12 Ways to Eat Less Sugar

While most people know added sugar can be problematic for health, many Americans still consume too much. Here are some simple tips to eat less sugar that you can implement today.

How much sugar is too much sugar?

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that added sugars should make up no more than 10% of total calorie intake, and ideally no more than 5% ⁽¹⁾. For an average 2,000-calorie-a-day diet, that is roughly 200 calories, 12 teaspoons, or 48 grams of added sugars from both food and beverages.

This recommendation is specific to added sugar and does not include natural sugar. Added sugars are refined sugars added to processed foods such as cane sugar, white sugar, brown sugar, and corn syrup, while natural sugars are those naturally occurring in whole, unprocessed foods, including fruits, vegetables, and milk.

Natural sugars are a healthier choice than added sugars, given that they are naturally present alongside complex carbohydrates, protein, fats, fiber, micronutrients, and antioxidants, while added sugars are void of nutrients and are, therefore, often referred to as “empty calories”.

Although both natural and added sugars can be included in a healthy diet, in excess, the consumption of added sugar has been shown to contribute to various health problems, including weight gain, obesity, chronic inflammation, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and tooth decay ^{(2, 3, 4, 5, 6)}. Therefore, limiting the consumption of added sugar is vital for optimal health.

How To Eat Less Sugar

Here are some simple tips and healthy eating habits that can help minimize your added sugar intake without avoiding it altogether.

1. Prioritize whole foods.

One of the simplest ways to eat less sugar is to prioritize the consumption of whole foods. By eating and cooking unprocessed or minimally processed foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, milk, poultry, seafood, and meat, you can easily reduce the sugar in your diet without much effort.

Not only are whole foods void of added sugar, but they are rich in vitamins and minerals, and can easily be used to create well-balanced meals with protein, carbohydrates, fiber, and fats.

2. Read food labels.

While prioritizing whole foods is an important strategy for reducing sugar intake, for most, it’s unrealistic to only eat unprocessed foods. Therefore, when opting for packaged foods, it’s important to read labels to determine if and how much added sugar the item contains.

The nutrition facts label on packaged foods will list the “Total Sugars” content and the “Added Sugars” content. “Total Sugars” includes all sugars present, both natural and added, while “Added Sugars” only accounts for those added during the processing of the product ⁽⁷⁾. Whenever possible, opt for items with little or no added sugar.

3. Be mindful of “healthy” processed foods.

Food labels and food marketing can be confusing. Attractive packaging, buzzwords, and label claims such as “natural”, “low calorie”, and “gluten-free” included by food manufacturers often lead consumers to believe that products are more nutritious than they are.

For instance, a “whole grain” granola bar may still contain a lot of added sugar, and a “low sugar” cereal may still include a long list of unhealthy additives and preservatives. For this reason, it’s important to read the nutrition labels on all products to review the ingredients and added sugar content, even those that have been presented as a “healthier” option.

4. Learn the code words for sugar.

Although added sugar is often clearly labelled as “sugar” or “table sugar” on food labels, it is also found under many different names. Words ending in -ose, such as glucose and dextrose, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, agave nectar, evaporated cane juice, and fruit juice concentrate, are all forms of added sugar.

By gaining a better understanding of the code words for sugar, you can more easily identify added sugar in ingredient lists and reduce your overall sugar intake.

5. Eat a savory breakfast.

Americans consume more added sugar at breakfast than at lunch or dinner ⁽⁸⁾. While drinks, desserts, and snacks are the primary sources of added sugar in the standard American diet, breakfast is a secondary contributor thanks to the popular consumption of breakfast cereals, pancakes, waffles, and sweetened yogurts ⁽⁹⁾.

By opting for a savory breakfast, such as eggs, omelets, tofu scramble, cottage cheese bowls, or avocado toast, you can reduce your daily sugar intake from the first meal of the day.

6. Limit sugary drinks.

Sugar-sweetened beverages are the leading contributors to added sugar consumption in the American diet. According to research, 63% of adults aged 18 or older drink sugar-sweetened beverages once daily or more ⁽¹⁰⁾. This accounts for 145 calories per day from sugary drinks alone.

By limiting your intake of flavored coffees, soft drinks, energy drinks, sports drinks, and fruit juice with added sugar, and opting for sugar-free beverages such as water, sparkling water, unsweetened tea and coffee, you can help to reduce your intake of added sugars.

7. Reach for high-protein snacks.

Many prepared snack foods, even “healthy” ones, are high in added sugar. While most people recognize that cookies, muffins, and brownies contain sugar, many brands of granola bars and protein bars also contain significant amounts of added sugar. Moreover, sugary snacks are some of the most hyper-palatable foods, making them very easy to overeat, leading to an increased sugar intake.

Not only are high-protein snacks generally lower in sugar than sugary snacks, particularly whole foods ones, but they are also more filling foods, especially when paired with a source of fiber. Snacks such as Greek yogurt and blueberries, cottage cheese and raspberries, beef jerky and carrots, boiled eggs and almonds are high-protein and high-fiber snacks you can enjoy to eat less sugar.

8. Reduce sugar in recipes.

When cooking or baking, look for ways to reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe. While this is not always necessary, as indulgence is an important part of a healthy diet, if you frequently consume baked goods, the total sugar content consumed can quickly add up.

If the recipe allows, you can swap refined sugar for natural sweeteners to further reduce the sugar content of a recipe. For example, you can use unsweetened applesauce or mashed bananas, which contain fiber and micronutrients, to replace some of the sugar and fat in cookies and muffins.

9. Make dressings and sauces.

Many commercially prepared sauces and dressings contain added sugars. Items such as spaghetti sauce, BBQ sauce, ketchup, and salad dressing often contain added sugar and, when collectively and frequently consumed, can significantly contribute to added sugar intake.

While you can certainly read labels and opt for brands and flavors without added sugar, these items are also very easy to make at home and can save you a lot of money in the process.

10. Practice portion control.

Although often overlooked, portion control is key to reducing sugar intake. By simply monitoring the portion size of the sugary foods you eat, you can drastically reduce your overall sugar intake. The objective is not to avoid them completely, but to enjoy them in moderate amounts as “discretionary calories” in the context of an otherwise healthy and balanced diet.

11. Manage hydration, sleep, and stress.

Drinking enough water can help reduce sugar cravings and help you eat less sugar. While sugar cravings are completely normal, and it’s ok to eat sugar occasionally, limiting total intake is important. Glucose is the body’s primary energy source, the fuel for our cells, and water is critical in its creation. While exactly how much water you need will vary from one person to the next, staying hydrated is another way you can help to minimize your sugar intake.

Moreover, lack of sleep and stress can cause people to eat more sugar. Lack of sleep increases the hunger-stimulating hormone ghrelin, decreases the appetite-suppressing hormone leptin, and decreases insulin sensitivity, often causing people to crave sweets and reach for sugary foods, while stress releases cortisol, which stimulates ghrelin production, which enhances appetite ^{(11, 12, 13)}.

Practicing good sleep hygiene techniques, such as by going to bed at the same time every night, sleeping in a dark and cool room, avoiding digital devices at least 1 hour before bed, avoiding caffeine in the afternoon and evening, and exercising regularly, and practicing mindful eating to mitigate stress eating, are incredibly helpful to eating less sugar.

12. Enjoy your treats out of the house.

Your environment has a major impact on your eating habits, and keeping sugary foods out of the house can be a helpful strategy to eat less sugar. While some people have no issue with having sweet treats nearby, for some, it can amplify the “food noise” and make eating less sugar more difficult. If that’s the case, keeping sweet foods out of the house and only treating yourself when you’re at a cafe, bakery, or restaurant can be a beneficial strategy in reducing sugar intake.

The Bottom Line

While sugar can be included in a healthy diet, most Americans consume too much sugar. A diet high in added sugar is associated with an increased risk of many health conditions and diseases. To eat less sugar, prioritize whole foods, read labels, learn sugar code words, eat a savory breakfast, limit sugar drinks, eat high-protein snacks, reduce sugar in recipes, make your dressings and sauces, practice portion control, drink water, get good sleep, and manage stress.