Sugar

Sugar has a pretty bad rap, and it's not all unwarranted — studies show it may be as addictive as alcohol or cigarettes. Beyond increased rates of obesity all over the country, overzealous consumption — the average American consumes a whopping 130 pounds of sugar per year — leads to higher risks of type 2 diabetes, liver damage, heart disease, and even cancer. With these staggering statistics, you might be steering clear completely. But it's important to realize that not all sugar is bad.

Generally speaking, naturally occurring sugars, like those from fruit, are less detrimental to your health than added, refined sugars, like those in a powdery doughnut. Added sugars come in the form of granules, powders, and syrups that are cooked into foods or added at the table. According to the American Heart Association, most women should be consuming no more than 100 calories from these added sugars per day, or about 24 grams (six teaspoons of sugar).

Keep reading to learn about the sugary foods you can enjoy freely and those to avoid.

Spaghetti sauce: One cup of jarred marinara sauce from the store contains 14.5 grams of sugar, much of it from added sugar. Instead of buying the store-bought stuff, up the nutritional value and lower the sugar content naturally with this light and tasty raw tomato basil sauce, perfect for a refreshing Spring supper.

Juice: Robert Lustig, a pediatrician at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital has said "juice is just like soda . . . there is no difference." It's not surprising that fruit juice is filled with sugar, but even a glass of V8 vegetable juice has eight grams of sugar per serving, and some store-bought green juices contain a large amount of apple juice. Grab your blender or juicer and go for a leafy green smoothie instead of a sugar-laden beverage. There's no need to drink all your sugar and calories for the day in one sitting.

Bread: Bread may seem like a strange place to find sugar, but two slices of whole wheat bread have four grams of sugar. Opt for stuffing all your sandwich fillings into a large whole wheat pita that only has 0.5 grams of sugar.

Keep reading for two more surprising foods loaded with sugar.

According to the American Heart Association, most women should be consuming no more than 24 grams, or 6 teaspoons, of added sugar per day. If you know you're part of the population that needs to cut back, this 1,425-calorie meal plan will help you reach your low-sugar goals deliciously.

Breakfast: Quinoa Spinach Scramble (1.6 grams)

Whip up a quick and hearty quinoa spinach scramble that's high in essential vitamins and protein but incredibly low in sugar.

Pre-Workout Snack: Four Strawberry Banana Creams (7.2 grams)

The perfect balance of protein and carbs makes this low-cal and relatively low-sugar strawberry banana cream recipe a sweet treat you can enjoy guilt free.

Keep reading for the rest of the low-sugar meals.

What's a decadent brunch without a warm and fluffy stack of pancakes doused in melted butter and syrup? The problem is that real maple syrup packs on the calories — 200 per quarter-cup serving and a whopping 53 grams of sugar! If you're looking to lower the sugar in this favorite weekend treat, here are some low-sugar options that also offer fiber, protein, and other nutrients.

Banana: Mash half a medium-size banana and spread that on your stack. It's only 53 calories and 7.2 grams of sugar but also offers over 200 milligrams of potassium.

Fresh berries: One cup of fresh raspberries has only 5.4 grams of sugar and 64 calories but a whopping eight grams of fiber.

Maple cinnamon yogurt: Whip up a batch of homemade maple-flavored yogurt by mixing together Greek yogurt, milk, maple syrup, and cinnamon. A quarter-cup serving is 38 calories and only 4.1 grams of sugar, but you'll also be getting almost five grams of protein.

Frozen pureed fruit: Throw one cup of frozen blueberries into the blender, and pour it on your pancakes. It is 13.1 grams of sugar, has 79 calories, and also offers 4.2 grams of fiber. To make your mornings easier, prefreeze pureed fruit in ice cube trays, and you can microwave a few cubes when you need them.

Almond butter: One tablespoon of creamy nutty almond butter spread on your pancakes has only one gram of sugar, 95 calories, and 3.5 grams of protein.

Indulging in sweets every once in a while is a necessity, but regularly overloading on sugar can seriously hinder your health. Too much sugar has been linked to increased risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and stroke. If we're talking weight loss, not only is sugar high in calories, but it also interferes with your ability to drop pounds since it replaces nutrient-rich food that your body needs. Even worse, studies have found that sugar may be as addictive as alcohol or cigarettes. If you find yourself constantly craving sweets and you're ready to take control, break this bad habit by taking some necessary steps.

Start cooking: When you dine out constantly, it's hard to know just how much sugar is really being added to your meals. While more restaurants than ever offer nutritional information — even McDonald's! — cooking at home is the best way to control what goes into your food. If you find yourself craving something decadent for dessert, find a healthier substitute. We suggest dried dates with nut butter and granola to top off your meal, but check out these other low-sugar desserts.

Rethink your drinks: Gulping down a sugar-laden soda offers no nutritional benefit to your body. There are 39 grams of sugar in a can of Coke. You may think that you're in the clear if you don't drink soda, but your Starbucks habit may need some revamping, especially if you go for a signature Fall drink like a Pumpkin Spice Latte, loaded with sugar. Luckily, you can find healthy substitutes for both. If you love soda, sip a seltzer water with a splash of fruit juice. If you're a lady who loves her lattes, try a chai tea with a splash of milk instead to get your fix of Fall flavor.

Keep reading for two more tips to break this bad habit.

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Health here on FitSugar.

By Aviva Patz

Every few years, there's a new food bad guy in town — and right now, it's sugar. Some experts have even declared it a "poison" that's "killing us." Yet could the sweet stuff people have been eating forever really be so terrible? "We actually need sugar; it's our body's preferred fuel," says David Katz, MD, director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center. "But we eat too damn much of it."

Naturally occurring sugar — which gives fruit, some veggies, and milk their sweet taste — is perfectly healthy. It's added sugar (sweeteners put in during processing and prep) that we need to not OD on. No need to cut out dessert: The key is to eat strategically.

Happily, some major companies are getting on board. In the past four years, cereal brands have cut back on sugar, the milk industry recently lowered amounts in the chocolate milk served in schools, and Walmart is aiming for 10 percent less added sugar in select foods by 2015.
We turned to experts to clear up the confusion over this tasty temptress. As Dr. Katz says, "There's a role for sugar in our diet. After all, what's the point of being healthy if it's not to enjoy living?"

25 Ways to Cut 500 Calories a Day

Keep reading to get the facts about sugar.

Satisfying your sweet tooth can be risky business; on one hand, indulging your cravings every once in awhile can help you stay on track with a healthy diet. On the other hand, sometimes eating a sugary dessert can awaken cravings, causing you to want sugar even more — in fact, many people believe that sugar is as addictive as alcohol or cigarettes. Nix your back and forth, up and down sugar habit with these tips.

Choose the better option: You may not exactly have to cut out sugar completely, but if you know you're on sugar overload, choosing options with less-refined sugars can help curb cravings over the long run. Bypass the office donuts for a little bit of dark chocolate instead, or try one of these healthy dessert recipes, many of which use smaller amounts of sugar and/or less-refined sweetener options. Or satisfy cravings with foods that contain naturally occurring sugar like milk or fruit.

Fight cravings: Sometimes, intense cravings for sugar can mean that your body is lacking certain nutrients. Switching up your diet to replace craving triggers with foods that give your body these much-needed nutrients and can help turn your cravings off. If sugar cravings are getting the best of you, check out this chart on what to eat to calm sugar, coffee, and other cravings.

Have some leeway: Quitting sugar cold turkey can be as hard to do as quitting other bad habits. Instead of denying yourself any refined sugar at all, try slowly cutting down instead — share desserts if you're ordering out with friends, don't eat from the package of cookies at home, and end meals with herbal or green tea to keep you from wanting to continue to eat. Once you cut out sugar slowly, you may find that you won't crave sugar as much.

There's lots to love about sugar: it makes dessert delicious and fruit flavorful. But eating too much sugar (more than the recommended six teaspoons a day) is bad for more than your waistline. Read on for three important reasons to cut back on sugar.

You always want more: It's hard to stop at just one cookie or piece of cake; that's because sugar is addictive. Eating sugar activates feel-good chemicals in your brain, making it hard to resist cravings. As a sugar high diminishes, the body's want for it increases, leading to a never-ending cycle of trying to resist the call of the cookie jar.

It makes you tired: Sugar may energize you at first (thanks to that quick insulin spike), but once you crash, you're left feeling fatigued. If you're tired of feeling foggy-headed as the afternoon wears on, try limiting sugary and starchy foods. But don't think this means you need to lay off that afternoon apple, however; while containing fructose, fruit is also made up of fiber and other nutrients that make them some of the best kinds of snacks.

It increases your risk of serious illnesses: Eating too much sugar can lead to heart disease, liver damage, stroke, and an increased risk of cancer. Many processed foods contain a surprising amount of hidden sugars already, so it helps to make a conscious effort to stick to whole, natural foods.

These should be reasons enough to cut back on your sugar intake! If you need help cutting back on sugar, read our tips on how to reduce your sugar (and salt) cravings here.