Want to cut down on sugar? How to slash your intake in six simple steps
We all know too much sugar is bad for us – but quitting the habit is hard. Liz Connor asks experts for their top handy hints
Regularly consuming more than the NHS’ recommended limits – which is no more than 30g of “free sugars” ( that’s those added to foods, drinks and treats to sweeten them, plus some natural sugars such as those found in honey, syrup and fruit juice) in a day for adults – is associated with weight gain and an increased risk of serious health issues like heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Summer is great time to think about scaling back – but it’s a good idea to be prepared with the right advice before you get started.
Know your enemy
“Who says we need to quit all sugar?” says nutritionist Lily Soutter, speaking on behalf of cold pressed juice brand, Press ( press- london. com). “Be savvy with what you give up instead.”
“While we need to be mindful of reducing our ‘ free sugar’ intake, we don’t need to ditch all sugar. There is a lot of confusion as to whether we need to hold back on fruit consumption due to the sugar content, for instance,” she adds. “You may have heard rumours such as ‘ bananas make you fat’, or that ‘ fruit is high in sugar therefore unhealthy’. However, this is simply a myth.
“Fruit sugar is locked into a fibrous matrix, which can help to slow the release of sugar into the blood stream and keep us full. Fruit also comes with key vitamins, minerals and antioxidants which support health.”
Soutter explains that it’s “free sugars” – mainly added to enhance flavour and with no nutritional value – that we should be wary of. “The current recommendations are that we cut back on free sugars to 30g per day. To put this into context, one tablespoon of honey comes with as much as 17g of free sugar – so that drizzle of honey you add to your porridge could be hitting your maximum intake of free sugar before 9am.”
“Be wary of ‘ hidden sugars’ too,” adds Dr David Lewis, co- author of
Fat Planet: The Obesity Trap And How We Can Escape It ( askdrdavid. co. uk). “These are sugars that manufacturers introduce into a surprisingly wide range of foods. You might find them listed as: sucrose, glucose, grape sugar, dextrose, maltose, ethyl maltol or fructose.”
Stay hydrated
According to Dr Will Breakey, founder of natural condiments brand Dr Wills ( dr- wills. com), keeping a regular supply of water by your desk can help to ward off afternoon cravings for biscuits and sweets.
“Off- the- shelf bottles of fizzy drinks harbour lots of sugar and even the diet varieties contain potentially harmful sugar substitutes,” warns Breakey. “Buy yourself a BPA- free water bottle with a wide lid, so you can throw in natural flavourings like lemon wedges, orange segments, chopped strawberries and mint.”
Keep a supply of frozen berries
If you’re looking to satiate your sweet tooth without cracking open a tub of Ben & Jerry’s, Dr Breakey says having a healthy supply of frozen berries in the freezer is a great combatant.
“Mixed with natural yogurt, frozen raspberries and blueberries can give you a super quick ‘ froyo’ dessert, which can stave off any post- dinner cravings for ice- cream.”
Substitute with cinnamon
If you’re struggling to give up sugar at breakfast time, our experts suggest trying a spoonful of cinnamon instead of reaching for the honey pot.
“It might seem counter- intuitive – as cinnamon is usually associated with sweet treats – but adding a sprinkle of the spice to your porridge can help to ward off cravings for free sugars.”
The benefits of cinnamon don’t stop there either. “Cinnamon helps reduce blood- sugar levels because it slows stomach emptying and makes you feel full faster,” says Dr Breakey. “You’ll only need a teaspoon daily – and you can sprinkle this into your coffee. The fresher the cinnamon the better, as its active ingredients begin to degrade over time.”
Be mindful of booze
“Sure, alcohol isn’t great for us in general and lots of us are trying to cut down, but many of us still like a drink, so it pays to know the sugar content of each tipple,” says Dr Breakey. “For the no- sugar purist, opt for vodka, soda and lime – it has no real sugar content and is only around 100 calories per glass,” he advises. “If you’re a wine drinker, stick to prosecco. It’s a lowsugar choice compared with a large glass of pinot grigio ( 5g), zinfandel rose ( 8g) or doux ( sweet) champagne, which can contain a whopping 28g.” n