Handy hints for cutting back on sugar

To avoid eating too much sugar at breakfast, unprocessed cereal, muesli or oat flakes will fill you up without raising your blood sugar levels. If need be, you could have a teaspoon of jam on a slice of bread. Another good tip is to get into the habit of not taking sugar in tea or coffee.

Have plain water with lunch, not the sweetened flavoured kind. And it’s better not to have soda, even if it’s low-cal. Remember that yogurt can be sweetened with fruit.

If you start to feel hungry mid-morning or mid-afternoon, fruit and almonds make a great snack, providing precious nutrients and filling you up.

If you enjoy baking at the weekend, think about cutting back on the sugar in the recipe by 25-50%. Other options include coconut sugar and agave syrup which don’t boost blood sugar levels as much as sucrose.

Reading the labels at the supermarket can help avoid the traps in processed food. Choose the shortest possible list of ingredients (such as eggs, butter and sugar) without additives or dyes.

Sugar should be a rare treat before the age of three

Craving for sugar starts very young. That’s why it’s important not to get young children used to sweetened food and drinks. Before the age of three, water, dairy products, fruit puree and an occasional cookie are the way to go. Candy should be reserved for special events and birthday parties with friends, not to stop a child crying.

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