5 Ridiculously Easy Ways to Eat Less Sugar

You're probably consuming than you know

We're swimming in sugar: Americans take in more than 22 teaspoons of "added sugar" each day. That's the kind put into food, either by manufacturers, such as cookies and candy, or by you, like stirring sugar into your coffee. This sticky habit snowballs into the equivalent of more than 14 four-pound sacks of sugar per person each year. And all that sweet stuff is affecting our health.

According to a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine, the added sugar the average American consumes can increase their risk of death from heart disease by almost 20%-regardless of other health problems. And for the 10% of Americans who get a quarter of their calories from added sugar, the risk more than doubles.

Fortunately, a few diet tweaks can help you quickly reduce your sugar intake, knock down your disease risk, and protect your ticker. Bonus: you'll probably drop some pounds in the process. Put these five simple sugar-reduction steps into action today.

Nix sweetened beverages

Nearly 40% of the added sugar in Americans' diets comes from sugary beverages like soda, sweet tea, lemonade, and fruit punch. Just one 12-ounce can of regular soda contains about 140 calories, all from added sugar. The American Heart Association recommends limiting added sugars to less than 100 calories daily for women and 150 for men, which means that a single soda meets or exceeds the limit. Kick the habit, and replace sweet drinks with good, old-fashioned H 2 O spruced up with healthy, flavorful add-ins like lemon, lime, fresh mint, cucumber, or a little mashed fruit.

Scope out hidden sources of sugar

Sugar hides in dozens of foods you might not suspect. Unfortunately, there's no way to look at a Nutrition Facts label and tell how many calories come from added sugar. And even the grams of sugar can be deceiving, because there's no distinction between naturally occurring sugar versus sugar that's been added. For example, if you look at the label on a bag of frozen raspberries, the only ingredient is raspberries and yet you'll still see 6 grams of sugar listed, even though none was added to the bag.

Health.com: 16 Most Misleading Food Labels 

The best way to scope out added sugar (the type the study focused on) is to read ingredient lists. Look for words including brown sugar, corn syrup, maltose, fructose, dextrose, molasses, agave, brown rice syrup, cane sugar, cane syrup, and evaporated cane juice. By law, ingredients must be included in descending order by weight, so the higher up on the list you see one of these additives, the more sugar per bite. And you may find multiple types. These 12 products don't seem overly sweet, but they typically contain some form of added sugar in the ingredients: ketchup, salad dressing, soup, crackers, flavored yogurt, spaghetti sauce, bread, frozen dinners, granola, protein bars and shakes, and sushi.

Buy plain foods and sweeten them yourself

It's becoming easier to find plain versions of many foods these days. I'm not talking about products made with calorie free-sweeteners (which I don't recommend-check out my previous post on 5 Steps to Quitting Artificial Sweeteners), but truly unsweetened goods, including Greek yogurt, oatmeal, and almond milk. Switching from sweetened vanilla almond milk, which contains evaporated cane juice, to unsweetened vanilla, which lists no added sweeteners, saves the equivalent of about three teaspoons of sugar per cup. If you need a little sweetness, add it yourself to control the amount and type you use. For example, some of my clients prefer swirling a teaspoon of organic honey or maple syrup into yogurt or oatmeal at breakfast, both of which provide some nutrients and antioxidants, rather than buying pre-sweetened versions made with more refined sweeteners.

Trade sweetened foods for naturally sweet fruit

One of my favorite tricks to share with my clients is how to replace foods laden with added sugar for fruit which is naturally sweet and just as satisfying. For example, in place of strawberry jam on PB&Js, use warmed up frozen strawberries. Just one level tablespoon of jam packs 50 calories and is typically made with three sweeteners: high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, and sugar. A half cup of frozen strawberries (about eight times the volume), warmed up on the stovetop and seasoned with a little cinnamon or ginger, contains less than 25 calories with no added sugar, and has bonus vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants. Fruit-whether it's fresh, baked, grilled, or pureed-makes a great replacement for sugar in lots of dishes, from cookies to coleslaw. For more on fruit, check out my previous post on Why Fruit Isn't Making You Fat.

Limit sugary treats to once or twice a week

It's not realistic for most people to go through life never having a sweet splurge. But setting some limits on how often you indulge in sugar-rich foods is certainly reasonable. Pick a day or two a week, maybe Wednesdays and Saturdays, to enjoy can't-live-without goodies like candy, baked goods, or ice cream. Just knowing that you have a pre-planned treat to look forward to can help you avoid giving into temptation more often, and can result in seriously slashing your overall sugar intake.

Cynthia Sass is a registered dietitian with master's degrees in both nutrition science and public health. Frequently seen on national TV, she's Health's contributing nutrition editor, and privately counsels clients in New York, Los Angeles, and long distance. Cynthia is currently the sports nutrition consultant to the New York Rangers NHL team and the Tampa Bay Rays MLB team, and is board certified as a specialist in sports dietetics. Her latest New York Times best seller is S.A.S.S! Yourself Slim: Conquer Cravings, Drop Pounds and Lose Inches. 

Stop invading the "MAN SPACE"

Lil Kim is having littleler Kim. Lol! She's Pregnant!

Rapper Lil' Kim is pregnant! "I'm so excited! I'm a few months along, I can't wait to be a mom!" Lil' Kim exclusively tells 

Lil' Kim took to the stage at The Blonds Fashion Week after-party in New York City on Wednesday night, Feb. 12, to announce her pregnancy. "I'm a mom, but I can turn it up a little!" she said as she rubbed her belly. 

Indeed, the 39-year-old rapper doesn't plan on slowing down any time soon. "I'm still going to work,". "I'm still going to be hardcore. The baby has made me even more of a "beast"

Right before performing "Lighters Up" she made sure to pay tribute to the late Notorious B.I.G., telling the crowd, "It's also going to be Biggie's birthday and the anniversary of his death soon so we [as she points to her belly] love you." 

Lil' Kim has chosen to keep the identity of the unborn baby's father private at this time. 

Well a little birdie tells me it's that young boyfriend she's been pushing around.  Oh well guess she has to get two strollers! Lol

Sugar..Too much of anything isn't good for you!!

                 SUGAR!! How bad is for you?.... Really?

Sugar can kill you. That's the headline popping up all over the Internet following the publication of a recent study in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. The study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) looked at the relationship between added sugar consumption and heart disease. And what the researchers found is pretty frightening. The average American diet contains enough added sugar to increase the risk of heart-related death by 18%. What's worse, consuming more than 21% of your calories (that's 420 calories in a 2,000 calorie a day diet) from added sugar more than doubles your risk of death from heart disease. Now, this isn't the first time added sugar has received negative press. Research has shown that too much of the sweet stuff can lead to obesity, type 2 diabetes, coronary artery disease, cognitive decline and even cancer. So, should you rush to your pantry or fridge and throw out everything that has added sugar?

 
The Sugar That Kills Not all sugar is bad for you. Your body needs carbohydrates (starches and naturally occurring sugars like what you find in fruit or milk), which are broken down into glucose to create energy. The culprit behind heart disease and other serious health problems is added sugar -- any sugar that's been added to foods or beverages during processing or preparation. You'll find added sugars in things like soft drinks, energy drinks, sports drinks, fruit drinks, ice cream, candy, cakes, cookies pastries, cereal, bread, flavored yogurt, salad dressing and ketchup. These sugars add calories to your food, but little or no nutrients. By comparison, foods that contain naturally occurring sugars tend to be nutrient-rich, which helps slows down sugar absorption.
Added Sugars in Disguise Many times we eat food with added sugar without even realizing it. That's because it's a sneaky sweetener with many names. The next time you look at a food label keep your eye out for ingredients that end in -ose, such as dextrose, glucose, maltose and sucrose, as well as any types of syrup, such as rice syrup, high fructose corn syrup or malt syrup. Some other added sugars include honey (which may be slightly healthier than refined sugar because of its small amounts of fiber and nutrients) molasses, fruit juice concentrates and evaporated cane juice.


 
How Much Is Too Much? Given all the ways added sugar in processed foods is bad for the body, is any amount safe? Right now, we just don't know. There isn't a magic number for the amount of added sugar that's deemed "healthy." The American Heart Association recommends limiting added sugars to less than 100 calories a day for most women and 150 for most men. To put things in perspective, a single 12-ounce can of sweetened soda contains about 140 calories of sugar -- enough to put a woman into a higher-risk category if she drinks a soda a day. The World Health Organization recommends that added sugars make up less than 10% of your total calories (less than 200 calories in a 2,000 calorie diet).



Whether you decide to completely cut out added sugars is up to you. But if you're concerned you're eating too much, consider some of these tips from the American Heart Association:
1. Buy sugar-free or low-calorie beverages.
2. Buy fresh fruits or fruits canned in water or natural juice.
3. Add fresh fruit to sweeten cereal or oatmeal.
4. When baking, cut the sugar called for in your recipe by one-third to one-half.
5. Substitute unsweetened applesauce for sugar in recipes.

How Breasts Change As You Age

Following is a decade-by-decade guide to your breast health.

Your Breasts in Your 30s

During this decade, hormones like estrogen help to keep breasts firm. Breasts contain no muscles. Rather, they consist of fibrous tissue, fatty tissue, plus dense glandular tissue that includes milk-producing glands called lobules and ducts to carry milk.

Fortunately, in the 30s, breast problems tend to be benign (noncancerous). Younger women commonly experience fibrocystic breast disease, a broad term that is characterized by breast pain, cysts, and noncancerous lumpiness. Fibroadenomas can also affect women in their 30s. These rubbery lumps made of fibrous and glandular tissue aren’t cancerous, but they can hurt. If they’re bothersome, they can be surgically removed.

During this decade, which has become more popular for childbearing, breastfeeding offers mothers some long-term protection against breast cancer. But some women worry that breastfeeding will cause breast sagging. Experts say that nursing doesn’t actually cause breast tissue to droop. Instead, breast swelling during lactation can stretch the skin over the breast.

Things that contribute to sagging include: larger pre-pregnancy bra cup size, greater number of pregnancies, cigarette smoking (which can weaken skin elasticity), and older age. As the years go by, breasts become less glandular and fattier, which makes them less firm.

You can’t do much to slow or prevent sagging. Because the breasts contain no muscles, you can’t really exercise your way to a perkier chest. However, some doctors advise women to wear sports bras during jogging to prevent bouncing that can stretch the ligaments. Breast cancer is uncommon; women aged 30-39 have a risk of only one in 229 of being diagnosed with breast cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Unless there’s a strong family history of breast cancer, women in their 30s don’t need mammogram screening. In fact, younger women’s denser breast tissue makes it harder to detect breast cancers on mammograms.

However, regular manual breast exams by your doctor are crucial to check for lumps, skin dimpling, and other signs of breast cancer, according to experts.

Your Breasts in Your 40s

During the 40s, breast shape continues to change for most women. After menopause, the breast has less glandular tissue but more fat, leading to more sagging.

Following is a decade-by-decade guide to your breast health.

Your Breasts in Your 30s

During this decade, hormones like estrogen help to keep breasts firm. Breasts contain no muscles. Rather, they consist of fibrous tissue, fatty tissue, plus dense glandular tissue that includes milk-producing glands called lobules and ducts to carry milk.

Fortunately, in the 30s, breast problems tend to be benign (noncancerous). Younger women commonly experience fibrocystic breast disease, a broad term that is characterized by breast pain, cysts, and noncancerous lumpiness. Fibroadenomas can also affect women in their 30s. These rubbery lumps made of fibrous and glandular tissue aren’t cancerous, but they can hurt. If they’re bothersome, they can be surgically removed.

During this decade, which has become more popular for childbearing, breastfeeding offers mothers some long-term protection against breast cancer. But some women worry that breastfeeding will cause breast sagging. Experts say that nursing doesn’t actually cause breast tissue to droop. Instead, breast swelling during lactation can stretch the skin over the breast.

Things that contribute to sagging include: larger pre-pregnancy bra cup size, greater number of pregnancies, cigarette smoking (which can weaken skin elasticity), and older age. As the years go by, breasts become less glandular and fattier, which makes them less firm.

You can’t do much to slow or prevent sagging. Because the breasts contain no muscles, you can’t really exercise your way to a perkier chest. However, some doctors advise women to wear sports bras during jogging to prevent bouncing that can stretch the ligaments. Breast cancer is uncommon; women aged 30-39 have a risk of only one in 229 of being diagnosed with breast cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Unless there’s a strong family history of breast cancer, women in their 30s don’t need mammogram screening. In fact, younger women’s denser breast tissue makes it harder to detect breast cancers on mammograms.

However, regular manual breast exams by your doctor are crucial to check for lumps, skin dimpling, and other signs of breast cancer, according to experts.

Your Breasts in Your 40s

During the 40s, breast shape continues to change for most women. After menopause, the breast has less glandular tissue but more fat, leading to more sagging.

Why do MLK Jr sons want to sell his Nobel Peac Prize? SHOCKING!

Statement From Dr. Bernice A. King: "My Brothers Want To Sell My Father’s Nobel Peace Prize Medal And His Bible”

Atlanta, GA (February 4, 2014). On January 20, as we observed my father’s 85th birthday and The King Holiday, my brothers, Dexter Scott King and Martin Luther King, III, notified me that they want to sell to a private buyer our father’s most prized possessions, his Nobel Peace Prize Medal and his personal Bible which was used by President Barak Obama as he was sworn in for his second term in office and subsequently signed by him. I am absolutely opposed to the selling of these extremely sacred items and I expressed my opposition to my brothers. Although these items have been under my care and custody for the past few years, they have remained in a safe and secure location since my father’s assassination, and my mother’s death in 2006. After I refused to immediately transfer these items to another location at their request, consequently on January 31 my brothers through The Estate of Martin L. King, Jr., Inc filed a lawsuit {Civil Action No. 2014cv241929} to force me to turn these items over for the express purpose of selling them. In my opinion, there is no justification for selling either of these sacred items. They are priceless and should never be exchanged for money in the marketplace.

While I love my brothers dearly, this latest decision by them is extremely troubling. Not only am I appalled and utterly ashamed, I am frankly disappointed that they would even entertain the thought of selling these precious items. It reveals a desperation beyond comprehension. As Mark 8:36 teaches, “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?” Our Father MUST be turning in his grave.

As a minister of the Gospel, the thought of selling my daddy’s Bible troubles my mind, vexes my spirit and weighs on my soul. The thought of profiting from the sale of the Peace PrizeMedal, which my father accepted 50 years ago this year on behalf of the greatest demonstration of peace this nation has ever seen, is spiritually violent, unconscionable, historically negligent, and outright morally reprehensible. This is especially true in light of the fact that my father gave away every dime of the Nobel award money to support the civil rights movement.

My brothers’ decision to sue me is drastic and grieves me greatly. I have absolutely no desire to be in court or to fight yet another public battle. There are crippling questions plaguing our world and our father had many answers. Our energy should be focused on the business of advancing his nonviolent teachings in the world. Nonetheless, some actions are sacrilegious and some things are not for sale no matter the circumstances, including my daddy’s Bible and Nobel Peace Prize Medal. Both are tangible evidence of the faith and devotion of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King. Parting with this priceless memorabilia should not be an option.

Though I am unsettled at the prospect of losing these treasures, I am steadfast in my strength to protect them. I continue to pray for my brothers, especially that they will recognize that no amount of money can compensate for the priceless inheritance we received from our parents and our responsibility to advancing their legacies.

Original story by Roland Martin

Big Daddy Kane, the new voice Centrics Docu series "Being"

One of the main reasons for Big Daddy Kane's hip hop success, other than his slick rhymes, of course, is his very distinctive and smooth baritone. It's no wonder, then, that Centric's docu-series Being has tapped the smooth operator as its new voice. The show, which chronicles the lives of some of your favorite iconic musicians and entertainers, has in the past profiled such legends as Teena Marie, Gladys Knight, Ronald Isley and Earth, Wind & Fire. This season continues that dynamic trajectory with profiles lined up for music icons Dionne Warwick and Chaka Khan as well as heartthrob Boris Kodjoe and civil rights pioneer Al Sharpton. The new season kicks off with a profile on self-proclaimed Queen of All Media Wendy Williams, which is sure to give insight on how Ms. "How You Doin'?" went from gossipy radio host to America's next talk show queen. Check out a preview of the season right here, and be sure to tune in when the new season kicks off February 15th at 9P/8C.