8 simple ways to curb your sugar cravings

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A year-round resolution that many people make is to have healthier eating habits. Whether that means eating more fruits and veggies or cutting down on portions, changing your eating habits is a good start to having a healthier lifestyle. One of the first steps you can take to help is to cut down the amount of sugar you intake on a daily.

Though it wasn’t easy at first, Paddy Spence, CEO of Zevia — a line of zero-calorie, naturally sweetened beverages — cut sugar out of his diet 18 years ago.

“My wife and I cut sugar out of our diets in an effort to improve the way we felt every day.  Through that process, I realized that with all of the supposedly ‘healthy’ products I had incorporated into my routine – items like protein smoothies, energy bars, and juice-based spritzers – I had been consuming 250 grams per day of sugar, totaling approximately 1,000 calories per day.”

And though you may not be consuming quite that much sugar, the average American takes in a whopping 152 pounds of refined sugar a year, according to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services.

Though cutting sugar completely out of your diet may take a little time, here are eight ways that you can curb your cravings to set you off on the right track.

Start a sugar budget. Vera Petrunina/Shutterstock

When you think of budgets, finances are the first things that probably come to mind. Spence said that you can actually create a budget to watch your sugar intake.

“A sugar budget, much like a financial one, allows you to use numbers to track how much sugar you’re actually consuming, and can help you limit the amount you eat,” Spence said. “It would be almost impossible to have zero sugar in your diet, so we want to be realistic. I suggest keeping it to 50 grams a day. That counts for ALL sugars, too, not just added sugars. 50 grams comes to about 10% of your 2000 calorie-a-day diet (sugar has 4 calories per gram).”

Keep an eye on your cereal. wsilver/Flickr

It’s always been said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and according to Spence, it’s for more reasons than one.

“Most people these days know that colorful kids’ cereals are going to have a sizeable serving of sugar,” he said. “Other choices that may appear ‘healthy,’ however — like a granola-based cereal for instance — could also be packing major sugar content. Be diligent and don’t be fooled!”

Try having some fresh fruit and always remember to check your labels.

Watch your condiments. Adam Berry/Getty

Do you think of sugar when you add ketchup to your hotdog? Or how about when you drench your fries in it? Spence said that sugar is in some of the most unexpected products.

“Many condiments, ketchup included, contain ‘hidden sugars.’ That’s why kids love ketchup so much,” he said. “Barbeque sauce is also a major culprit. One of the sneakiest sources of ‘hidden sugar,’ however, is salad dressing. Always keep an eye on the sugar content of your salad dressing. You’ll be glad you did.”

See the rest of the story at Business Insider