Eating too much sugar is associated with a number of problems, including obesity, depression and an increased risk of diabetes and cancer. Cutting down your sugar intake will improve your energy levels and improve your overall health and mood. Unfortunately, sugar is found in many products you eat every day, so cutting it from your diet is not as simple as eliminating sweets.
Simple Carbs
The most obvious sources of sugars are simple carbohydrates. If you're trying to cut sugar from your diet, start by eliminating everything or most things from this group and replacing them with healthier options, such as whole grains. Any grains that are white or sugary have been highly processed and should be the first ones to go. This includes white rice and white bread, white pasta, candy, chocolate and sweets, fruit juice and sodas.
Hidden Sugars
When cutting down on sugars, don't stop at the obvious sources. Sugar is added to a number of products, so it's important that you read labels before you buy anything canned, bottled or prepackaged. Examples of foods that contain sugar include canned tomato sauce, canned vegetables, cereals, soup mixes, dried fruit, peanut butter, crackers, salad dressings and ketchup. Besides the word "sugar," look also for the words lactose, fructose, dextrose, maltose, molasses and high-fructose corn syrup, all of which are names for sugar.
Dealing with Withdrawals
If you reduce your sugar intake suddenly and drastically, you might experience some withdrawal symptoms. According to a Princeton University article, sugar addiction is a real problem and can cause the same brain reaction as other addictions do. Sugar withdrawal symptoms are likely to disappear after a few days, however, so try and stick to your plan even if it seems difficult. Withdrawal symptoms might include headaches, dizziness, low energy levels and moodiness.
Strategy
How you cut down sugar from your diet depends on how much you're eating. If sugar plays an important role in your diet, cutting it cold-turkey might be too difficult. Instead, try reducing the amount you eat slowly. Use one and a half teaspoons of sugar in your coffee instead of two. Or start mixing sweetened and unsweetened products half and half, such as mixing diet soda with regular soda until you get used to the flavor of the diet version.
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