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Tribune News Service

Hidden in everything from breakfast cereals to your favourite sandwich bread, added sugar is a nearly unavoidable part of our modern diet. Although reducing your intake might seem overwhelming, the health benefits make it worth the effort.
Research shows excessive sugar intake increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and other health issues, according to the American Heart Association.
Women should limit added sugars to 25 grams, or six teaspoons a day, while men should limit their intake to 36 grams (1.27 oz). However, many Americans consume an average of 17 teaspoons per day.
“I don’t have a sweet tooth,” ABC News chief medical correspondent Dr Jennifer Ashton wrote in her book The Self-Care Solution, “but when I really examined how much sugar I was eating, I was shocked.”
If health experts can be surprised by their sugar intake, we could all use some practical strategies.
Here are a few recommendations to get you started, according to Everyday Health.

Read your labels
Success starts with understanding food labels and sugar’s numerous aliases.
Watch for refined sugars (corn syrup, brown sugar), ingredients ending in “-ose” (fructose, dextrose), various syrups, honey and fruit juice concentrates.
Recent US labelling laws now require added sugars to be listed separately from natural sugars, making it easier to track your intake.

Smart swaps that actually work
Instead of a drastic sugar detox, try making strategic substitutions.
Focus on cutting out sugar-sweetened drinks, which add lots of sugar to your diet. Replace soft drinks and sweetened teas with water infused with fruit, sparkling water or plain tea to reduce your daily sugar intake.
Other easy wins include swapping your sweetened breakfast cereal with oatmeal topped with fresh berries and cinnamon. And when baking, you can usually cut the sugar by one-third without anyone noticing the difference.
Keep perspective: natural sugars in whole fruits and vegetables contain essential nutrients and fibre.
The goal isn’t to eliminate all sugars but to reduce added sugars while maintaining a balanced, enjoyable approach to eating that you can sustain long term.
Like what you read? Follow SCMP Lifestyle on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also sign up for our eNewsletter here.


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Added sugar can be found in almost all processed foods. Women should limit their intake of added sugars to 25 grams a day, and men should limit theirs to 36 grams. There are easy changes to your diet that can lower the amount you eat. Photo: Shutterstock

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Lifestyle

Health & Wellness

Health

Food & Drink

You are eating more sugar than you realise, and that is bad for you. But there are ways to cut down, including eating non-processed food


You are eating more sugar than you realise, and that is bad for you. But there are ways to cut down, including eating non-processed food.


Healthy eating

How to age well

Food and Drinks

What you need to know about: food & drinks

The added sugar hidden in food that damages your health, and easy ways to cut down on it

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}You are eating more sugar than you realise, and that is bad for you. But there are ways to cut down, including eating non-processed food

You are eating more sugar than you realise, and that is bad for you. But there are ways to cut down, including eating non-processed food