9 ways to lower your sugar intake
1. Avoid sugary drinks. The quickest and easiest way to cut down on added and free sugars is kicking the sweetened drinks. Choose water instead, and drink plenty of it. Infuse with slices of fruit for flavour twist.
2. Eat sources of quality protein, healthy fats, and fibre. This results in stabilised energy, greater satisfaction, feelings of fullness, and you are less likely to reach for something sweet. For a snack or when on the go, have on hand whole foods. Think nuts, fruit, veggies sticks and dip, plain yoghurt, or slices of cheese.
3. Sweeten with whole foods. Use whole foods that offer natural sweetness, such as fruit, spices such as cinnamon and vanilla, or sweeter veggies such as sweet potato.
4. Cook at home. Many of the foods we eat, especially packaged and processed foods, contain added sugars - far more than if we made the same food at home. Have fun in the kitchen by playing with ways to make food flavourful without added sugars.
5. Read product labels. Reading product labels, check the ingredients list for the many names for added sugars, as well as the Nutrition Information Panel (NIP) for total sugar content. Remember that 4.2 grams of sugar is 1 teaspoon, and we aim to limit added sugar intake to 6 teaspoons (25 grams) per day. More broadly, food products considered ‘low sugar’ are those that contain 5 grams or less of total sugar per 100 grams.
6. Manage stress, get moving and prioritise sleep. Stress-eating is common, and often we reach for sugary foods for a mood boost. Instead, undertake a stress-relieving activity that suits you. Moving the body is a great option, providing the feel-good endorphins you are looking for from that cookie or cake. Importantly, prioritise getting good quality sleep. When you lack sleep, the desire for sugar and refined carbohydrates increases as they offer a quick energy and mood boost. However, such foods cause blood glucose levels to dramatically rise and then drop and have you reaching for more sweet stuff again
7. Avoid temptation and shop the supermarket perimeter. Get the sugary foods and drinks out of the pantry, fridge, desk drawer, or wherever you typically keep them. When shopping, stick as much as you can to the fresh produce aisles typically at the perimeter of the supermarket. By doing this, you’ll limit – or even avoid – ultra-processed foods, added sugars, and other products and ingredients that aren’t great for health and devoid of beneficial nutrients.
8. Understand natural vs added sugar. Learn the difference between added sugars and those naturally-occurring in whole foods. Added and free sugars are ingredients added to food or drink products by the manufacturer, cook or consumer. Free sugars also include juices (and concentrates), honey, and syrups. Intake of added and free sugars should be limited. Naturally-occurring (a.k.a. intrinsic) sugars are found in whole foods such as fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and dairy. They are bundled up with other nutrients such as water, fibre, vitamins, and minerals, which are beneficial to health and a normal part of a healthy diet.
9. Finally, be kind to yourself and learn to listen to your body. If you do have a little more of the sweet stuff than intended, ditch the guilt make the next food choice a nourishing one! Learn to listen to your body after you’ve had something high in added sugars. Recognising the signals your body is sending can be a good incentive to keep intake down!
Shared by Angela Johnson (Nutritionist) and Jennifer Peters (Public Health Nutritionist), That Sugar Movement
