We’re always being told not to eat too much sugar. But not all sugar is bad. Natural sugars give us energy in the form of carbohydrates. They’re trapped inside our cells and are found in fruits, vegetables and milk, and also contain nutrients like fiber.
The dietary devil is the type of sugar known as “free sugars”. These are processed and refined sugars that are added to foods and drinks, and are also found in honey, syrups and fruit juices. They are called free sugars because they are not found inside the cells of the foods we eat. They are easy to ingest without realizing it, leading to unhealthy eating habits and high blood sugar levels. Health experts recommend limiting free sugars in your diet.
The government recommends that sugar should make up no more than 5% of daily calories, but on average in the UK people get between 9% and 12.5% of their calories from free sugars, depending on age group, according to the British Nutrition Foundation.
What is a low-carb diet?
Government guidelines recommend that adults should not consume more than 30g of sugar per day, which is the equivalent of seven sugar cubes (one can of fizzy drink contains about nine teaspoons of free sugar). A low carb diet should be below the 30g limit. The main aim of a low carb diet is to maintain healthy levels of glucose in the body.
Aisling Piggott is a chartered dietitian and spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association, and she explains: “From a health perspective, if your daily intake of discretionary sugars is below 30g, you are meeting the public health guidelines on sugar.”
Lucy Diamond, registered dietitian and clinical director of innovation at Oviva, the NHS weight management provider, added: “The goal is to help manage and stabilise blood sugar levels, promote overall health and prevent a range of health problems linked to excessive sugar intake, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity.”
What are the benefits of a low carb diet?
- A low-carb diet can help you lose weight because excess sugar in the body can turn into fat.
- Consumption of added sugars has been linked to a variety of life-threatening illnesses, including fatty liver disease, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.
- A literature review conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2010 found that people whose intake of free sugars was less than 10% of their total energy intake had a lower incidence of dental caries.
- Research suggests that reducing your sugar intake can help protect your body against inflammation.
- Research shows that cutting down on sugar intake can improve your mood and prevent depression. Tips for cutting down on sugar.
Tips for cutting down on sugar
- Replace sugary drinks with sugar-free drinks or water.
- Instead of sweet snacks, eat fresh fruit or savory foods.
- Cut down on sugary snacks.
- Check the labels for foods that are high in sugar.
- Limit fruit juices or smoothies to one glass (150ml) per day.
Foods to eat and foods to avoid
The main sources of free sugar in the UK – and therefore foods to avoid – are:
- Frosted or refined breakfast cereals such as cornflakes and sugar puffs
- Sweet drinks
- fruit juice
- cake
- Biscuits
- dessert
- Sweet spreads such as jams and Nutella
- Sweets and confectionery
Low carb foods include:
- Porridge
- Water, tea, coffee
- beans
- Non-starchy vegetables such as asparagus, avocado, onion, and spinach
- egg
- cheese
- fish meat
- Tofu
Eating out on a low carb diet
Registered dietitian Rob Hobson advises: “Watch out for sauces and marinades, which are probably your biggest source of added sugars. Many Asian-inspired dishes contain sugar for sweetness and flavour, and condiments may also contain sugar to balance the flavour of the recipe. Puddings can also be tricky; fresh fruit is the obvious choice.”
Also avoid dishes that use sweet chilies, dressings such as honey or mustard, and dishes that are described as ‘glazed’, ‘caramel’, ‘balsamic’ or ‘sweet’.
Low sugar drinks include red wine, dry white wine and spirits with soda and lime. Avoid dessert wines, ciders, liqueurs and cocktails.
Tips to Overcome Sugar Cravings
Hobson’s recommendation:
- Include protein, healthy fats, and fiber at every meal to prevent blood sugar imbalances that can cause between-meal cravings.
- Spices like cinnamon and nutmeg are sweet and delicious sprinkled on yogurt, or added to smoothies or coffee, so try using them in place of sugar.
- Try smelling vanilla: some people find that it helps relieve sugar cravings.
- Try low-calorie hot chocolate drinks that are sweetened to give you the kick you want without the added sugar.
- Stay busy. The evenings are when most of us crave something sweet, so instead of collapsing in front of the TV with a bag of Haribo, go for a walk, do something around the house or have a bath with a good book.
- If you feel a craving, try drinking a glass of water.Am I really hungry?Dehydration can be confused with hunger.
- Don’t skip meals. When you’re hungry, your blood sugar drops and you’re more likely to crave sweets.
Piggott adds: “If you use sugar to sweeten your meals, consider adding fruit and sweet vegetables such as carrots and butternut squash – this is an effective way to add sweetness without using sugar. Also, make sure you are thankful for and enjoying the food. Mindless eating can lead to sugar cravings, and we often eat on the go and don’t always allow our bodies to thank and enjoy the food.”
She also recommends eating nuts with chocolate.
“When you eat chocolate, instead of mindlessly eating chocolate throughout the day, eat a handful of nuts to help you feel full and slow the release of sugar into your bloodstream,” she says.
Notable hidden ingredients
Hobson says: “Read the label and look for phrases like ‘added sugars’ and ingredients with ‘-ose’ at the end of their names, such as sucrose, glucose and fructose, as well as sugar in many different forms, including potentially healthier alternatives like raw sugar, malted barley, maple syrup, coconut nectar, palm sugar, agave syrup, date sugar and brown rice syrup.”
What the experts think about low-carb diets
According to the NHS, sugars found naturally in milk, fruit and vegetables don’t count as free sugars and are included in the ‘total sugars’ figure on food labels, but there’s no need to reduce them.
Piggott says: “If there is no added glucose or glucose derivatives, the sugar is likely to be natural, which are much less harmful to your health and are often perfectly fine to ingest.”
“A low-carb diet is a sustainable approach to healthier eating that can provide great long-term health benefits. By making informed choices and prioritizing whole foods, you can reduce your sugar intake while still enjoying a varied, nutritious diet,” Diamond says.
The risks of a low-carb diet
Sugar is the body’s main source of energy, and while experts agree that reducing free sugars is a healthy goal, reducing the overall amount of sugar in your diet can have negative effects.
Diamond explains: “While a low-carb diet has many benefits, it’s important to approach it carefully. The main risk is not consuming enough carbohydrates. Cutting out sugar indiscriminately without including whole-grain carbohydrates will prevent you from consuming a balanced diet. In fact, whole-grain carbohydrates such as brown rice, corn, whole-grain bread and quinoa should be part of a healthy diet.”
“The key is to keep your blood sugar levels up so you don’t feel sluggish. The meal plan calls for eating every three to four hours to ensure adequate energy levels. The ideal schedule is to eat several small meals throughout the day, with high protein and fibre content to keep you full for longer.”
A drastic reduction in carbohydrates can lead to energy deficiencies and nutritional imbalances, so it is recommended to replace sugary foods with nutritious alternatives such as fresh fruits and vegetables.
Additionally, when you replace products high in free sugar with low-sugar products, they are more likely to contain artificial sweeteners. Artificial sweeteners are often processed, may not be good for your health, and should be consumed in moderation. For example, sweeteners called polyols, such as sorbitol, xylitol, and erythritol, can have a laxative effect when consumed in large amounts.
There is some evidence to suggest that artificial sweeteners may lead to weight gain. A 2005 study from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio showed that diet drink use doesn’t promote weight loss, but is an indicator of increased weight gain and obesity. People who drank diet soda were more likely to gain weight than those who drank naturally sweetened soda.
To ensure you are taking a balanced and healthy approach to reducing your sugar intake, we recommend consulting a medical professional or nutritionist.
