If you’re like most people in the Western world, you’re likely eating more sugar than is healthy—but never fear, cutting out sugar doesn’t have to be a big sacrifice. Here are three relatively painless ways to slash your sugar intake.
Read the labels
Sugar is snuck into more foods than you think. Some brands even throw it into items like chicken stock, soup, salami, smoked salmon, tortillas, and crackers. It may take more time than usual, but all it takes is one shopping session spent reading the labels and noting down which brands don’t sneak sugar into the ingredient list. Then you can easily make these no-sugar foods your go-to items on your shopping list.
Don’t let breakfast become a morning dessert
Instead of reaching for processed grains which are often chock-full of sugar, go for low-sugar grains like original Cheerios or oatmeal.
Alternatively, you can skip the grains altogether and opt for breakfasts that feature eggs, yogurts, fruits, and vegetables in the morning.
Another way to limit your sugar intake in the morning is to not guzzle sugary juices. Try to keep your juice portions to six ounces or less, and cap it at one per day.
Snack carefully
Snacks are another sneaky source of sugar that may feel like tiny nibbles but add up to a hefty sum at the end of the day. Canned fruit, granola bars, and energy bars might sound healthy, but often are hiding excess sugars in their ingredient list. Instead, munch on nuts, popcorn, fresh fruit, and veggies, or snack bars without any added sweeteners.
