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The World Health Organization suggests that people can drastically reduce their risk of obesity by limiting the amount of “added sugars” in their diet. Sugars are in everything from soups to drinks to sweet treats, but it is possible to make sure you’re getting a healthy amount of sugar by making wise choices. Here are some helpful tips to get you headed in the right direction.
- Check your labels! Beware of words like: table sugar, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, molasses, honey, corn sugar (glucose) and fruit juice concentrate. These are all other names for added sugar!
- Use substitutes. Don’t be afraid to added a sweet flavor by using something other than sugar. Here are some ideas:
Sugar substitutes (Equal, Splenda, Sweet n Low)
Add ginger to a fruit glaze, toss the glaze with fresh fruit
Add cinnamon to cooked cereals
Add nutmeg to cookies and rice
Spice up ground coffee before brewing with cinnamon, ginger, mace, nutmeg or allspice
Add vanilla to coffee, puddings and baked goods in place of all or a portion of the sugar
Season carrots with ginger or sweet potatoes with cinnamon to get the kids to enjoy some new veggies
- Make wise choices.
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Instead of.... |
Try this.... |
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12 oz. Soda (10 tsp added sugar) |
12 oz. Diet Soda (0 tsp added sugar), water (0 tsp added sugar) |
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14 Peanut M & M's (3 tsp added sugar) |
2 Tbsp Almonds (0 tsp added sugar) |
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10 Jelly Beans (7 tsp added sugar) |
10 Grapes (0 tsp added sugar) |
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1 cup Low-fat Chocolate milk (3 tsp added sugar) |
1 cup Low-fat Milk (0 tsp added sugar) |
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1 cup Raisin Bran (3 tsp added sugar) |
1/2 cup Fiber One (0 tsp added sugar) |
- Choose nutrient dense foods. Remember to avoid foods that give you calories without giving any nutritional benefit like vitamins and minerals. Choosing whole grains, fresh fruit, and fresh vegetables is an easy way to ensure nutrient density!
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