The first step in reducing sugar intake is to learn the names of various types of sugar that you may come across on food labels, as in the list that follows. You're most likely using sucrose table sugar when you bake or add a teaspoon of sugar to your coffee. A diet with too much sucrose can lead to many health problems, including high blood pressure hypertension , high cholesterol and triglycerides , type 2 diabetes, inflammation , and more.

Sucrose is table sugar. Sucralose is an artificial sweetener sold under Splenda , Zerocal, and many others. Glucose is the main type of sugar in your blood and needs to be measured by people with prediabetes , type 1 , type 2, and gestational diabetes.

Chronic high blood glucose from a high-sugar diet can eventually lead to permanent damage to your eyes, nerves, kidneys, and blood vessels.

Fructose is sweeter than sucrose and is converted into energy by your liver. If you overeat fructose, your liver turns it into triglycerides, a fat in the blood linked to several medical conditions, including insulin resistance , obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

In the United States, high fructose corn syrup HFCS has been blamed for the rise in obesity. Because of this, some food manufacturers cut down the name to "corn syrup" on labels. Some research links large amounts of HFCS to fatty liver disease.

Maltose malt , or hydrolyzed starch, is much less common than other sugars, and its impact on your health is similar to that of other sugars. Concentrated juices used as sweeteners, such as apple juice, sometimes contain even more fructose than HFCS. All the good things in fruit vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants are stripped out of juice concentrates.

The sugar in molasses is no different from sugar in any other source. However, this thick, sticky syrup contains more vitamins and minerals than table sugar.

Still, you're unlikely to get enough of those nutrients to improve your health unless you eat lots of molasses. Honey contains some beneficial nutrients but in trace amounts that are unlikely to favorably impact your health. Honey also has more calories than sugar.

Honey is sometimes used for treating wounds topically , coughs , diabetes, cancer, asthma, and more. Agave nectar agave syrup is often promoted as a healthier alternative to sugar and a vegan alternative to honey.

It may be better in some ways but not in others. Agave nectar is mostly fructose, which is linked to several health problems. Invert sugar is in many baked goods, candies, sodas, and other packaged foods.

It tastes sweeter than table sugar, which makes it popular with food manufacturers. Your body treats invert sugar like any form of glucose and fructose. Sugar alcohols polyols are common in products like sugar-free gums and candies. On labels, they may be called "sugar alcohols" or listed by their specific type, such as mannitol, sorbitol, and xylitol.

Sugar alcohols don't cause a blood-sugar spike, making them popular among people with diabetes and those who watch their calories or carbohydrates.

While label-checking can be a big part of weeding out added sugars, your best bet is to eat foods that don't even contain ingredient labels, that is, whole, natural foods. These include:. Some nutritionists suggest sticking to the perimeter of the grocery store, where the fresh, whole foods are, rather than going down the aisles lined with packaged, processed products.

Swap sugary cereal for whole-grain varieties with no or very little added sugar. Opt for whole grain toast with an egg and avocado, or make a fresh fruit smoothie.

Some experts recommend choosing a few whole foods from various food groups, such as:. Regular soda, sports drinks, juice, many bottled teas, flavored lattes, and coffee creamers all contain high amounts of sugar.

Eliminating them can go a long way toward reducing your sugar intake. Instead of the full-sugar versions, try your favorite recipes with alternative ingredients. Popular sugar substitutes include applesauce, grated fruits or vegetables, dried fruit, or ground nuts.

You may also be able to use less sugar without adding other ingredients. But Stevia a natural no-calorie sweetener and Splenda may work well in many recipes. Research is divided on whether sucralose is helpful or harmful in blood-sugar regulation. If you have diabetes, check your blood sugars after consuming sucralose until you know how it affects you.

Try baking with spices instead of table sugar and adding them to foods in place of sugar. Good ones to try include:. Some scientific research shows that substituting spices for sugar allows you to enjoy the food as much. Condiments, sauces, and salad dressings are common places for added sugars to hide.

You can buy reduced sugar or sugar-free versions of many products. Or you can opt for those that naturally have little or no sugar added, such as:. Dark chocolate is typically lower in sugar than milk chocolate or white chocolate.

There is still plenty of sugar, but dark chocolate is the best choice for an occasional treat. Many people opt for artificial sweeteners, which do help you cut calories and carbohydrates out of your diet. Common artificial sweeteners include:. When deciding how to reduce sugar intake, you need to get used to reading food labels.

Ingredients your body treats the same as sugar include maltose, concentrated fruit juices, invert sugar, corn syrup, honey, molasses, agave nectar, and sugar alcohols.

Dietary changes that can help include eating more whole not processed foods, eliminating high-sugar breakfast foods, cutting sugary beverages, condiments, and sauces, baking with sugar substitutes, and more. You need to read labels, put more thought into what you eat, and possibly deal with sugar cravings.

It may also help to reach out to friends, family, or online groups that can help you find new ways to enjoy food while supporting your healthy changes. Yes, you can eat sugar when you have diabetes. But you may need to eat less of it and consider substitutions to stick to a diabetic diet.

If stepping out for an afternoon latte is all about boredom, make things less dreary. Call a friend for a chat instead. Some flavored fruit yogurts, cereals, and prepared oatmeal pack nearly six teaspoons of added sugar per serving, which is the maximum amount of added sugar the AHA recommends for women in an entire day.

Sweeten your favorite foods with whole fruit instead. Be on the lookout: Dressings, pasta sauces, crackers, ketchup, and soups are also common sources of hidden sugar. Here are some other tips to note while reviewing the panel:. Consider refined grains i.

Foods like pizza can have a lot of hidden added sugars from the sauce and crust, she says. The fix : Eat carbs, but make them whole-grain. Brown rice, sprouted-grain bread, and quinoa are all your friends. People who do so are 76 times more likely to get the most fiber —which has been linked with weight loss.

Red wine may have phytochemicals, but the truth is that when we drink alcohol, it turns to sugar in our bodies. If you decide to have a drink, stick to a ounce light beer , a small glass of wine, or one shot of distilled spirits vodka, gin, rum, Scotch, bourbon sans mixers.

Most mixers—even tonic waters—have added sugar or are fruit juice—based, so avoid those. Instead, opt for a fun mocktail like sparkling water and a splash of fruit juice and herbs. BMJ Open. Warshaw H, Edelman SV.

Practical strategies to help reduce added sugars consumption to support glycemic and weight management goals. Clin Diabetes. American Dental Association. Cavities: what are they and how do we prevent them?

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Develop and improve services. Use limited data to select content. List of Partners vendors. Wellness Nutrition. By Esther Crain Esther Crain. Esther Crain is a skilled digital editor and content strategist with a focus on wellness, lifestyle, finance, health, parenting, and food.

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