Six ways to cut back on sugar

Americans are overloaded with added sugars which can be found in regular soft drinks, fruit drinks, cakes, cookies, pies and candy. The first step to making wise food purchases is to understand the terminology used on food labels. A food labeled as “sugar free” must contain less than 0.5grams of sugar per serving. For those with diabetes, remember that “sugar free” doesn’t mean “carbohydrate free.” Below are some tips to cut back on the sweet stuff:

Six ways to cut back on sugar:

Drink fewer sweetened soft drinks.

Soft drinks are the number-one source of added sugars in Americans’ diets. First, think about why you are drinking soft drinks. Do you like the fizz? Or the sweet taste? If you just like the carbonation, try club soda mixed with fresh lemon or lime. If you like the sweetness, try mixing 100% fruit juice with diluted water or club soda.

Buy only 100% fruit juice that is not sweetened

Some beverages claim to be fruit juice when it’s really just a sugary fruit drink. Read the label to make sure it says 100% fruit. Limit juice to ½ cup per day.

Look for natural sugar instead of added sugars

Choosing yogurt without a lot of sugar can be frustrating but keep in mind that the sugar in milk, yogurt and ice cream contain lactase, a naturally occurring sugar in milk. Of course, extra sugar can be added so be sure to read the label. Fresh fruit is also contains a natural sugar, fructose.

Satisfy your sweet tooth naturally with fresh fruit.

Fruit is better than juice because it also contains fiber, vitamins and nutrients. Fruit juice loses all the fiber and vitamins during processing. Fiber takes longer to digest so it keeps you fuller longer and blood sugar levels will be more stable. Think colors of the rainbow when choosing fruits since each color provides different nutrients and antioxidants. Look for local fruits that are in season and freeze them to enjoy year round. 

Choose unsweetened, whole-grain cereals and cereal bars.

Ignore those catchy claims on the front of the box. Go straight to the nutrition facts label. Remember the "Rule of Fives": Choose cereals with at least 5 grams of fiber per serving, and less than 5 grams of sugar.
 

Experiment with sugar substitutes

 Are sugar substitutes safe? Many of us worry about artificial sweeteners. However, they have been more thoroughly researched than some drugs or food additives currently on the market. Studies have concluded that aspartame is not associated with adverse effects in the general population.

Artificial sweeteners include Acesulfame potassium (Sunett, Sweet One), Aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal), Saccharin (Sweet N’ Low, Sweet Twin, Sugar Twin), Stevia (PureVia, Truvia), and Sucralose (Splenda). They are heat stable and suitable for baking/cooking except for Aspartame. It is unknown whether Stevia is suitable for baking and cooking.  

How do I stop sweet Cravings?

You can learn to “retrain” your tastebuds so you will eventually lose the taste for sweets and soon you won’t miss them.  You don’t even have to give them up completely, it’s a matter of how much and when. Do you crave sweets during certain times? After dinner? When you are stressed? Bored?

Research shows that cravings only last about 10-12 minutes. So try to ride it out like a wave and it should pass. Find an activity for those 10 minutes such as go for a quick walk or some other form of exercise, read a book or think about why are you having these cravings.

If you need something to get you through those critical ten minutes, try a spoonful of applesauce, bite of dark chocolate. For better blood sugar control, sweets are best eaten immediately after a meal, since the stomach is full and digesting. It won’t cause the rapid rise in blood sugar as it would if eating the sweets on an empty stomach. 

Luckily, cutting back on sugar doesn’t have to mean cutting back on flavor. With a little knowledge and creativity, you can still have those sweets without feeling deprived.