14 SIMPLE WAYS TO STOP EATING LOTS OF SUGAR

Eating too much sugar is one of the worst things you can do to your body. It can have many negative effects on your health.

It has been shown to contribute to obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer and tooth decay (1, 2, 3, 4, 5).

While sugar is naturally found in foods like fruits and vegetables, this type has little effect on your blood sugar and is considered very healthy.

Fruits and vegetables also contain lots of healthy vitamins and minerals.

The danger is from added sugars in processed foods.

The average American currently consumes around 17 teaspoons (68 grams) of added sugar per day (6).

This is way more than the upper daily limit that some experts recommend, which is 6 teaspoons (25 grams) for women and 9 teaspoons (37 grams) for men (7).

This article lists 14 simple ways to stop eating so much sugar.

1. Cut Back on Sugar-Filled Drinks

Some popular drinks contain a heap of added sugar.

Sodas, energy drinks, sports drinks and fruit drinks contribute an astounding 44% of the added sugar in the American diet (8).

So-called “healthy” drinks, such as smoothies and fruit juices, can still contain eye-watering amounts of it.

For example, 15.2 ounces (450 ml) of 100% apple juice contains more than 12 teaspoons (49 grams) (9).

Your body does not recognize calories from drinks in the same way it does from food. Drinks don’t make you feel as full, so people who consume lots of calories from drinks do not eat less to compensate (10).

Studies have consistently shown that reducing your intake of sugary drinks can help with weight loss (11, 12, 13).

Here are some better, lower-sugar drink options:

• Water: It’s free and has zero calories.
• Sparkling water with a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime: Homemade soda.
• Water with mint and cucumber: Amazingly refreshing in warm weather.
• Herbal or fruit teas: Drink them hot or cold with ice.
• Tea and coffee: Stick to unsweetened tea or black or flat white coffee.

Cutting back on sugary drinks can massively reduce your sugar intake and help you lose weight.

Summary: Avoiding sugary drinks, such as sodas, energy drinks and some fruit drinks, will drastically reduce your sugar intake and could help you lose weight.

Author: Alexandra Rowles, RD