How To Eliminate Sugar From Your Diet

Sugar is a naturally occurring substance that is an integral part of all fruits and vegetables. Sugarcane and sugar beets are the source of commercially produced sugar that has become criticized for its overuse, leading to record levels of obesity. While it is nearly impossible to eliminate all sugar from your diet, you can follow steps to decrease the amount of processed sugar you consume.

Step 1

Limit the amount of sugary drinks you consume each day and replace them with water and sugar-free substitutes. The University of Minnesota Extension Center reports that a 20-oz. soft drink can be loaded with as much as 20 teaspoons of sugar. Sugar has about 16 calories per teaspoon, so drinking four bottles of soda a day adds more than 1,200 calories to your daily intake.

Step 2

Read labels to be informed of the exact amount of sugar in your food. In addition to the obvious ingredients that are called sugar, you've got to count fructose, corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup and fruit juice concentrates, most of which are just alternative names for sugar.

Step 3

Choose snacks that are high in protein and free of added sugar. Grab a piece of cheese or plain yogurt. Nuts, whole grain crackers and raw vegetables make good snack choices that are high in carbohydrates and vitamins and do not typically come packed with added sugar.

Step 4

Look for products that are made with sugar substitutes such as saccharin, aspartame or sucralose to satisfy a sweet tooth or desire for a treat. Substitute stevia for sugar in recipes from cakes and candy to tea and coffee. Stevia is a naturally sweet herb that has been approved for use in the United States as a sweetener.

Tips and Warnings

People with diabetes may eat small amounts of sugar when eaten with other foods. In the past, it was thought that sugar caused diabetes, but researchers at the American Diabetes Association say that it is now understood that the number of carbohydrates eaten at once has more of an affect on blood sugar levels. Since sugar is a carb, it should be eaten in moderate amounts as part of a healthy diabetic eating plan.
Carefully read labels when using sugar substitutes in recipes. Make sure you know how much of one ingredient equals the sweetness in sugar. For example, stevia is a hundred times stronger than sugar.