Want to reduce your sugar intake? Take cue from Hareem Farooq

Here's how it helped her sleeping routine

Hareem Farooq is a dessert lover like the most of us. It's sugar! If taken more than advised, she knows exactly how harmful it is.

In order to curb the craving she often gets, the Heer Maan Ja star recently decided to cut processed sugar in any form. Farooq shared that she satisfied her cravings by taking it from natural sources such as dates and fruits.

PHOTO: PUBLICITY

"Unfortunately, on the 18th day, my temptation got the best of me. I could not control myself and I had a bread pudding," she said. "But I realised, in the days where I limited my sugar intake, I noticed how my skin got better and one weird thing, my sleep was a lot better."

Farooq further added how the effect of sugar on sleeping patterns  varies from person to person. According to a study, digging into those cookies or that bowl of ice cream means that you’re pumping lots of added sugar into your body — something that can negatively impact the quality of your sleep.

MULTIDIMENSIONAL: Portraying Farooq in a fierce avatar while Rehman and Mukhtar drool and dance with her, Parchi looks like an out-and-out entertainer. PHOTO: FILE

In fact, the more the sugar you eat, the more often you’re going to wake up in the middle of the night. Even if you don’t fully wake up, the sugar in your system can pull you out of a deep sleep, making you feel exhausted the next day.

On top of that, consuming too much sugar during the day can lead to an energy crash. Eating lots of sugar reduces the activity of what are called orexin cells. As a result, you’re going to feel pretty sleepy. Ever wonder why you want to take an afternoon nap after chowing down on something indulgent? That’s why.

The government is charging sales tax on a price of Rs60 per kg from the mills whereas the ex-factory sugar price is Rs47 per kg. PHOTO: REUTERS

To avoid these energy dips, you want to do everything that you can to keep your blood sugar level steady. Do that and the energy level is even throughout the day, helping one to stick to a normal sleep schedule.

One of the biggest ingredients that can knock your blood sugar levels off balance is refined sugar. Obviously it's in sodas and desserts, but it's also in many juices, breakfast cereals, canned fruits, and even spaghetti sauce and barbecue sauce. You'll also find refined sugar in simple carbs (think: white bread, white rice, and regular pasta).

Cut back on those foods (and replace them with complex carbs, like whole grains) and you won’t just improve the nutritional value of your food, but also how well you sleep at night.

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