6 Simple Ways to Cut Back on Sneaky Sugars

Do you feel like you eat well and still have a hard time keeping weight off? Sometimes we forget that what we eat and drink can add a lot of sugar and calories to our diet. Dextrose, Corn syrup, Glucose, Agave, Honey, Maltose, Molasses, Fructose. No matter what it's called on the label, it's still sugar. Here are a few of the foods and drinks you may consume that can contain a lot of hidden sugars:

• Sodas (even diet soda)

• Gatorade

• Yogurt

• Juices (OJ, fruit juices, even some green juices because of added fruit)

• Granola/Protein Bars

• Smoothies

• Sweetened iced tea

• Coffee (because of the added sugars and creamers)

Here are some ideas to help you still enjoy some of the above items:

1. Try a healthier soda brand that uses stevia instead of sugar. Any type of artificial sugar (lab created sugar) can cause a variety of health problems. Organic Stevia is one of my favorite alternatives because it is made from plants. Monk fruit and Erythritol are great options too!

2. Look for unsweetened yogurts and add your own toppings. This will save you a ton of calories and cuts out most of the added sugar (which can be A LOT!!)

3. When ordering a juice/smoothie/acai bowl from somewhere, ask them to cut the amount of fruit they use in half and skip some of the fruit toppings. Many smoothie businesses will add 2 whole bananas or 2 whole apples which can add a whopping 40+ grams of sugar to your smoothie or Acai bowl.

4. Most granola bars and protein bars are ladened with sugar. Look for bars with sugar under 8 grams or less. There are a lot of tasty bars now that use stevia and just a little cane sugar for that added sweetness.

5. When drinking coffee, try using unsweetened milk or nut milk. If you like it sweeter, try 1 pump of sweetener (no artificial sweeteners) or even try a packet of one of the natural sweeteners I mentioned above. Each pump of sweetener can contain about 5 grams of sugar and most large drinks have 4 pumps! Plus, there is added sugar from the types of milk they use because a lot of coffee shops use a barista blend milk/nut milk which contain higher amounts of sugar. Don’t be afraid to see if they have something unsweetened because it all adds up. Even asking for your drink to be half sweet can be a game-changer.

6. Instead of Gatorade try coconut water. Coconut water is a great source for electrolytes and half the sugar of Gatorade!

As you can see, there are so many snacks and drinks with hidden sugars and these are just a few.

Try your best to limit those sugars and find alternative ways to enjoy the things you love while limiting the amount of sugar you're putting in your body.