Best tips to know about sugar free diet

If you’re like most Americans, you eat more sugar than is good for you. But it’s entirely possible to eat less sugar without sacrificing much — if any — of the pleasures of eating. Surprising as it may sound, many people who have cut back on sugar say they find their new eating habits more pleasurable than their old ones. This guide will walk you through why sugar matters, how you can make smart food choices to reduce sugar consumption, and how you can keep your life sweet, even without so many sweets.

The first thing to know: Added sugars, of one kind or another, are almost everywhere in the modern diet. They’re in sandwich bread, chicken stock, pickles, salad dressing, crackers, yogurt and cereal, as well as in the obvious foods and drinks, like soda and desserts.
The biggest problem with added sweeteners is that they make it easy to overeat. They’re tasty and highly caloric but they often don’t make you feel full. Instead, they can trick you into wanting even more food. Because we’re surrounded by added sweeteners — in our kitchens, in restaurants, at schools and offices — most of us will eat too much of them unless we consciously set out to do otherwise.

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How Did We Get Here?

It’s not an accident. The sugar industry has conducted an aggressive, decades-long campaign to blame the obesity epidemic on fats, not sugars. Fats, after all, seem as if they should cause obesity. Thanks partly to that campaign, sugar consumption soared in the United States even as people were trying to lose weight. But research increasingly indicates that an overabundance of simple carbohydrates, and sugar in particular, is the No. 1 problem in modern diets. Sugar is the driving force behind the diabetes and obesity epidemics. Fortunately, more people are realizing the harms of sugar and cutting back.

What to Cut

Health experts recommend that you focus on reducing added sweeteners — like granulated sugar, high fructose corn syrup, honey, maple syrup, stevia and molasses. You don’t need to worry so much about the sugars that are a natural part of fruit, vegetables and dairy products. Most people don’t overeat naturally occurring sugars, as Marion Nestle of New York University says. The fiber, vitamins and minerals that surround them fill you up.

A typical adult should not eat more than 50 grams (or about 12 teaspoons) of added sugars per day, and closer to 25 is healthier. The average American would need to reduce added-sweetener consumption by about 40 percent to get down to even the 50-gram threshold. Here’s how you can do it — without spending more money on food than you already do.

The Gameplan

Changing your diet is hard. If your strategy involves thinking about sugar all the time — whenever you’re shopping or eating — you’ll likely fail. You’ll also be miserable in the process. It’s much more effective to come up with a few simple rules and habits that then become second nature. (One strategy to consider: Eliminate all added sugars for one month, and then add back only the ones you miss. It’s easier than it sounds.)

Above all, most people’s goal should be to find a few simple, lasting ways to cut back on sugar. Once you’re done reading this guide, we suggest you choose two or three of our ideas and try them for a few weeks.

Many adults eat much more sugar than necessary, so reducing added sugar intake is a healthful idea for most people. Some people may wish to take it a step further and cut sugar out of their diet entirely.
The no-sugar diet has gained popularity as people continue to look for effective ways to live a healthful life or lose weight.

For all the health benefits of a no-sugar diet, however, there are also a few things to consider.

In this article, we explain eight practical tips to reduce sugar intake, as well as some of the risks to be aware of.

Many adults eat much more sugar than the authorities recommend. The National Institutes of Health (NIH), for example, estimate that adults in the United States get around 15% of their calories from added sugars alone. This sugar intake does not even include natural sugars, such as those in products such as fruit and milk.

Excessive sugar consumption has links to several harmful health conditions, including:
• obesity and metabolic syndrome
• heart disease
• type 2 diabetes
• high blood pressure
• high cholesterol
• chronic inflammation
• nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
• dental plaque and cavities
Reducing the amount of sugar in the diet can help a person reduce their risk of these health conditions.
Replacing high sugar foods with healthful options can help a person get all of their essential vitamins and minerals without the added calories. It may also help them lose weight, if necessary.

Here are eight simple tips a person can use to help cut sugar from their diet:

1. Take it slow

One of the most important things to remember when changing the diet is to do so gradually. Going from a diet full of sugar to one without any should be a slow process.

It may help to start by eliminating the most obvious sources of sugar. People can easily avoid baked goods such as cakes, muffins, and brownies. Removing candy and sugary beverages is also an excellent place to start.

A person can also try reducing the amount of sugar and cream they add to their coffee or tea, working up to using none at all. Building up to a no-sugar diet can help a person retrain the palate, meaning that they are less likely to crave the missing sugar.

2. Read product labels

Once a person has managed to cut out the most obvious sugar from their diet, they can turn their attention to other products that contain sugar. Reading product labels can help them identify types of sugars to avoid.

Sugar has many names and is in many different syrups and concentrates. There are at least 61 different names for sugar on food labels. The most common ones include:
• cane sugar
• brown sugar
• corn syrup or high fructose corn syrup
• evaporated cane juice
• invert sugar
• beet sugar
• barley malt
• coconut sugar
• maple syrup
• agave syrup
• rice syrup
• apple or grape juice concentrate
• honey
• demerara
• sucanat
• panela or piloncillo
• turbinado
• muscovado
People should also be aware that any item on an ingredients list ending “-ose” is also a type of sugar. Examples of these ingredients include:
• sucrose
• glucose
• dextrose
• fructose
• lactose
Sugars hide in many different supermarket foods. Reading the label is a must for people who want to follow a no-sugar diet.

Products such as salad dressing and condiments, pasta sauce, breakfast cereals, milk, and granola bars often have sugar in their ingredients list.

3. Avoid simple carbohydrates

Many no-sugar diets also recommend that people avoid simple carbohydrates. Simple carbs include white flour, white pasta, and white rice.

The body quickly breaks down the carbohydrates in these foods into sugar. This process causes a spike in blood sugar levels.

A person can usually replace simple carbs with whole grain options.

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4. Avoid artificial sugars

Artificial sugars are a subject of controversy in the diet industry. They are much sweeter than sugar but contain few or no calories.
However, eating artificial sugars can trick the body into thinking that it is actually eating sugar. This can intensify a person’s sugar cravings, making it more difficult for them to stick to a no-sugar diet.

For this reason, a person following a no-sugar diet should avoid artificial sugars such as:
• Splenda
• stevia
• Equal
• NutraSweet
• Sweet’N Low
People can also look for the chemical names of these sweeteners on ingredients lists, especially in anything marketed as low sugar, low calorie, or diet food.
Chemical names include:
• aspartame
• sucralose
• saccharin
• acesulfame K or acesulfame potassium
• neotame

5. Do not drink sugar

Sugar may be easy to avoid in processed foods. However, sugar sweetened drinks are among the most significant sources of added sugars in the diet. These include soda, specialty coffee, sweetened teas, and fruit juices.

Replacing these drinks with unsweetened herbal tea, coffee without sugar, sparkling mineral water, or just water can help a person stay hydrated without increasing their sugar intake.

6. Focus on whole foods
A person following a no-sugar diet should also aim to eat whole foods. Processed foods are more likely to contain refined ingredients or added sugars.
Diets that focus on whole and complete foods include the following options:
• vegetables
• fruits
• lean meats, poultry, or tofu
• fish
• whole, unprocessed grains, and legumes
• nuts and seeds
Some people might choose to keep a small amount of dairy in their diet, such as plain yogurt, simple cheeses, and milk.

7. Plan meals

Sticking to a diet with no plan is difficult. When a person feels hungry, they may be more likely to reach for a sugary snack if they do not have nutritious meals and healthful alternatives to hand.

Many people take a day to do both their shopping and meal preparation for the entire week. With healthful food ready to go, they have less temptation to reach for a candy bar or soda.

8. Spice it up

The palate often misses sugar because it has no other flavors to replace it. However, people can easily add many sweet tasting herbs and spices to foods and drinks to replace sugar.

Common replacements include cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and vanilla. These can be a flavorsome addition to coffee, oatmeal, or yogurt.