by Margaret S Garrett - Published 6 months ago

Heart-Healthy Sugar Swaps: This or That

February is dedicated to promoting heart health. We're emphasizing the impact of sugar on well-being throughout the month.

Research shows that a large majority of adults, approximately 60% of men and 65% of women, consume more added sugars than recommended. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends limiting daily added sugar intake to less than 5 percent of total daily energy intake for improved heart health.

This translates to a recommended daily intake of 25 grams or 6 teaspoons of added sugar.

You can work towards reducing your sugar intake with these simple substitutions suggested by our Registered Dietitians.

HOW SUGAR IS NAMED ON FOOD LABELS

Food labels clearly show both total sugars and added sugars. Total sugars include both added and natural sugars (like those found in fruits). While natural sugars are not listed in the ingredients section, all added sugars are clearly identified.

Added sugars are sugars added during food processing, found in sweeteners, syrups, honey, and concentrated fruit or vegetable juices. They do not include naturally occurring sugars in milk, fruits, and vegetables. The FDA recommends a daily limit of 50 grams of added sugars based on a 2,000-calorie diet.

You should reduce added sugars in your diet because they lack fiber, vitamins, and minerals found in natural sugars.

Whole fruits and canned fruits both have benefits. Canned fruits are often blanched before canning and may be packed in syrup, increasing their sugar content to 14g per serving. Cooking, however, can sometimes enhance their nutrient content.

Choose canned fruits packed in 100% juice, meaning they are preserved in their own juice. Check the label for terms like "light," "heavy," or "extra heavy" syrup; "lightly," "heavily," or "extra heavily" sweetened fruit juice(s) and water; or "lightly," "heavily," or "extra heavily" sweetened fruit juice(s) to identify added sugars.

RD Tip: If fresh fruit isn't available, consider "frozen" fruit, which loses very little nutritional value during freezing. You can also freeze your fresh fruit before it expires, reducing food waste and saving money.

Many people believe that tonic water is a healthier mixer than soda, but how does the sugar content compare? A 12-ounce bottle of tonic water contains 32g of added sugar, while ginger ale contains 33g of added sugar. Depending on the brand, both tonic water and soda can have similar amounts of added sugar!

RD Tip: For a low-sugar mixer, try club soda with fresh citrus juice like lime, lemon, or orange, or opt for diet soda.

A standard-sized candy bar (like a Snickers) has 250 calories and 26g of added sugar. A typical energy bar has 250 calories and 15g of added sugar. Clif bar is a better option than a candy bar in terms of sugar content, but it still contains more than half of a woman’s recommended daily added sugar intake, according to the AHA.

RD Tip: For a quick, somewhat sweet portable snack, consider a Kind Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt bar. It has 180 calories and just 4g of added sugar.

Store-bought or restaurant smoothies can be loaded with added sugar. They can have up to 43g of added sugar — more than three times the amount in a serving of vanilla ice cream!

Making smoothies at home often results in lower sugar intake. That's because you can control the sugar by including naturally sweet ingredients like fruit, plain yogurt, or peanut butter. You can also add your preferred protein powder and replace water with milk or juice.

RD Tip: When purchasing a smoothie, be sure to inquire about its ingredients. Sugar, honey, frozen yogurt, and concentrated juices all contribute to the sugar content. While you are there, request water instead of juice or plain yogurt instead of flavored yogurt.

Many boxed cereals have added sugar. Oats are a healthier option! However, there are good traditional breakfast cereals with little or no added sugar.

RD Tip: Try cereals like Nature’s Path Heritage Flakes, Post Grape-Nuts Cereal, Nature’s Path Organic Crunchy Vanilla Sunrise, and original Cheerios breakfast cereal from General Mills.

Dried fruits often have a lot of added sugar. Some brands can have as much as 23g of added sugar per serving (1/4C). This is more than twice the sugar in a typical glazed donut. Many brands offer no added sugar. To make sure you choose one with low or no added sugar, read the ingredient list to make sure no sugars have been added.

It's crucial to select a brand of dried fruit without added sugar. The drying process removes most of the water, shrinking the fruit and making it easier to consume larger quantities than fresh fruit. This can lead to a significantly higher sugar intake, even without added sugar.

RD Tip: Be mindful of yogurt coatings as they often contain extra added sugar. Additionally, a bonus benefit of dried fruit without added sugar is that the drying process can double the antioxidant content in some fruits! Therefore, dried fruit with no added sugar can provide substantial health benefits.

In high-intensity, long-distance competitions, sports drinks can be beneficial as they provide quick energy from sugar. However, sports drinks generally contain excessive added sugar and are not typically beneficial. For example, popular sports drinks often contain 21g of added sugar per 12 oz bottle, equivalent to over 5 tsp of sugar.

RD Tip: Coconut water is an excellent way to rehydrate with electrolytes and typically has very little to no added sugar. Replacing your weekly sports drink with coconut water (assuming no added sugar) could save you over one pound annually (4,368 calories). If you made this switch three times a week, you would save 13,104 calories and almost 4 pounds per year!

Store-bought salad dressings frequently include added sugar. Making your own dressing at home enables you to be mindful of the ingredients.

RD Tip: For a simple and delicious dressing, try equal parts olive oil and vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, and green onions (optional); shake in a container to mix! If you prefer a store-bought dressing, try Yo Mama’s. The ingredient lists in these dressings are short and recognizable. A few contain some added sugar but most contain none or low amounts. Bragg’s contains 2-3g per serving of added sugar. Lastly, Chosen Foods also has a good selection with no added sugar.

Sugar is often added to improve the taste of food. Research has shown that sugar can activate specific reward pathways in the brain releasing neurotransmitters that may lead to feelings of happiness and pleasure. If sugar is consumed frequently enough, your brain can begin making a connection between sugar and the rewards you feel from it. Over time, this can lead to increased consumption — larger amounts of sugar are necessary to receive the same level of these rewards or feelings.

Surprised? Making your own swaps? Pledge to make one simple swap to reduce your sugar intake and post on social media along with the hashtag #MFPSugarSwap to help spread the word. You could also chat with other people taking the pledge in our community forum.