3 Ways to Slash Sugar From Your Diet

Tuesday - September 20th, 2016

The beginning of the year is when many of us start thinking about making choices for our health.

If one of your New Year’s resolutions involves cutting back on sugary foods, we have three tips for you.

Identify high-risk foods. Know which foods have high sugar content. Sugar can have a lot of different names on food labels. In addition to the word sugar, look for words like syrup (high fructose corn syrup, dried cane syrup, brown rice syrup, maple syrup), words ending in ose – like sucrose, and molasses or honey. Even food that appears to be healthy, like yogurt, may still be loaded with sugar. When in doubt, opt for foods that say either unsweetened or no added sugar on the label.

Avoid artificial sweeteners. In an effort to cut back on sugar, you may be tempted to eat foods that are artificially sweetened. But while artificial sweeteners can help you cut back on sugar and may be better for oral health, there is some evidence that they may contribute to weight gain.

Don’t try to go cold turkey. When trying to break any habit, go easy on yourself. Stay committed to your goals, but allow yourself a small indulgence of your favorite dessert or candy once in a while.

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