition.

Peanut Butter: Nut butters are great in and of itself. Skip the extra sugar and make a batch of Homemade Almond Butter in under 20 minutes.

Whole Grain Bread: Watch out for the extra sugars (and caramel food coloring) in your whole grain breads. With almost 2 teaspoons in 1 slice, you can easily make your own quick bread (gluten free). Recipe in our 21 Day Eat Real Challenge: Spring/Summer Edition.

Energy Bars: If you need a quick boost, having 5 teaspoons of sugar may not be the answer. Try making your own energy bites. Recipe in our 21 Day Eat Real Challenge: Spring/Summer Edition.

Fruit Snacks: Dried fruit and fruit snacks are quite deceiving. With almost 4 teaspoons of sugar in a fruit snack the size of ballpoint pen, you’ll probably still be hungry afterwards. Instead, enjoy a piece of fresh fruit, loaded with vitamins and fiber.

Dark Chocolate: Yes we love dark chocolate too, but look closely at the percentage of cacao. Shoot for 80% or higher with no more than 6 grams of sugar per serving. This organic bar has about 5 teaspoons per serving. Yikes! Instead, checkout some of our favorites made by: Tcho, Madécasse or Alter Eco.

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