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How to Tame Your Sweet Tooth in 10 Easy Steps
Almost everyone has heard at some point in their life that they should eat less sugar. Maybe you’ve already tried to do this and you have been successful – in that case congratulations! But for those who haven’t tried or think that it would be too hard I would like to offer you some practical tips on how you can gradually reduce your sugar intake. And you’ll see it’s not as impossible as you thought!
1. Reduce your intake of soft drinks and ideally eliminate them completely.
To help you do this if you normally drink 4 soft drinks/ week then you could start by drinking 3/week, and then 2 the following week and so on… Instead of pop you could try having water with a slice of cucumber or lemon. You’ll be surprised by how refreshing this can be!
2. Bake your own desserts instead of buying them.
This will allow you to control how much sugar you’re adding.
3. Reduce the amount of sugar in your recipes by 1/3.
This won’t make a huge difference in terms of taste… but you’ll be eating less sugar!
4. Buy natural yogurt instead of flavored yogurt.
Try adding some unsweetened apple sauce to help make it a bit more interesting! Not only will this make your yogurt tastier, but you’ll also be adding additional vitamins and minerals!
5. Use extracts.
Try replacing the sugar in some of your recipes with vanilla, orange or almond extracts.
6. Choose fresh or frozen fruit.
If you do buy canned fruit, make sure it’s canned in water and not syrup. The syrup adds extra sugar. If you have some canned fruit with syrup still in your pantry make sure to rinse it to get rid of some of the sugar.
7. Cook at home.
You may be surprised at the amount of added sugar in restaurant dishes and processed foods. By cooking at home, you control the amount of sugar that ends up on your plate and in your body.
8. Buy foods with less added sugar.
Always read the ingredients list and try to buy foods where sugar is not one of the first few ingredients that are listed (the earlier an ingredient appears on the ingredients list, means the more of it there is).
9. Replace sugar with sweet-tasting spices.
For example you can add cloves, cinnamon, or nutmeg to replace some of the sugar.
10. Buy the unsweetened or low sugar version of jams.
Mixing unsweetened jam with water can also make a great alternative to sugar glazes.
Author
As a Dietetics graduate of McGill University and Member of the Ordre Professionnel des Diététistes du Québec (OPDQ), Marysia (Ma-ry-sha) wants to make healthy eating a reality for everyone. She is excited to be a part of the SOSCuisine team, and to spread the good news about the many resources available to make healthy eating easier for you! A passionate baker, Marysia believes that all foods can be part of a healthy and well balanced diet -- as long as they are eaten in moderation! ?
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