Ways To Reduce Your Sugar Intake

Ways to Reduce Your Sugar Intake

Jan 11, 2011 | By CharlesM

Although friendly to the palate, too much sugar can be detrimental to your health. Adding sugar to foods does not increase your nutrient intake, but will always increase your daily calorie intake. Americans consume more than 22 teaspoons of added sugar each day, which accounts for 355 calories, according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Consuming too much sugar may lead to obesity, hypertension and heart disease. Taking steps to reduce sugar intake will improve your health and prevent disease.

Step 1

Track your sugar intake. Using a food journal, write down the foods you eat throughout the day. Record the time you eat them, and calculate the calorie and sugar content in each item. You may find that you eat sugary foods when preparing meals or when you are on the sofa watching television.

Step 2

Eliminate sugar habits by preparing sugar-free snacks, such as vegetables with hummus dip or a handful or nuts that you can have on hand when you need a nibble.

Step 3

Cut out sugary carbonated beverages from your diet. One 12 oz. can of soda may have as much as 39 g of sugar and 140 calories. Try replacing these sugary drinks with lemon-flavored water or mineral water.

Step 4

Replace table sugar, honey, powdered sugar and syrupy condiments with flavored extracts, spices and naturally sweet fruit spreads.

Step 5

Buy the sugar-free or low-sugar versions of your favorite packaged foods. Some food manufacturers produce them as alternatives to their higher-sugar classics. Start small with condiments, such as peanut butter, salad dressing, ketchup and mayonnaise, which are often hidden sources of sugar. Continue to eliminate packaged foods often flavored with high fructose corn syrup, such as canned fruits, jellies and breakfast cereals.

Step 6

Switch white flour breads with whole grain and sprouted grain breads. Breads made with whole grains are lower in sugar and provide more fiber in your diet.