Questões de Vestibular de Inglês - Interpretação de texto | Reading comprehension

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How to Stop Eating Sugar

By David Leonhardt

If you’re like most Americans, you eat more sugar than is good for you. But it’s entirely possible to eat less sugar without sacrificing much — if any — of the pleasures of eating. Surprising as it may sound, many people who have cut back on sugar say they find their new eating habits more pleasurable than their old ones. This guide will walk you through why sugar matters, how you can make smart food choices to reduce sugar consumption, and how you can keep your life sweet, even without so many sweets.

Here's why you eat more sugar than you realize, and why it's a problem. The first thing to know: Added sugars, of one kind or another, are almost everywhere in the modern diet. They’re in sandwich bread, chicken stock, pickles, salad dressing, crackers, yogurt and cereal, as well as in the obvious foods and drinks, like soda and desserts.

The biggest problem with added sweeteners is that they make it easy to overeat. They’re tasty and highly caloric but they often don’t make you feel full. Instead, they can trick you into wanting even more food. Because we’re surrounded by added sweeteners — in our kitchens, in restaurants, at schools and offices — most of us will eat too much of them unless we consciously set out to do otherwise.

It’s not an accident. The sugar industry has conducted an aggressive, decades-long campaign to blame the obesity epidemic on fats, not sugars. Fats, after all, seem as if they should cause obesity. Thanks partly to that campaign, sugar consumption soared in the United States even as people were trying to lose weight. But research increasingly indicates that an overabundance of simple carbohydrates, and sugar in particular, is the No. 1 problem in modern diets. Sugar is the driving force behind the diabetes and obesity epidemics. Fortunately, more people are realizing the harms of sugar and cutting back.

[...]

Changing your diet is hard. If your strategy involves thinking about sugar all the time — whenever you’re shopping or eating — you’ll likely fail. You’ll also be miserable in the process. It’s much more effective to come up with a few simple rules and habits that then become second nature. (One strategy to consider: Eliminate all added sugars for one month, and then add back only the ones you miss. It’s easier than it sounds.)

Above all, most people’s goal should be to find a few simple, lasting ways to cut back on sugar. Once you’re done reading this guide, we suggest you choose two or three of our ideas and try them for a few weeks.

https://www.nytimes.com/guides/smarterliving/how-to-stop-eating-sugar (text adapted)

This text refers to question

How to Stop Eating Sugar

By David Leonhardt

If you’re like most Americans, you eat more sugar than is good for you. But it’s entirely possible to eat less sugar without sacrificing much — if any — of the pleasures of eating. Surprising as it may sound, many people who have cut back on sugar say they find their new eating habits more pleasurable than their old ones. This guide will walk you through why sugar matters, how you can make smart food choices to reduce sugar consumption, and how you can keep your life sweet, even without so many sweets.

Here's why you eat more sugar than you realize, and why it's a problem. The first thing to know: Added sugars, of one kind or another, are almost everywhere in the modern diet. They’re in sandwich bread, chicken stock, pickles, salad dressing, crackers, yogurt and cereal, as well as in the obvious foods and drinks, like soda and desserts.

The biggest problem with added sweeteners is that they make it easy to overeat. They’re tasty and highly caloric but they often don’t make you feel full. Instead, they can trick you into wanting even more food. Because we’re surrounded by added sweeteners — in our kitchens, in restaurants, at schools and offices — most of us will eat too much of them unless we consciously set out to do otherwise.

It’s not an accident. The sugar industry has conducted an aggressive, decades-long campaign to blame the obesity epidemic on fats, not sugars. Fats, after all, seem as if they should cause obesity. Thanks partly to that campaign, sugar consumption soared in the United States even as people were trying to lose weight. But research increasingly indicates that an overabundance of simple carbohydrates, and sugar in particular, is the No. 1 problem in modern diets. Sugar is the driving force behind the diabetes and obesity epidemics. Fortunately, more people are realizing the harms of sugar and cutting back.

[...]

Changing your diet is hard. If your strategy involves thinking about sugar all the time — whenever you’re shopping or eating — you’ll likely fail. You’ll also be miserable in the process. It’s much more effective to come up with a few simple rules and habits that then become second nature. (One strategy to consider: Eliminate all added sugars for one month, and then add back only the ones you miss. It’s easier than it sounds.)

Above all, most people’s goal should be to find a few simple, lasting ways to cut back on sugar. Once you’re done reading this guide, we suggest you choose two or three of our ideas and try them for a few weeks.

https://www.nytimes.com/guides/smarterliving/how-to-stop-eating-sugar (text adapted)

This text refers to question

Science confirms: Dark chocolate and red wine helps keep you looking young

NEWSNER

Chocolate and wine, and not always together, are among life’s simple pleasures, but most of us think we should only indulge in these pleasures in moderation.

Granted chocolate and wine contain a high number of calories and I don’t need to explain what happens to our bodies and minds if we drink too much wine. But now scientists may have found a reason to indulge in these delicious things more often than we think.

A recent study found a powerful antioxidant present in dark chocolate and red wine; the effect of this antioxidant on our bodies could be a reason to celebrate. Scientists say the presence of resveratrol in these food items has a positive effect on the brain, heart, and lifespan. The most naturally abundant sources of resveratrol are plants, including the skin of red grapes, red wine, raw cocoa, and dark berries, like lingonberries and blueberries.

A team led by Professor Lorna Harries at the University of Exeter discovered that by treating worn-out human cells with a formulation of resveratrol the older cells started to divide. These older cells then developed longer telomeres – the protective tips on the ends of chromosomes which shorten as we age, according to Longevity Facts. It seemed a miracle that these old cells looked young again. The experiment was repeated several times and each time the result was rejuvenated cells.

According to scientists red wine, dark chocolate and some berries also help to reduce inflammation and strengthen the heart. This powerful antioxidant was also found to help ward off certain age-related diseases.

Certain metabolic diseases, including type 2 diabetes and heart disease, tend to occur as we age. In animal studies, severely restricting calories can help prevent some of these diseases.

Researchers found that resveratrol can mimic calorie restriction in some ways and found it to extend the lifespans of yeast, worms, flies and fish. To help avoid the excessive consumption of red wine, this antioxidant can also be found in dark chocolate, grapes, raspberries, plums, blueberries, cranberries, grape tomatoes, and pomegranate. These findings are fascinating and are a step to prolonging people’s life without affecting overall health.

Please share with all your friends and family so they know dark chocolate can finally be consumed guilt free!

https://en.stories.newsner.com/health/science-confirms-dark-chocolate-and-red-wine-helps-keep-you-looking-young/ Accessed on May, 7th. Slightly modified