These Ten Sugar Substitutes Will Improve Heart Health

The month of heart health is February. Since sugar is at the top of this year's list of foods to avoid, people around the world want to cut back on the cubes, reduce the syrups, and eliminate the granules. The average person consumes more than twice the recommended daily amount of sugar, despite our best efforts. There may be hidden added sugars to blame. Flavored yogurt, oatmeal, sports drinks, and granola bars are some of the everyday foods that contain more sugar than you might think.

Even though the body only needs a small amount of sugar, overindulging can lead to weight gain, which can raise blood pressure and increase the risk of heart disease. Fortunately, there are a few simple ways to reduce sugar intake.

SWAPS OF INTELLIGENT SUGAR TO HEAL THE HEART

Plan Honey and Yogurt

A container of yogurt with a lot of added sugar can have up to 16 grams in a single serving. For only 6 grams of added sugar, you can substitute these with a teaspoon of honey and 12 cups of chopped fruit. You could save 14,600 calories annually by substituting plain Greek yogurt with a teaspoon of honey for regular yogurt, which has 16 grams of added sugar. Consequently, approximately 4 pounds of sugar are shed annually. 16 grams of added sugar equal 64% of a woman's and 44% of a man's recommended daily intake.

You could reduce your sugar intake significantly and lose a few pounds each year by making these minor adjustments. More importantly, a diet that is more balanced is created by these substitutions. Reduce your intake of added sugars because eating too many of them can cause you to gain weight and become obese, both of which are associated with an increased risk of heart disease and type 2 obesity.

Quick Note:

This simple change not only reduces your intake of sugar, but it also increases your intake of protein, fiber, antioxidants, and fruit as a whole.

Oatmeal and Toppings are Planned

Instant sweetened oatmeal can have up to 11 grams of sugar added, like the apple cinnamon flavor that is so popular. A man would consume 30% and a woman would consume 44% of their daily sugar intake from this oatmeal.

Quick Note:

Add chopped apples and cinnamon to rolled or steel-cut oats for a sugar-free alternative. If you made this change every day for a year, you would eliminate 16,060 calories from added sugar. This is equivalent to losing approximately 4.5 pounds annually.

Peanut Butter and Real Fruit

While sweeter jelly products may contain up to 10 grams of added sugar, the majority of peanut butter brands contain less than 2 grams of added sugar. 12 grams of sugar have been added to your PB&J; Use real strawberries and any nut butter that hasn't been sweetened. Over the course of a year, this modification would result in a loss of 5 pounds and 17,520 calories if implemented daily.

Quick Note:

Slice or even mash your strawberries to make a jelly that looks more like a traditional jelly.

Granulated Sugar-Free Bars

Common snack bars can contain up to 14 grams of sugar—the equivalent of eating 3.5 sugar cubes.

Quick Note:

Try RX, Lara, or Thunderbird bars for no added sugar. This substitution would reduce calories by 20,440 and shed approximately 6 pounds over the course of a year.

No Teriyaki Sauce or Additional Sugar

One tablespoon of teriyaki sauce could contain as much as two cubes of added sugar.

Quick Note:

For just 2 g per tablespoon, give Primal Kitchen's "No Soy Teriyaki Sauce & Marinade" a try.

Coffee with Honey and Milk

One popular coffee drink that has up to 54 grams of added sugar per 16 ounces is the caramel frappuccino. 13.5 teaspoons of sugar are consumed as a result. It also has two or half the amount of added sugar that is recommended for men and women, respectively.

Quick Note:

Instead, you can try any size of coffee with a teaspoon of honey for just 6 grams of added sugar. Alternately, you could try date syrup, which only has dates in its ingredients. There are approximately 4g of sugar in a teaspoon of date syrup, all of which comes from the well-known dried fruit.

A staggering 73,000 calories can be saved by switching to hot coffee with a teaspoon of date syrup every day for a year. This indicates an approximate 21-pound weight loss. If you go to a coffee shop where honey is offered as an alternative, you could save 70,080 calories and lose 20 pounds in a year.

There are no Sugar Condiments Added

A tablespoon of standard ketchup may contain 3 to 4 grams of sugar. Two to three tablespoons can be eaten with many meals, like a burger and fries. Try Primal Kitchen's sugar-free ketchup instead.

Even more surprising is the fact that two tablespoons of honey mustard can have up to 7 grams of added sugar in one serving! Make sure the serving size is correct by looking at the nutrition facts label. Serving sizes can range from one teaspoon, which typically has one gram of added sugar, to two tablespoons, which typically have five to seven g of added sugar. This is because the serving size of 2 tbsp is six times larger than that of 1 tsp. This indicates that many brands contain the same amount of added sugar, but the serving size varies, giving the impression that the serving size is larger.

Quick Note:

You can use a brand you like in a smaller amount (1-2 tsp) or try Primal Kitchens honey mustard, which only has 2g of added sugar per 2 tbsp.

Sauce For Pasta with No Added Sugar

These typically have between 2 and 4 grams in a cup. This can add up and raise your total sugar and carbohydrate intake when you eat traditional pasta and garlic bread. Because it consists primarily of refined carbohydrates, this type of meal will be digested more quickly and will make you hungry later. Raos pasta sauce and whole-grain or protein-rich pasta are two options.

Quick Note:

Vegetables and additional protein from animals or plants can help you balance your meal and cut down on added sugars.

Milk made without Dairy and Sugar Added

There may be a lot of sugar added to a sweetened non-dairy milk like cashew, soy, or almond. Typically, the amount of added sugar ranges from 3g to 13g. Make sure to read all of your labels carefully and choose a product with no added sugar and no sweetener on the nutrition facts label to learn more about reading nutrition labels.

Plain or flavored coffee creamers and non-dairy milk are available. This includes cashew, almond, soy, coconut, oat, and cashew. Any of these may contain sugar, even if they are unflavored. Additionally, creamers and flavored non-dairy milk may contain artificial sweeteners; Consequently, the term "added sugar" may not be mentioned on the label. Read the nutrition label to determine if the beverage contains added sugar.

Quick Note:

Choose plain unsweetened or artificially flavored unsweetened to reduce your intake of added sugar. You would lose approximately 5.5 pounds and cut 18,980 calories from added sugar if you made this change every day for a year.

Sugar-Free Granola

Granola may contain a surprising amount of sugar. When consumed as a topping (1/3 cup) or cereal (3/4 cup), sugar additions can range from 5-6 grams to 15 grams or more. "Cascadian Farm Organic Granola, Coconut Cashew, No Added Sugar" might be a good option.

Quick Note:

Try to limit the amount of sugar that is added to granola to no more than 6 grams if you eat it with a meal. To accomplish this, read the nutrition facts label for each item in your meal.

Over the course of a year, replacing sweeter granola with Cascadian Farm Organic Granola could save up to 21,900 calories or more than 6 pounds for the cereal portion.

Naturally, no honorable mentions were highlighted in this blog post. Additional common foods that contain added sugars include iced tea, canned baked beans, graham crackers, and canned soup. In the end, these substitutions for sugar are intended to assist you in reducing your sugar intake without making your meals taste bland or fail to fill you up. After all, the sweetness of life encompasses more than just sugar.