How to Cut Sugar Out of Your Diet

  • By Performance Lab
  • 4 minute read
How to Cut Sugar Out of Your Diet

People tell you that all sorts of things will harm your health—alcohol, smoking, lack of activity, and more. But if there’s one thing that ranks pretty high up there, it’s sugar.

A lot of us are addicted to the sweet taste and the feeling it gives them. It’s tasty. Comforting. Energizing. But have you ever paid attention to what sugar is actually doing to your body internally?

The truth? It’s hurting you from the inside out.

We’re giving you simple and practical tips to reduce your sugar intake and prevent all the nasty health effects that come along with high sugar consumption.

The Dark Side Of Sugar

Be prepared to pick your jaw up off the floor when you read this:

The American Heart Association recommends consuming a maximum of six teaspoons (25g) of sugar daily.

The average American, however, consumes a whopping 17 teaspoons of sugar daily—nearly three times the recommended amount 1! That translates to roughly 57 pounds of sugar yearly. Imagine that…

But while sugar-filled food and beverages taste good, they lead to some pretty severe acute and chronic health complications. Sugar has been linked to 2-6:

  • Obesity
  • Heart disease
  • Diabetes
  • Cancer
  • Tooth decay
  • Metabolic syndrome
  • Poor immune function
  • Premature aging
  • Fatty liver disease
  • Inflammation

And that’s not even an exhaustive list. The adverse health effects of sugar consumption far outweigh the benefits of consuming it, so if you’re dealing with any of the issues above—or just want to cut back on sugar for better health—consider reducing your sugar consumption.

Here’s how you can do that.

7 Ways To Cut Back On Sugar

1. Swap The Sweeteners

Get rid of all sugars from your cupboards—that includes the “healthier” options like maple syrup, honey, and agave. Although the latter three may be natural sugars compared to refined white sugar, they still increase blood sugar to the same extent.

Swap them for more natural sweeteners that don’t impact blood sugar in the same way. That’s things like monk fruit, stevia, and erythritol.

2. Cut Back On Soft Drinks

Sodas and soft drinks are a massive sugar bomb. It’s easy to knock back 60 grams of sugar in one go without even realizing it, so if you’re trying to reduce sugar intake, those should be the first to hit the curb.

If it’s the sweet taste you’re looking for, opt for natural flavor enhancers that can be added to water like berries, citrus, or herbs; if it’s the carbonation you like, consider carbonated water. You can also buy naturally sweetened sodas using stevia; however, these should still be consumed sparingly.

3. Pass On The Desserts

Rather than eyeing the cake or getting a double scoop of ice cream, opt for something that hits the sweet spot but won’t blow the sugar budget.

Fruits, although they still contain sugar, offer a much healthier option; they contain plenty of nutrients and fiber that can help to balance out the natural sugars.

Alternatively, more “dessert” foods are coming out that use natural sweeteners like stevia and erythritol.

However, you want to ensure that you’re still paying attention to the ingredient list. Less is more with packaged foods, and making your own is always preferable.

4. Say No To Artificial Sweeteners

It may be tempting to swap the real sugar for an artificial one because hey, no sugar, but don’t do it. Artificial sugars can be just as problematic. They’ve been linked to weight gain, gut issues, brain tumors, and cancer 7, in addition to blood sugar and insulin dysfunction.

5. Go For The Full-Fat

Fat is flavor, and when manufacturers remove the fat from products, they have to replace it with something to keep that flavor. That something is sugar.

Studies find that sugar content in low-fat products is actually higher than the regular version 8, and sugar is going to do more harm to your health in the long run than fat ever will.

5. Eat Whole Foods

Whole foods are anything that hasn’t been processed or refined; it’s food in its most natural form. That means they’re free of additives, artificial ingredients, and added sugar.

Ultra-processed foods are loaded with salt, unhealthy fats, and sugar, along with all sorts of additives and preservatives. Whenever possible, skip the processed foods and cook from scratch. And if it’s not whole, take a pass.

6. Don’t Fall For The “Healthy” Trap

You’d probably be surprised to see the number of foods labeled with things like “no added sugar” or “100% natural” and still contain all sorts of crap. Healthy doesn’t always mean it’s good for you, so pay attention to what you’re eating.

There’s also something called “health washing” where companies entice you to believe what they offer supports good health, but in fact, it’s actually the opposite.

7. Pay Attention To Nutritional Labels

If you’re buying anything packaged, reading labels is going to be your gold. Avoiding sugar isn’t just as simple as cutting out sweets. Sugar hides in unsuspecting places like sauces, salad dressings, and even bread. Make sure you’re reading labels and looking at the nutritional values to see how much sugar is in foods.

But be mindful that sugar is disguised with over 56 names, so familiarize yourself with those, so you don’t fall prey.

Final Thoughts

We all love the taste of sweet foods, but the fact is that sugar doesn’t do our bodies any good.

Whether you’re looking for better skin, more energy, a healthier heart, or less joint pain, cutting back on sugar can do wonders for you in nearly every facet of your health.

But cutting out sugar cold-turkey can lead to more intense cravings, so take it slow and be consistent. Your body will thank you for it.

References

  1. https://health.gov/sites/default/files/2019-10/DGA_Cut-Down-On-Added-Sugars.pdf
  2. GA Bray, SJ Nielsen, BM Popkin. Consumption of high-fructose corn syrup in beverages may play a role in the epidemic of obesity [published correction appears in Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 Oct;80(4):1090]. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004;79(4):537-543.
  3. R Touger-Decker, C van Loveren. Sugars and dental caries.Am J Clin Nutr. 2003;78(4):881S-892S.
  4. H Basciano, L Federico, K Adeli. Fructose, insulin resistance, and metabolic dyslipidemia. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2005;2(1):5.
  5. S Seely, DF Horrobin. Diet and breast cancer: the possible connection with sugar consumption.Med Hypotheses. 1983;11(3):319-327.
  6. RK Johnson, LJ Appel, M Brands, et al. Dietary sugars intake and cardiovascular health: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association.Circulation. 2009;120(11):1011-1020.
  7. KR Sugar substitutes: Health controversy over perceived benefits.J Pharmacol Pharmacother. 2011;2(4):236-243.
  8. PK Nguyen, S Lin, P Heidenreich. A systematic comparison of sugar content in low-fat vs regular versions of food.Nutr Diabetes. 2016;6(1):e193.