Reducing Added-Sugar Intake

Bryant Billue, BS Exercise Science

Added sugar in processed food offers no nutritional benefit and can contribute to weight gain, heart diseases and other health issues. The average American consumes 82 grams of added sugar each day, The American Heart Association recommends limiting the amount of added sugars you consume to no more than 24 grams of sugar for women and 36 grams for men. Listed below are some easy tips to help you reduce the added sugar in your diet!

1. Eat More Protein and Fat

A diet that is high in protein and healthy fats reduces sugar cravings, hunger and overeating. To curb sugar cravings, stock up on protein and fat-rich whole foods, such as meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, avocados and nuts.

2. Cooking at Home

By preparing your meals at home you can be aware of what ingredients are in you or your family’s meals. To cut back on added sugar when cooking at home substitute or reduce the amount of sugar in recipes to keep meals wholesome and low in added sugar.

3. Checking labels

A large percentage of packaged food in the U.S. contains added sugar, check the labels of all the packaged food you buy and choose products that are lower in sugar. Be aware that manufacturers often try to hide added sugars on the label with terms such as corn sweetener, high-fructose corn syrup, fructose, dextrose, lactose, maltose or syrup.