It’s that time of year when sweets and things along that nature become the norm with Halloween right around the corner. What better time than to start a 21 day no processed sugar challenge. I know you’re probably thinking “No candy on Halloween?” Exactly!

Sugar is an highly addictive drug that controls our everyday lifestyle habits. We’re not talking about some dangerous or illegal drug here; we’re talking about sugar. Although it’s considered harmless in comparison, sugar, in excess, can cause a host of problems for a lot of us: cravings, binge eating, weight gain and heart disease among them. Surprisingly, some “healthy foods” such as yogurt and instant flavored oatmeal can pack in 20-30 grams (5-7 teaspoons) of unnecessary added sugar!

The first step in conquering your sugar habit is to rid your pantry and refrigerator of added sugar. Some things (think ice cream, cookies and candy) are obvious, but most of us need to look closer at where the sugar in our diets is coming from. This will require a bit of label reading in the beginning, but after a while, it will become easier.

In order to cut back on hidden or added, scan the ingredients list of a food label. If you see any of the following terms listed, then sugar has been added to the product in one form or another and it is best left on the shelf at the store—especially if that sugar shows up within the first five ingredients of any food product.

Agave nectar Agave syrup Barley malt Beet sugar Brown rice syrup Brown sugar Buttered syrup Cane sugar Cane juice Cane juice crystals Carob syrup Confectioner’s sugar Corn syrup High fructose corn syrup Corn sugar Corn sweetener

Corn syrup solids Crystalized fructose Date sugar Dextran Dextrose Diatase Diastatic malt Evaporated cane juice Fructose Fruit juice Fruit juice concentrate Glucose Glucose solids Golden sugar Golden syrup Grape sugar

Grape juice concentrate Honey Invert sugar Lactose Malt Maltodextrain Maltose Maple syrup Molasses Raw sugar Refiner’s syrup Sorghum syrup Sucanat Sucrose Sugar Turbinado sugar Yellow sugar

Join me in this challenge! I’m starting tomorrow you can pick a day over the weekend to start or for those of you who want to wait til Monday. LETS DO THIS!!! Taking a step towards a healthier life is knowing where your food is coming. Sugar drains so much of your energy!

The sugar you consume must come in it’s natural state. No candy, soda, cookies, cake or alcohol. Keep me posted on your results.