If you want to cut down on added sugar in your diet, the first step is to cut down on highly processed foods. The second step is to start reading labels. Start by checking out the nutrition facts panel on the label to see how much sugar is in a serving size of that food.
Pay special attention to the amount of sugar in each serving size. If you have two serving sizes, you have to multiply the sugar grams by two. This can add up to a lot of sugar!
Next, you want to scan the ingredients to identify hidden sugars. There are lots of names for hidden sugar. Here are some names that are sugar:
corn syrup- malt syrup
- crystalline fructose
- sucrose
- glucose
- crystal dextrose
- dextrin
- agave
- fruit nectar
- caramel
- maple syrup
- high-fructose corn syrup
- fructose
- maltose
- molasses
- barley malt
- lactose
- dextrose
- honey
The healthiest sources of sugars, if used in moderation, that have some nutritional value are:
- raw, organic honey
- blackstrap molasses
- pure maple syrup
- coconut sugar
- monk fruit
- dates
- date sugar
- unsweetened apple sauce