Everybody gets sugar cravings. However, snacking on unhealthy sugars while sitting at your desk at the office can have a negative effect on your health because you are not actively burning it off. There are various ways you can relieve your sweet tooth that will not have a negative effect or impact on your health and wellbeing and will support productivity at the office.
The healthy sweet option:
Honey
Honey contains fewer kilojoules per teaspoon than sugar. Honey can substitute the sugar in your tea or coffee at work. If you are not particularly fond of honey – go for one for the lighter coloured variety of honeys, as these have a mild flavour. The darker varieties of honey are rich in flavour. Honey can aid endurance and performance – a teaspoon of honey will have a longer lasting affect than having an unhealthy sweet.
Other benefits of choosing honey instead of sugar:
Controls blood sugar levels (studies reveal honey is perfect for glucose intolerance or insulin resistance)
Honey boosts antioxidant levels, lowers cholesterol (lowers ‘bad’ cholesterol levels and reduces levels of C-reactive protein – a measure of inflammation)
Honey aids GI health (honey encourages the growth of immune, outing bacteria in the gut, promoting a healthy intestinal tract)
Tips:
If you are looking to give your immune system a positive kick during seasonal changes, in winter or when you are feeling slightly run-down – use Manuka honey. This honey has more antibacterial properties than other honey varieties. It has antioxidant proereties and can assist your health in a number of ways. Manuka honey can relieve a sore throat, help internal stomach ulcer type conditions and many more health conditions.
Honey can be added to:
Hot drinks, cold drinks, smoothies, baked products, healthy muffins that you bring to the office, used for/on grilled vegetables and as salad dressings.
A small jar of honey can also be stored in your office, it won’t go off and you can have a teaspoon of honey directly from the source if you need a instant sweet hit fast and it will give you energy for a longer period of time, than eating a bar of chocolate, which ultimately creates more excess weight.