10 Tips to Reduce Added Sugar

Did you know 57% of consumers who read food labels look for sugar?  According to this study, consumers were more concerned about sugar content compared to calories.

The good news?  As of July 1, 2021, the FDA required all companies to disclose total sugar and added sugar on their nutrition labels to make it easier for consumers to make informed food choices.

To further build your knowledge of sugar, we’re breaking it all down, including our top 10 tips on how to reduce added sugars from your diet.

How This Impacts Your Health

Research is continuing to suggest that high intake of added sugars is likely contributing to numerous diseases and conditions, including: 

• Heart disease (1, 2, 3)
• Obesity (4, 5) 
• Type 2 diabetes (6, 7)
• Anxiety and depression (8, 9, 10)  
• Dementia (11, 12) 

Additionally, diets high in added sugars are linked with overall poor diet quality, which is important for optimal growth, development, immune health, and brain functioning. 

Reading Labels: What to Look For

Nutrition Facts: 

• Added sugar refers to sugar that has been added when the product was made.
• Natural sugar refers to sugar naturally occurring in a carbohydrate-containing food such as fructose in fruit or lactose in dairy. 
• Total sugar includes the total amount of natural sugars and added sugars in a product.

Ingredients:

• The ingredient list is displayed in order of weight, so if sugar is first or second, it’s likely a pretty significant portion of the product.  In contrast, if it is listed last, then it will be a smaller portion of the product.

Claims:

• Unfortunately, relying on the claims displayed on packaging can be misleading when trying to avoid sugars.  Food manufacturers may write “no sugar added”, but still include zero-calorie sweeteners such as sugar alcohols (mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol, isomalt), artificial sweeteners (acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, or sucralose), or non-nutritive sweeteners (stevia).  Depending on your health goals and the ingredients you’d like to avoid, it’s best to always read through the ingredients rather than relying on packaging buzzwords.

Alternative Names for Sugar

The leading sources of added sugar in the diet continue to come from beverages, desserts, and sweet snacks.  When reading labels, you may find more than 56 names for sugar, including:

• Brown Sugar
• Cane juice
• Cane syrup
• High-fructose corn syrup
• Fruit juice concentrate and nectar
• Honey
• Malt
• Maple syrup
• Molasses
• Sugar

Serving Size Recommendations

• World Health Organization advises no more than 10%, but ideally less than 5%, of calories from added sugar per day. 
• 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines recommend beginning at age two, no more than 10% of calories from added sugar per day.
• American Heart Association breaks it down in teaspoons limiting added sugars to 6 teaspoons (100 calories) per day for women and 9 teaspoons (150 calories) per day for men.

10 Tips to Reduce Added Sugars 

1. Stick to Minimal Ingredients

In general, heavily processed foods contain long ingredient lists, often with added sugar.  Instead, opt for foods that are closer to their natural state with short ingredient lists and naturally-occurring sources of sugar.  For more information on processed food, check out our previous article.

2. Make Healthy Baking Swaps

With desserts being one of the leading sources of adding sugar, this is a great place to start making changes in your diet.  Try swapping milk chocolate for unsweetened dark chocolate or cacao.  You can also use unsweetened applesauce or pitted dates in place of sugar in many baked goods recipes.

3. Use Fruit for Sweetness

Fruit contains fiber, antioxidants, and micronutrients — all of which are important for overall health.  These natural sugars in fruit are a great way to sweeten your plain oatmeal or yogurt.  PB&J is a quick lunch idea, but jams and jellies often contain high fructose corn syrup.  Try making your own using our chia seed jam in sandwiches, on toast, or even topped on a whole grain waffle. 

For comparison: 

• 1 tablespoon of our Triple Berry Chia Jam contains less than 0.5 grams of added sugar 
• 1 tablespoon of Smuckers Strawberry Jam contains 9 grams of added sugar

4. Sip Wisely 

Beverages are another source of added sugar in our diet.  Whether it’s soda, margaritas, lemonade, sports drinks, fruit juice, or tea, these beverages may surprise you with their sugar content.  One 12-ounce can of Coca-Cola contains 39 grams of added sugar, and a margarita may contain up to 55 grams of sugar which is more than the American Heart Association recommends for the entire day!  

Water or carbonated water make great alternatives to sip on daily.  Pro Tip – Beverages are one category that often substitutes sugars for artificial sweeteners, so read those labels carefully.

5. Consider Unsweetened Milk Alternatives 

Cow’s milk contains natural sugar from lactose.  If you prefer milk alternatives like almond, cashew, hemp, oat, or soy, search for options labeled “unsweetened” (vs. Original). This is because the word “original” usually contains added sugars – it confuses many consumers.  For example, a serving of Almond Breeze original almond milk has 7 grams of added sugar, vs. their unsweetened almond milk has 0 grams of sugar.

6. Check Your Coffee

Coffee is a popular morning beverage that may be a sneaky place for added sugar to hide.  Store-bought coffee creamers have small serving sizes (usually 1 Tbsp), which are often much smaller than what people actually use.  In addition, coffee shops often use sweetened milk alternatives because they froth better in lattes and mochas.  Ask the barista for a lower sugar option or choose black coffee, adding flavor from spices like cinnamon.

7. Get the Most Out of Your Granola 

Made with oats, nuts, and seeds, granola often seems like a healthy option; however, typically, sugar is used as the binder to make those delicious clumps.  Some food manufacturers make lower sugar options to try, such as Bare Naked Fit, Purely Elizabeth, or Kind.  This recipe linked uses egg white to form the clumps instead of sugar.  Another idea? Use muesli instead of granola; It’s made with oats, nuts, and seeds but is soaked in liquid instead of baked, which usually results in no added sugar.

8. Uses Spices and Extracts 

Using spices and extracts, like cinnamon and vanilla extract, in place of sugar is a healthy swap.  This tip works especially well in breakfast foods, like oatmeal, smoothies, and pancakes.  As mentioned earlier, it can also work well in beverages like coffee and lattes.

9. Add Half as Much 

Depending on your typical added sugar consumption, it’s ok to make small changes in the right direction.  A good place to start is by cutting your usual intake of added sugar in half.  For example, if you usually add four sugar packets to your coffee, try adding only two packets.  Similarly, if you normally drink two sodas a day, try cutting it down to one. As your taste buds adjust, you’ll likely be more motivated to reduce your intake further. 

10. Understand Packaging Claims

Fat-free and low-fat are marketed to appear healthier; however, some of these products may contain more additives, including sugar.  Peanut butter, salad dressings, yogurt, and pre-packaged snack foods are usually where this happens.  It’s best to get in the habit of reading ingredients so that you can make informed food choices.

The Bottom Line

Making food decisions that involve less added sugars may benefit your health both immediately and long term.  We’d love to hear how lower sugar choices have impacted your health.  Share your experience or ideas in the comments below!

Written by: Kelli McGrane, RD

Updated by: Anna Smith, RDN