5 Ways to Avoid Sugar - Method1 Reading Food Labels

In recent years, the amount of refined sugar in the average diet has been of increasing concern and many of us feel a desire to cut back. Sugar is associated with a variety of health problems, from cavities and fatigue to diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. While the American Heart Association recommends we only consume 9.5 teaspoons of sugar a day, the average American consumes roughly 22. There's a reason it's hard to cut back - brain scans indicate sugar is a physically addicting substance! If you're concerned about your sugar intake and want to cut back, these methods can help.

1 Learn to detect sugar in foods. The first step to cutting back on sugar is figuring out its sources. Many foods are packed with added sugar or sugar-based products, so learning to read nutrition labels at the supermarket is a great way to begin a significant lifestyle change. Food companies are starting to hide sugar in foods by changing the names of sugar-based ingredients so they aren't easily identified by consumers.

·         Get a sense of what your daily allowance of sugar should be. There are two types of sugar - naturally occurring sugars and added sugars. The World Health Organization recommends that only 5% of daily caloric intake should come from added sugars, which is five to six teaspoons (25g) for women and seven to eight teaspoons for men (35g). Try to keep your personal sugar intake within these ranges.

·         Sugar is often added to foods you wouldn't expect. Crackers, condiments, tomato sauces, and salad dressings all frequently contain added sugar, so always check a products ingredients list before you buy it. Ingredients are listed in order of how much exist in a product, so if sugar is on the top of a list be wary. Also, make sure the check out the "carbs as sugars" panel found on the nutritional label. Aim for foods on the lower side of this spectrum. For reference, 5g per 100g is low and 15g per 100g is high.

·         Check the serving size. Nutritional labels can be deceitful as items often contain multiple servings. Serving sizes give an estimate of how many servings there are in a given package, and items that contain multiple servings might look healthier than they actually are when you consider how much you'll realistically consume. If a candy bar allegedly contains only 8g of sugar, for example, you might find the serving size is only half the bar. If you know you'll end up eating the whole can of soup or the whole bag of chips, it might be best to pass over this item.

Foods that are considered 'low sugar' may only be low in sugar in the single serving portion. However, we tend to overeat and reach for larger portions, resulting in high sugar intake.

2 Know the different names for sugar. Sugar comes in a variety of forms, and while a product might be labeled low-sugar this doesn't mean it's a healthy option. Be wary of hidden sugars found in many common products.

·         Ingredients like high fructose corn syrup, dried cane sugar, invert sugar, molasses, sucrose, brown rice syrup, honey, and maple syrup contain sugar. Scan any given item for such ingredients, and be especially wary of anything ending in "ose." Oftentimes, nutrition labels will contain two or three sugar aliases in the ingredients list of a product that appears low sugar.

·         Be especially wary of low-fat or fat-free foods. These are often loaded with extra sugars to improve their taste and add bulk. Such items should generally be avoided if you're trying to reduce sugar intake. The general rule is when something removed, something else added back in. So, when fat is removed from a product, sugar is often added to make up flavor.

3 Apply your knowledge to your own home. Sugar is easier to avoid if there is less temptation. There are likely a lot of foods in your cabinet that are sugar-heavy right now, and detecting and removing sugar-filled items can help you cut back.

·         While candy and soda are the most obvious culprits, you'd be surprised at how many allegedly healthy products contain sugar. Yogurt, especially flavored yogurt, dried fruits, jams and jellies, cereals, and applesauce are often 60-80% sugar and can contain as much as 33g per serving.

·         Beware of many brands of Greek yogurts. These are a very popular food item these days and many have very high amounts of sugar. For instance, in the honey flavored Greek yogurt from a very famous brand, there are more grams of sugar than in a regular sized Snickers bar. It is best to buy plain Greek yogurt and add naturally sweet things to it, such as berries.

·         Stock up on fruit. Fruit contains only natural sugar, and can help satisfy your sweet tooth without sacrificing your goals. Berries, such as blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries, are an especially good choice as they're easy to snack on, very low calorie, and high in antioxidants, which help our bodies fight illness.