I always consider myself a low sugar consumer because I don’t drink soda or sugar-loaded drinks, and I limit my dessert treats to once or twice every week.

Besides, since I usually expend more calories than I consume, even if I do let myself binge on sugar-laden foods, it’s no big deal, I thought.

But I was in for a surprise when I started reducing my sugar intake four months ago.

Added Sugar I’m Blinded to

It all started after reading a report on the link between sugar and increased cancer risk which prompted me to pay more attention to the hidden sugars in my foods.

On weekdays, I usually take four slices of wholemeal breads with jam and peanut butter, and a cup of unsweetened instant oats for breakfast. I like to mix different types of jam and nut butter each time, and at last count, there are five different jars of them in the refrigerator. This has been my morning diet for the past few years and I’ve not given it a second thought ever since.

It never occur to me that the spread I’ve been using unconsciously to coat my breads each day could be a major source of added sugar in my diet. It just seems so natural to pair a slice of bread with a layer of sweet fruity sauce or nut butter. Besides, fruits and nuts are always healthy right?

The Not-So-Sweet Reality

Wrong, at least not the processed kind. After reading the labels, I found that those seemingly nutritious spreads contain at least eleven grams of sugar, and that’s not counting those hiding in the breads. But that’s only an estimate because some jars don’t even list sugar in their nutrition facts label. Gee, is there something I shouldn’t know?

With this realization, I decided to cut my sugar intake by limiting the amount of jams I use each day. I began using extra virgin olive oil as a dip and bought a peanut butter that has lower sugar: 1 gram per 32 grams of serving. Dipping breads in olive oil tastes refreshing light and it brings out the subtle sweetness in the breads, which conveniently omitted sugar in their long nutrition label.

The switch is a no-brainer. I added an extra dose of monounsaturated fats (1 tablespoon each time) to my breakfast and I still get to satisfy my sweet tooth with a hint of sugar from the peanut butter. These moves cut my morning sugar intake from eleven grams to a measly one gram or less, since on some days I skip the nut butter altogether.

Surprising Effects of Less Sugar

Frankly, I didn’t expect to feel any discernible difference when I started to cut my sugar consumption. What can ten grams less of sugar each day do?

But amazingly, I did get some unexpected results:

1. First and foremost, my moods have less pronounced highs and lows usually associated with sugar crashes. In the morning, I can get quite cranky and irritable, but now my mood remained stable and I feel more centered for most days. That means better concentration, alertness and improved productivity.

2. After every workout session, besides feeling physically tired, sometimes there’s an accompanying mental dullness that feels as if I’ve just woken up from a bad dream. I always thought that is normal. But now it doesn’t happen so frequently anymore.

3. Most significantly, I used to get headaches every one to two weeks for no reasons. They range from mild throbbing pain at the side of the head to brain-splitting, agonizing pain that lasted for a few days. But ever since I kept the lid on sugar, the headaches have lessen considerably. As a matter of fact, I can’t even recall when was the last time I had a throbbing pain in the head. Now I know that excessive sugar is likely to be one of the culprits for those years of headaches I’ve been suffering!

Hidden Sweet Dangers

In theory, our body is capable of converting the foods we eat into glucose, or blood sugar, for use as energy. So, there’s no need to consume additional sugar on top of the whole foods we are eating.

But in reality, we are accustomed to using sugar to improve taste as well as to perk us up. We add sugar to coffee and tea, and we consume even more sugar from fizzy drinks, breads, cakes, desserts and other convenience foods. Sugar is a comfort food that seems difficult to avoid or give up.

However, our cravings for sugar have spun so out of control that a host of chronic health conditions have now been linked to what used to be a luxury condiment.

• Excessive sugar intake is now widely recognized as one of the leading causes of overweight, obesity, tooth decay, syndrome X and type II diabetes.

• High consumption of refined sugar, which spikes blood glucose levels quickly, has also been linked to an increased risk of a number of cancers.

• Research done by the Canadian Child & Family Research Institute found that excessive sugar affects the sex hormones levels in the body, increasing the risk of acne, infertility, cardiovascular disease, polycystic ovaries, and uterine cancer in overweight women.

How Much is Too Much?

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends no more than six teaspoons (about 25 grams) of added sugars a day for women and nine (about 38 grams) for men.

AHA defined added sugar as “sugars and syrups added to foods during processing or preparation as well as sugars and syrups that are added at the table”. Most of us consume way beyond the recommended amount of sugar, usually without even realizing.

If you’re a health-conscious person who naturally lean towards a healthy lifestyle, but are still plagued by annoying unexplained ailments such as migraines, irritability, wild mood swings and acne, then you may want to examine your sugar consumption closely and cut those hidden sugars.

In my case, my sugar consumption is already low before the cut, but I still get some surprisingly positive results by reducing added sugar in my diet.

If you’re suffering from an existing medical conditions not associated with low blood sugar, it may worth cutting your intake of added sugar lower than the recommended amount. Of course, do consult your physician first before embarking on any diet change to ensure that it’s safe for you.

Simple Tips to Cut Added Sugar

It may seem daunting to cut sugar, but it doesn’t have to be. By buying and eating consciously, there’s no need for you to give up sugar entirely. Here are a few tips:

1. Identify the major sources of sugar in your diet. Then cut them one at a time or replace them with healthier alternatives, such as substituting soft drinks with zero water contaminant fluid, and choosing low sugar products over those with higher sugar levels.

2. Don’t worry about fruits and vegetables. I don’t limit the amount of fruits and vegetables that I eat since their high fiber content fill me up quickly. It’s tough to go overboard with them unless you juice them. Juices can also be high in sugar depending on what you use, and with the fibers removed, it’s easy to drink a cup too many.

3. Avoid processed foods. Other than added sugar, processed foods are also more likely to contain artificial additives and preservatives that can wreck havoc on your mood and health. If you must buy processed products, at least choose those that have low sugar content, and avoid those without sugar level indicated.

4. Beware of cleverly marketed products. The “reduced sugar” label on the package doesn’t necessarily mean low sugar content. It only means less sugar is used than other similar products. But they may still be high in sugar. Always scrutinize and compare nutrition facts labels.

5. Don’t add sugar to your foods. If you want to add a tad of sweetness to your food, use a few crushed dates and figs. Better still, learn to appreciate the original taste of wholesome foods without added sugar.

I hope that my experience will encourage you to take a good hard look at the amount of added sugar in your diet. Since we don’t usually see them in the food we eat, it’s easy for them to slip under the radar. But hopefully, not anymore.

How has less sugar helped to improve the quality of your health? Share with us in the comments. Thank you and keep it up!

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