Easy Ways to Cut Added Sugar: 10 Simple Swaps

Added sugar is the sugar put into foods when they are made. It is not the natural sugar in a piece of fruit. It sneaks into drinks, snacks, breakfast cereal and even yogurt. The Dietary Guidelines say to keep added sugars under 10% of your daily calories. On a 2,000-calorie day, that is about 200 calories, or 50 grams.

The American Heart Association sets a lower bar. It suggests no more than 24 grams a day for women and 36 grams for men. For kids aged 2 to 18, it says under 24 grams a day.

The biggest sources are sugary drinks, desserts and sweet snacks, says Harvard's Nutrition Source. Here are ten simple swaps, built on its tips.

Ten swaps

1. Soda for water or seltzer. Add citrus or cucumber slices for flavor. Herbal tea and unsweetened coffee also work.
2. Flavored yogurt for plain yogurt. Stir in fresh or frozen fruit, a spoonful of unsweetened applesauce, or cinnamon.
3. Sweet cereal for a lower-sugar one. Look for cereals with 5% Daily Value or less of added sugar. Top with banana or berries.
4. Candy for fruit. When a sweet craving hits, try 1/4 cup of unsweetened dried fruit or 1 cup of ripe fresh fruit.
5. A big dessert for a small square of dark chocolate. Harvard suggests a 1-ounce square of 75% dark chocolate.
6. Less sugar when you bake. Cut the sugar in a recipe by 1/4 to 1/3 cup.
7. Half the sugar for fruit. Replace half the sugar with unsweetened applesauce or mashed ripe banana.
8. Sugar and cream in coffee for a lighter cup. A tablespoon of sugar adds about 48 calories and a tablespoon of cream about 52. Both together can add over 100 calories per cup.
9. Fancy coffee drinks for an occasional treat. Mochas, lattes and blended drinks can add 200 to 500 calories and a lot of sugar. Save them for special days.
10. Big portions for small ones. Eat a smaller portion of your favorite treat, and savor each bite slowly.

Where sugar hides

Harvard points out that breakfast cereals and yogurt are less obvious sources of added sugar. Sugar can also show up in coffee, tea or oatmeal when we stir it in by habit. Start by noticing. For one day, count how many times sugar shows up in your meals and drinks. That tells you which swap to try first.

Read the label

Check the Nutrition Facts label for added sugars. The FDA says 5% Daily Value or less per serving is low, and 20% or more is high. If a food is 20% or more, think of it as a treat.

Give your taste buds time

Harvard notes that taste preferences adjust over time. As you cut back on sugar overall, your cravings may get weaker. A drink or cereal that tasted fine last month may taste too sweet in a few weeks. That is a good sign.

Start with one

Do not try all ten at once. Pick the one swap that feels easiest this week, such as water instead of soda. When it feels normal, add another.

If you have diabetes, check with your doctor or dietitian before changing how you eat.