While it is entirely understandable that you might enjoy a sugary snack from time to time, it’s worth noting that sugar isn’t entirely good for you.
The NHS highlights that the type of sugars people in the UK commonly overconsume are known as “free sugars”.
These include sugars added to food and drinks, such as biscuits, milk chocolate, cereal, and fizzy drinks. Even those which naturally occur in honey, syrup, or unsweetened fruit and vegetable juice are considered free sugars.
The government recommends that free sugars make up no more than 5% of your daily energy intake, equating to a maximum of 30 grams of free sugars a day for adults – around seven sugar cubes.
Consuming excessive sugar is associated with several health issues, including:
- Weight gain
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- Tooth decay
Despite these risks, a worrying survey reported by Dentistry revealed that while 79% of people in the UK consume up to three sugary snacks each day, only 13% of respondents are actively trying to reduce their sugar intake.
If you’re searching for some practical ways to cut down on sugar, continue reading to discover five strategies to help you make healthier choices.
1. Cut back on sugary drinks
Even though a can of your favourite fizzy drink might be both refreshing and energising, it’s vital to remember that these beverages often contain high levels of sugar while offering little to no nutritional value.
As such, cutting back on how many fizzy drinks you consume each day can significantly reduce your sugar intake. If giving them up entirely seems impossible, you may want to switch to diet or zero-sugar alternatives instead.
It’s also important to be cautious with drinks that appear to be healthy, such as fruit juices and smoothies, as these can contain high levels of added sugars.
Unlike calories from solid foods, your body processes calories from liquids faster, which can lead to blood sugar spikes without the feeling of fullness that food provides.
For healthier options, you may want to try:
- Water
- Unsweetened sparkling water
- Herbal teas
- Black tea
- Coffee
Though, if you prefer your hot drinks with a spoon or two of sugar, this will counteract your efforts, so you may want to add alternatives such as cinnamon or unsweetened plant-based milk instead.
2. Consider alternative desserts
For many, dessert is the highlight of mealtime, with some even claiming they have a “second stomach” for sweets.
Popular desserts such as cakes, pies, and ice cream are often loaded with sugar, leading to blood sugar spikes that leave you feeling tired, hungry, and craving even more sugar.
Instead, you might want to explore other healthier dessert options that still satisfy your sweet tooth without containing too much sugar. These might include:
- Fresh fruit
- Greek yogurt
- Dark chocolate with 70% cocoa or higher.
These reduce your sugar intake and provide additional benefits, such as more fibre, minerals, and antioxidants.
3. Eat more full-fat foods
While it might initially sound counterintuitive, low-fat varieties of your favourite foods can actually contain more sugars than their full-fat counterparts.
In fact, BBC Good Food reveals that manufacturers often increase the amount of sugar in low-fat products to enhance their flavour and texture, often resulting in a higher carbohydrate content and comparable calorie counts.
As such, it may be prudent to choose full-fat versions if you’re aiming to cut down on your sugar intake.
To ensure you’re making the right decisions, it’s always worth taking a moment to study the ingredient lists and nutritional information on packaging.
4. Consume more “whole foods”
“Whole foods” essentially refers to products that haven’t been processed or refined and are free from additives or artificial substances.
These could include:
- Whole fruits
- Vegetables
- Whole grains
- Meat on the bone
On the other hand, ultra-processed foods – such as sugary cereals, crisps, and fast food – are often high in salt, sugar, fats, and additives designed to taste appealing, making it far more challenging to moderate your intake.
Cooking your meals from scratch is perhaps one of the better ways to reduce your sugar intake and eliminate processed foods.
Even simple meals such as marinaded meats or roasted vegetables can be both healthy and delicious.
Moreover, you could batch cook to prepare these meals in advance, potentially providing healthier alternatives to processed lunches.
5. Incorporate more protein in your diet
Protein is often referred to as “the building block of life”, and for good reason. Your body breaks it down into amino acids, which create and repair tissues, muscles, and bones.
Another, perhaps lesser-known, benefit of protein is that it can actually help you cut down on sugar by reducing hunger and promoting fullness.
After a protein-rich meal, you may find you’re less likely to crave sugary snacks to satiate your appetite.
So, incorporating more protein-rich foods into your diet – such as meat, fish, eggs, and full-fat dairy products – can be a practical way to stabilise your energy levels and manage your appetite.
While you might initially consider highly protein-rich foods to be unsuitable for vegetarians or vegans, this isn’t entirely true.
Even though several plant-based protein sources – namely brown rice, beans, lentils, and nuts – are considered “incomplete proteins” due to lacking one or more essential amino acids, you can combine them to form complete proteins.
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Please note
This article is for general information only and does not constitute advice. The information is aimed at retail clients only.
