Sugar consumption should be monitored no matter what stage of life you’re in. Eating too much of the sweet stuff can be all too easy with the majority of snacks and drinks containing high levels of sugar. And sometimes, these are in slightly less obvious forms.

According to NHS guidelines, our additional sugar intake in a single day should not exceed 30g, for those aged 11 and over. This is a very low amount, when you consider how much a single can of coke contains!

So, to help you on your quest to cut down your consumption of the sweet stuff, we’ve put together 7 easy ways to reduce your sugar intake in day-to-day life.

1. Avoid sugar-filled drinks

Most of the drinks in the grab-and-go section of the supermarket and garages etc contain copious amounts of sugar. In fact, you may be surprised by just how much sugar you can find in these beverages.

Switching these for drinks sweetened with alternatives, or “diet versions” are a good way to keep your sugar intake down. Although, switching for water is definitely the healthiest choice!

2. Switch up your breakfast

The benefits of a good, wholesome breakfast are plentiful! And breakfast cereals are amongst the worst culprits for added sugar.

Pancakes, waffles, crumpets and their sugary counterparts; jam, honey and syrups, won’t set you up for the day as well as low-sugar, healthier options will. Why not get creative with your eggs, switching between their many varieties, from poached to scrambled, for your morning meal.

Porridge and oatmeal can also make for a healthy alternative, topped with seeds and fresh fruit, rather than jams and syrups of course!

3. Eat more whole foods

Foods that haven’t been processed and are free from any kind of artificial sweeteners or additives, are called ‘whole foods’.

These are great for staving off any hunger cravings as they contain more of what your body needs, rather than what your brain wants! Eating more whole foods is one of our favourite, easy ways to reduce your sugar intake.

Eating healthy meals, such as summer salads, is a great way to increase your fruit and vegetable intake

4. Drink more water

Drinking water has a plethora of health benefits, from speeding up your metabolism, to improving the appearance of your skin.

In fact, up to 60% of the human adult body is made up of water. So ensuring that you drink enough of it is crucial. Water is also known for flushing out toxins and impurities, so if you drink enough of it, it can help rid your body of any nasties that aren’t needed for function.

DID YOU KNOW…
The average person should consume approximately 2 litres of water every day, according to Healthline.

5. Consume more protein and fats

The more protein and fats you consume, the fuller you will stay for longer. And by fats, we don’t mean cakes and chips! Foods that are high in ‘good fats’ include things like avocados, eggs, and cheese.

Having a diet plentiful of the above, that is also low in refined sugars, reduces hunger and lowers overall food intake.

6. Get enough rest and sleep

A lack of sleep has been proven to trigger cravings, especially those that help replenish energy levels. Turning to seemingly ‘quick solutions’ such as cereal bars and high-sugar foods is often the go-to option. However, if you get enough sleep each night, your energy levels will be naturally better, thus avoiding the need to snack.

And on those occasions where you aren’t able to get as much sleep as needed, make sure your handy snacks are healthy ones. Switching sweet snacks for healthy ones is another of our easy ways to reduce your sugar intake.

7. Have patience

When you’ve been reaching for the sweet snacks for a while, your body and your mind become addicted. And like any addiction, it takes time for you to adjust to having less of it.

So, the most challenging thing you have to do when it comes to reducing your sugar intake, is have patience. Allow your body, and your mind, time to adjust to these new eating habits. And, eventually, choosing a bag of cashew nuts over a cupcake will become second nature.

We aren’t suggesting you rule all sugar-based food out completely, we are all human after all. And a slice of cake can make for quite a nice treat now and again. So as the saying goes “everything in moderation”. If you stick to that, the sweet treats will become even more enjoyable when you do have them.

Do share with us any methods you’ve found effective for lessening the amount of sugar in your diet.