Saying no to added sugar can be difficult as it is in almost every food and drink you buy. Good news is there are way which you can fight back to help your health and keep your waistline happy at the same time. Try these savvy swaps to cut added sugar from your diet today!
- Make fruit the star
Instead of buying an apple pie which is mostly sugar, fat and flour and not much apple try making the fruit the star of the desert. Try pitting an apple and filling with 1.5 teaspoons of sultanas and sprinkle cinnamon on top for a delicious desert. Other options can be grilled bananas with a dollop of yogurt on the side or poached pears. In just one serving of apple pie there is around 19g of added sugar!
- Check your yogurt
Does your yogurt have more than 15g of added sugar per 100g? This is considered too much. Try selecting a plain Greek yogurt with less than 2g of fat per 100g and sweeten naturally by adding some fresh or frozen berries. By doing this swap you can save yourself around 1.5 teaspoons of added sugar in 125g serve of fruit flavoured yogurt.
- Choose mineral or still water over soft drinks or juices.
Soft drinks are harmful for your health in many ways including the excessive amounts of added sugar to your diet. On top of this the acid from the soft drinks erode your tooth enamel and can mean unhappy visits to the dentist. By swapping mineral or still water over soft drinks you will save yourself an average of 16.5g of added sugar from a 150ml size apple juice and a huge 80g or 16 teaspoons of added sugar in a 600ml coke.
- Make your own snacks
Popcorn is a delicious whole grain snack but when the caramel flavouring and sugar is included the health of the food rapidly drops. Try making your own plain popcorn at home and if you want some sweetness add some cinnamon or 1.5 teaspoon of dried fruit per serve. Saying no to the premade popcorn can reduce your added sugar by around 31g per 100g serve!
- Sauce savvy
Store bought sauces are convenient, but the down side is a there is often a stack of added sugar and salt to the recipe. Try making your own version at home and save at least 1 teaspoon per serving. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Add grated zucchini and carrot
- Garlic and onion
- Herbs and spices for flavour (I recommend using a basil leaf or two to leave in the sauce)
- Tomato puree
- Canned tomatoes (with no added sugar or salt)
- Reduced fat mince
- Make your own Icey poles
Instead of adding around 14.1 g of added sugar in a lemonade icey pole try making your own from freshly squeezed orange juice and try to include the pulp in the mix. Another idea can be halving a banana, placing a popsicle stick at one end and dip in yogurt before freezing.
Take home message: added sugar is everywhere, take on board these savvy swaps and reduce your added sugar intake by a huge amount over a week. Your waistline and health will thank you for making these easy changes.
