5 TIPS TO REDUCE SUGAR INTAKE

To reduce sugar in your diet, an obvious place to start is by limiting your consumption of regular soda, as well as the addition of the spoonful of sugar into your morning cereal. But what if you're already making strides in reducing the obvious high-sugar items? Chances are you're still consuming more added sugar than you realize from some everyday foods.  First, let’s make sure you know what is considered an added sugar.

Added sugar is any sugar that is added to a food or drink. So although foods like fruit have natural sugars, they are not considered to have added sugars. Cookies, on the other hand, contain added sugars because it's added to the recipe. While sugar is naturally found in foods like fruits and vegetables, this type has little effect on your blood sugar and is considered very healthy. Fruits and vegetables also contain lots of healthy vitamins and minerals.

The danger is from added sugars in processed foods.

It is entirely possible to limit your added sugars and still enjoy the foods you love to eat. With a little know-how, you can navigate the grocery store with confidence and choose foods that can help you cut added sugars and still taste amazing.

Here are 5 tips to help you keep your added sugar intake to under the 10 grams limit per day:

Snack on fruit:
Surprisingly, snacks like granola bars, protein bars and dried fruit can contain as much, if not more, sugar than their unhealthy rivals, such as chocolate bars. Fresh and frozen fruits simply lean on their own natural sweetness and don’t contain any added sugars. Dried fruit is full of fiber, nutrients and antioxidants. However, it is also full of natural sugar, so it should be eaten in moderation.

Some dried fruit also contains high quantities of added sugar. To avoid this, look for ingredients labels that say “100% fruit.”

Fresh fruit: Contains natural sugar to satisfy those sugar cravings

Hot oatmeal: Add some chopped fruit if you like it sweet

Greek yogurt: Add fruit and nuts for extra good calories

Drink water or low-calorie/reduced-sugar beverages:
”Can” the soda, sweetened teas, and caffeinated beverages. Not only is it a good sugar category to cut, but you’ll also benefit in particular ways by removing sugary liquids. When you drink your sugar, versus eating it, it usually breaks down a lot quicker, causing sky-high blood glucose levels and then quick crashes soon after. These glucose spikes send your energy levels way up and down, and you may experience cravings for even more sugar. Kicking this source of added sugar can have whole-body perks.

Instead of sugary beverages, try increasing your water consumption. Add a fresh slice of fruit to your H2O, or opt for an unsweetened sparkling beverage if you’re craving something with carbonation.

Eat more protein and fat:
A high sugar intake is linked to increased appetite and weight gain. Conversely, a diet low in added sugar but high in protein and fat has the opposite effect, reducing hunger and food intake. 

Added sugar in the diet increases appetite. The signals that usually let your brain know that you are full do not work properly, which can lead to overeating and weight gain. On the other hand, protein has been proven to reduce appetite and hunger. If you feel full, then you are less likely to crave the quick hunger fix that sugar provides.

To curb sugar cravings, stock up on protein and fat-rich whole foods, such as meat, fish, eggs, full-fat dairy products, avocados and nuts.

Beware of condiments:
Be mindful of condiments such as ketchup and barbecue sauce, which can be high in sugar, and opt for lower sugar options such as salsa, mustard, pesto, vinegars, or hot sauce. Many foods that are traditionally high in fat are now being offered in a fat-free or low-fat version. When fat is removed from food, the taste of the product will change. Fat tastes good, so if it's removed the taste will change.

To make up for the lack of fat in these products, many companies will add sugar to compensate. So, fat-free salad dressings, peanut butters, and other similar products are often higher in added sugars when compared with their traditional counterpart. 

Don’t use fat-free or reduced-fat products in unlimited quantities. Read food labels and be aware of which ingredients are included. 

Read food labels:
It’s tough to know where sugar hides if you aren’t on the up with all the names sugar hides under. Added sugar is in nearly three-quarters of packaged foods and goes by 61 names, agave, honey, beet sugar, coconut sugar, fruit juice, syrup (of any kind), sweet sorghum, and ingredients with words ending in “-ose.” The latter includes high fructose corn syrup, sucrose, and dextrose.

Good news, though: New labeling laws require companies to list the amount of added sugar in food (previously, natural and added sugars were all lumped together in the “sugar” category).

Excess sugar in the diet can be incredibly harmful and has been linked to many chronic diseases, including cancer, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and obesity. 

It is important to avoid obvious sources of sugar in your diet, such as desserts and sodas, but also to be aware of the hidden sugar in some common processed foods, including sauces, low-fat foods and so-called “healthy” snacks.

Choose a diet based on whole foods, rather than highly processed alternatives, to be fully in control of your sugar intake and not consume excess amount of it.