Healthy Food Chart

The American Heart Association recently reported that we need to cut back on our sugar intake since American adults are taking in 22 teaspoons a day and teens are taking in 34 teaspoons.

The sugar that we are consuming is added sugar – not natural sugars that are found in fruits and vegetables. This added sugar is coming mostly from soft drinks and other processed foods and consuming too much of these foods can lead to weight gain.

Most women should be getting no more than 6 teaspoons of sugar and men 9 teaspoons. Here are some basic tips to help you cut back on your sugar intake.

Don't add sugar to your foods such as coffee, tea, or cereals.

Cut back on soft drinks or sweetened drinks and drink water instead.

Eat more natural foods – fruits and vegetables have natural sugars and can help satisfy your sweet tooth.

When baking you can cut back on half the amount of sugar in a recipe.

Read your labels and ingredient list to see the amount of sugar in your food.

Eat your meals with lean proteins, fish, or eggs combined with vegetables to reduce sugar cravings.

Cook your own meals so you know what is going into your food.

If you are going to start cutting back on sugar to create a healthier diet for yourself don't start replacing sugar with artificial sweeteners they will just keep you having sugar cravings – begin getting used to the natural tastes of food.

What are some ways you have been able to cut sugar out of your diet?