what do you do to lower your sugar intake?

Cilantrocat

Hello just wondering what changes any sugar lovers out there have made to lower their sugar intake?
I have a sweet tooth so to speak and have high chloresterol, and have been reading that it may contribute a bit to that. So as well as a healthier diet and more excersize I want to watch my sugars as well. I'm not sure about lowering the amount of fruit I eat because of nutrient content + I am a vegetarian.
Opinions? Methods?

Mycophilia

Replace X amount of fruit with Y amount of vegetables.

Sued0nim

Sugar is not implicated in high cholesterol ..it's sat fat

Look at The Meditterranean or DASH diet

cwolfman13

I don't eat much in the way of processed foods and/or foods that contain added sugar. I eat a few servings of fruit per day and place a greater emphasis on vegetables...i.e. I eat 2-3 servings of fruit and 4-6 servings of veg.

seska422

I use sugar packets in my tea rather than spooning the sugar out of a larger container. That gives me much more consistent sugar amounts.

Cilantrocat

cwolfman13 wrote: »

I don't eat much in the way of processed foods and/or foods that contain added sugar. I eat a few servings of fruit per day and place a greater emphasis on vegetables...i.e. I eat 2-3 servings of fruit and 4-6 servings of veg.

What are your go-to's so to speak for veggies?

FitKat123

There's sugar in so many things that you wouldn't even think of. I eat plain Greek yogurt and add fruit, but no other sweetener. I don't drink sodas or juices. Pretty much, besides fruit, the only sweet thing I eat is a square of dark chocolate, almost daily. The most recent studies I've read implicate sugar, more than fat, as increasing cholesterol. I can't point you to them though because I don't know where I found them. Watch out for dried fruit, the sugar is more concentrated. Read labels. I wouldn't worry too much about fruit, unless you're eating tons of it, then you may want to check your macros and see how much.

scolaris

I am sugar agnostic. I just don't love it personally. I eat 3-4 veggies to every single serving of fruit. My favorite fruits are tomatoes & avocados. I make my own salad dressings, pasta sauces, enchilada sauces, sloppy joe base, etc from scratch because lots of stupid sugars lurk in commercially prepared versions. If I want a dessert I generally go for very dark chocolate. Just those little things alone keep my sugars low without really trying. Yes, I do eat birthday cake, holiday pie and an occasional scoop of ice cream. But most days I don't even think about them. Oh, I love a diet soda now and again. But even my favorite diet soda, Coke Zero, is known for being less sweet than average.

scolaris

Another thought: up your healthy fats. In some people I think the sweet cravings are really for the fats that so often accompany sweets when they are trying to stay too low in fats.

QueenofHearts023

Idk I don't add it to the things I eat. I eat mostly salty food.

This is an example of what I eat daily:

Breakfast: Oatmeal with almond milk and fruit puree for flavour

Lunch: Protein and mixed frozen vegetables with cheese melted over

Dinner: Chicken/eggs with a steamed potato with seasoned salt and cheese.

I'm never over sugar. Well, except on Saturdays and/or Sundays when I eat a treat.

cwolfman13

longlostsea wrote: »

cwolfman13 wrote: »

I don't eat much in the way of processed foods and/or foods that contain added sugar. I eat a few servings of fruit per day and place a greater emphasis on vegetables...i.e. I eat 2-3 servings of fruit and 4-6 servings of veg.

What are your go-to's so to speak for veggies?

You name it...broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussel sprouts, carrots, kale, spinach, and other greens, lettuces, cucumbers, onions, green onions, tomatoes, bell peppers (mostly red or green), peas, etc...I like a lot of variety and there's not really a veggie I've met yet that I didn't like.

I also eat a lot of root vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets, turnips, parsnips, rutabaga, etc. I also eat a lot of whole grains and legumes and lentils...

I'm not a vegetarian, but "plants" are a significant part of my diet.

trjjoy

Mycophilia wrote: »

Replace X amount of fruit with Y amount of vegetables.

THIS. I just LOVE fruit, but I get more bang for my caloric buck with veggies, is I feel fuller when I eat veggies. And fruits contain quite a fair amount of calories so... I have been gravitating far more towards veggies recently.

lithezebra

I've decreased my sugar intake, gradually, in roughly this order: cut out fruit juice, stopped eating sweetened yogurt, stopped sweetening my own yogurt, stopped eating fruit regularly, except berries, cut back on sweetened chocolate and started using xylitol to sweeten occasional desserts instead. At this point, I eat very little, if any, added sugar, and only small amounts of grains and starchy vegetables.

sheridanlugo

I actually just kicked my sugar habit, gradually, not all at once. What helped me stop eating sugar was actually doing research on what excess sugar does to the body and how it's as addictive as cocaine. Once I knew more about sugar, it was easier to say no to it. I started by cutting out all non-water beverages except for the occasional unsweetened tea. Then I swapped dessert for fruit. What helped whenever I was craving sugar was making banana ice cream. All it is is frozen bananas blended in a food processor with a splash of almond milk (or milk of choice), along with any flavoring you prefer. I personally like adding a bit of peanut butter, it's delicious! After cutting out desserts I then cut out all the "hidden" sugars of my diet, which includes things like a seemingly healthy can of marinara sauce that actually has 24g of sugar. Lastly, I ate more veggies and less fruit to get rid of even more fruit in my diet.

Good luck, hope this helped!

Cilantrocat

lithezebra wrote: »

I've decreased my sugar intake, gradually, in roughly this order: cut out fruit juice, stopped eating sweetened yogurt, stopped sweetening my own yogurt, stopped eating fruit regularly, except berries, cut back on sweetened chocolate and started using xylitol to sweeten occasional desserts instead. At this point, I eat very little, if any, added sugar, and only small amounts of grains and starchy vegetables.

Thanks for your helpful response! Is xylitol splenda?

Cilantrocat

trjjoy wrote: »

Mycophilia wrote: »

Replace X amount of fruit with Y amount of vegetables.

THIS. I just LOVE fruit, but I get more bang for my caloric buck with veggies, is I feel fuller when I eat veggies. And fruits contain quite a fair amount of calories so... I have been gravitating far more towards veggies recently.

Looks like I may have to start making veggies the star of the show!

Cilantrocat

sheridanlugo wrote: »

I actually just kicked my sugar habit, gradually, not all at once. What helped me stop eating sugar was actually doing research on what excess sugar does to the body and how it's as addictive as cocaine. Once I knew more about sugar, it was easier to say no to it. I started by cutting out all non-water beverages except for the occasional unsweetened tea. Then I swapped dessert for fruit. What helped whenever I was craving sugar was making banana ice cream. All it is is frozen bananas blended in a food processor with a splash of almond milk (or milk of choice), along with any flavoring you prefer. I personally like adding a bit of peanut butter, it's delicious! After cutting out desserts I then cut out all the "hidden" sugars of my diet, which includes things like a seemingly healthy can of marinara sauce that actually has 24g of sugar. Lastly, I ate more veggies and less fruit to get rid of even more fruit in my diet.

Good luck, hope this helped!

This is helpful can you suggest any good reads?

Cilantrocat

FitKat123 wrote: »

There's sugar in so many things that you wouldn't even think of. I eat plain Greek yogurt and add fruit, but no other sweetener. I don't drink sodas or juices. Pretty much, besides fruit, the only sweet thing I eat is a square of dark chocolate, almost daily. The most recent studies I've read implicate sugar, more than fat, as increasing cholesterol. I can't point you to them though because I don't know where I found them. Watch out for dried fruit, the sugar is more concentrated. Read labels. I wouldn't worry too much about fruit, unless you're eating tons of it, then you may want to check your macros and see how much.

Thanks for the input! I dont drink juice for the most part, but usually my fruit is in a smoothie or a banana for breakfast and I usually have an apple, pear, orange slices, or fruit salad with steel oats for lunch.

Lyrica7

Newer research does indicate sugar is implicated in unhealthy cholesterol and high triglyceride levels. Research lots of articles on this subject and check out pub med for the actual scientific studies. Learned this in my nutrition classes in school.

nvmomketo

I tend to think of sugar as what turns to glucose in my blood - carbs. When I reduced sugar and carbs I cut first added sugars in junk foods (candy and soda) then foods with added sugars. I then cut baked goods and other foods made from grains like bread, muffins, noodles, rice, quinoa, and corn. My last change was to avoid high GI fruits and use lower GI ones like berries and use full fat dairy. Fat free usually means added sugars.

I cut carbs more than most but I think the order could work for anyone. Sugary foods and sugar added foods can be eliminated. When I need a sweetener I use liquid stevia or a bit of xylitol (sugar alcohols can cause stomach upset so be careful). I tend to avoid powdery sugar substitutes because their fillers (dextrose or maltodextrin) converts to glucose very quickly in the body. If an ingredient ends in "ose" or "dextrin" it is basically a sugar, and if it ends in "ol" it is a sugar alcohol.

Perhaps join the Low Carber Daily group for more ideas. Best wishes.

Cilantrocat

nvmomketo wrote: »

I tend to think of sugar as what turns to glucose in my blood - carbs. When I reduced sugar and carbs I cut first added sugars in junk foods (candy and soda) then foods with added sugars. I then cut baked goods and other foods made from grains like bread, muffins, noodles, rice, quinoa, and corn. My last change was to avoid high GI fruits and use lower GI ones like berries and use full fat dairy. Fat free usually means added sugars.

I cut carbs more than most but I think the order could work for anyone. Sugary foods and sugar added foods can be eliminated. When I need a sweetener I use liquid stevia or a bit of xylitol (sugar alcohols can cause stomach upset so be careful). I tend to avoid powdery sugar substitutes because their fillers (dextrose or maltodextrin) converts to glucose very quickly in the body. If an ingredient ends in "ose" or "dextrin" it is basically a sugar, and if it ends in "ol" it is a sugar alcohol.

Perhaps join the Low Carber Daily group for more ideas. Best wishes.

Seems like you know your stuff.
I think I'll start with the junk with added sugar, and switching out fruits for veggies, and reasses after.