You’ve heard since you were little that sugar could be harmful to your health. However, even though not all types of sugar are bad for you, foods with high glycemic indexes can cause a variety of health problems, including poor sleep and insomnia, weight gain, obesity, and diabetes. High glycemic index foods like white bread, candy, chocolate, and products with added sugars are bad for your health and can damage your teeth. Meanwhile, fruits and vegetables that contain sugar are good for you, so you might not want to cut all sugar out of your diet. Trying to figure out how to reduce your sugar intake? Here are a few ways to cut back on sugar.
1. Drink Tea and Coffee Plain
While adding a teaspoon of sugar to your coffee every morning may not seem like a lot, eliminating it from your morning routine can make a difference. When you drink coffee, tea, or other hot drinks, consider avoiding sugar, honey, syrups, and other sweeteners that contain sugar and can contribute to weight gain.
If you don’t like plain black coffee, you can try another type of caffeinated beverage, like a sugar-free energy drink, or opt for tea in the morning.
2. Eat Whole Grain Cereals
Sugary cereals are delicious, but they’re not the healthiest option for kickstarting your morning. Of course, you can’t trust everything you read in a cereal box, either. Many high-fiber portions of cereal contain tons of added sugar to make them more delectable and addictive. Before purchasing cereal, always read the nutrition label to understand how much sugar is in every serving. If whole-grain cereal seems boring or tasteless, consider adding other healthy ingredients like fruits, vegetables, and low-fat milk to your breakfast.
3. Drink Diet Soda
Unfortunately, no type of soda is considered good for you, but swapping sugary beverages for sugar-free beverages is a great way to reduce the amount of sugar in your diet. A single can of soda can contain 40 or more grams of sugar, so diet soda is a great way to cut sugar and calories without feeling like you’re losing anything.
You can also choose to drink low or no-sugar drinks like flavored water, unsweetened tea and coffee, and low-calorie energy drinks. However, the healthiest beverage is regular old water, which you can sweeten at home with additives or lemon juice.
4. Avoid Sweeteners
Sweeteners are sugar alternatives you may use in place of sugar when you’re trying to cut calories. Unfortunately, these aren’t healthy for you either, even though they don’t contain many calories. Many of these sweeteners are highly processed and can contain harmful ingredients.
5. Choose Healthy Desserts
Ice cream, cookies, and cake may be delicious, but they’re packed with sugar and other ingredients that can contribute to weight gain. Instead of choosing processed desserts, consider making your desserts at home with natural and healthy ingredients. For example, fruit salads may contain sugar, but they have a low glycemic index and won’t cause blood sugar spikes like a big piece of cake.
6. Eat More Protein
Protein can help you feel fuller for longer, so eating more protein throughout the day may reduce cravings, especially at night. The fuller you are, the less likely you’ll feel the need to binge on sweets or anything else throughout the day. While protein in the form of animal meat and natural products like fruits and vegetables is the best type of protein, you can also choose to use protein powders or protein bars to keep you satiated throughout the day.
7. Stop Snacking
Snacking throughout the day can mean many things to different people. Some people choose healthy snacks like fruits and vegetables, which is fine as long as you’re not overeating or consuming too many calories. However, others may snack a little differently, reaching for junk food like chips instead of healthier options like nuts.
Snacking isn’t inherently bad for you since it can prevent you from overeating later in the day, but the type of snack you choose will make a difference. Instead of snacking on junk food, snack on healthier foods like fresh fruit, nuts, or vegetables.
If you snack because of stress or your love of junk food, consider avoiding snacking throughout the day altogether to reduce the number of calories you consume.
8. Get More Sleep
Lack of sleep can lead to cravings and poor eating habits, with poor sleep linked to increased consumption of high-calorie and sugary foods. This is because when your body and mind don’t get enough sleep, they need other forms of energy. The quickest form of energy is sugar, which can give you a short buzz, but it doesn’t last, and once your sugar buzz is over, you may feel even more fatigued. Getting a good night’s sleep can prevent these cravings and behaviors by giving your body the rest it needs and allowing you to wake up feeling well-rested.
If you need help getting better sleep, consider the following:
- Exercising more
- Having a bedtime routine
- Turning off all devices before bed
- Avoid caffeine in the afternoon and at night
- Getting walking shoes and some fresh air
- Eating dinner earlier at night
9. Eat a Real Breakfast
Many people believe breakfast is the most important meal of the day. A quality breakfast packed with nutrients can fuel you for the day, while a bad breakfast or no breakfast can leave you feeling fatigued. Unfortunately, that leads many of us to grab breakfast bars that aren’t as healthy as we think. Most granola bars, breakfast bars, and protein bars are packed with sugar that can make you irritable and tired throughout the day. Instead of eating breakfast bars, make yourself a balanced meal before you head off to work.
Final Thoughts
Cutting back on sugar means reducing your calorie intake and helping you feel more energized throughout the day. While you may love sweets, they can make you feel irritable and lethargic and leave you craving more. So whether you’re trying to lose weight or improve your health, cutting back on sugar can help you look and feel your best.
Ashley Nielsen
Ashley Nielsen earned a B.S. degree in Business Administration Marketing at Point Loma Nazarene University. She is a freelance writer who loves to share knowledge about general business, marketing, lifestyle, wellness, and financial tips. During her free time, she enjoys being outside, staying active, reading a book, or diving deep into her favorite music.