How to Reduce Sugar at Breakfast
Check the amount of sugar., Search ingredient lists for different types of sugar., Use caution with prepackaged breakfast foods., Avoid artificial sweeteners., Try whipping up an omelette., Eat plain yogurts or cereals., Include fruits., Add spices...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Check the amount of sugar.
The nutritional label on prepackaged food products you purchase will list the total amount of sugar per serving in that product.
Keep the serving size in mind as it may be less (or more) than you typically consume.Generally, you shouldn't get more than 5 percent of your calories from sugar.
For the average adult, this works out to about 30g of sugar a day, maximum.
Any food product with more than
22.5g of sugar has a high sugar content and should be avoided – especially for breakfast.
Eating something with that much sugar would mean you'd reached (or even exceeded, depending on the size of your portion) your daily allowance of sugar with the first meal of the day.
Foods with 5g of sugar or less typically are considered low in sugar.
If you're trying to reduce sugar at breakfast and can't get away from prepackaged food products, these are going to be your best bet. -
Step 2: Search ingredient lists for different types of sugar.
While you may see the word "sugar" on a list of ingredients on the side of a prepackaged food product, you're also likely to see a number of other words that also are sugar, just in a different form.Watch for any word ending in
-ose – sucrose, glucose, fructose, maltose.
These are all sugars.
Highly processed sugars like corn syrup and high-fructose corn syrup can be found on many ingredient lists for prepackaged food products you might find in the grocery store.
Also be on the lookout for molasses, fruit juice, and honey.
Though technically "healthier" than refined sugar, these are still sugars and should be limited if you're trying to reduce sugar at breakfast. , Packaged, prepared, and frozen foods are notoriously high in sugar.
Many frozen foods, such as pre-made breakfast sandwiches, may include sugar as a preservative despite the fact that the food itself isn't particularly sweet.Even if the front of the box proclaims that the product is "lite" or "sugar free" or "diet," you still need to check the ingredient and nutrition panel.
Keep in mind that many of these labels, such as "lite," aren't regulated and could be a deceiving advertisement.
Particularly with food products advertised as diet foods, you need to be on the lookout for artificial sweeteners in addition to regular sugars. , Many sugar-free or diet versions of standard breakfast fare include chemical sweeteners that can be as chemical sweeteners that have their own downfalls.
For example, using artificial sweeteners does nothing to lessen your craving for sweet foods.
Perhaps more importantly, using artificial sweeteners does nothing to lessen your craving for sweet foods.If you find you need some kind of sweetener, at least in the beginning, use Stevia, which is more natural than the other artificial sweeteners on the market.
Try to use progressively less artificial sweetener each day until you eventually find you no longer need it to enjoy your food. , Omelettes are a quick and easy breakfast option that allow you to get a well-balanced meal with plenty of protein all in one dish.
You may equate omelettes with vegetables and savory flavors, but you can make sweet omelettes too – without adding sugar.For example, mix currants or berries into your eggs along with cinnamon and nutmeg for a sweet omelette.
Place fresh fruit and plain yogurt in the middle, then fold it over and serve.
Savory omelettes can be made with your choice of spices, peppers, onions, and other vegetables.
If you have limited times in the morning, dice up some peppers in the evening or when you have more time and store them in your fridge in a closed container so they're ready to go at breakfast time. , Simply swapping your sugary breakfast cereal for plain whole wheat or oats can eliminate as much as 70g of sugar from your diet over the course of a week.
If you need some sweetness, add dried fruit or spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg.Plain grains often can be purchased more cheaply than commercial cereals, and you can save even more by buying in bulk since they have a long shelf life.
If you want to reduce sugar at breakfast gradually, you may want to buy one box of your favorite cereal and mix a small amount of it into your plain cereal.
Each day, gradually decrease the amount of commercial cereal you use until you're not using any of it. , Fruit has natural sugars, but will help you decrease your craving for sugary confections in the morning while also providing vitamins and nutrients you need for a balanced diet and healthy body.You can blend fresh fruit in season with plain yogurt for a smoothie.
One benefit of smoothies is that you can make them in advance and keep them in the fridge to grab and go if you're pressed for time in the mornings.
Many commercial cereals that include fruit also include a lot of sugar that you don't need.
Buy plain cereal without sugar and add your own dried fruit.
Diced fruit also can liven up a bowl of oatmeal or cup of plain yogurt. , You can use spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, coriander, and cardamom to add a sweet flavor to breakfast foods such as toast or oatmeal.
You'll get the sweet flavor you crave and gradually decrease your desire for sugar.Cinnamon is a versatile spice that can add complexity and a balance of flavor to a number of breakfast dishes.
For example, you might try putting a dash of cinnamon on your scrambled eggs.
For a warm and hearty winter breakfast, add cinnamon and nutmeg along with dried apple chunks to plain oatmeal.
You might also consider adding these spices to plain yogurt or blending them into your favorite fruit smoothie. , Coffee and tea are common breakfast drinks, but many people load them up with cream and sugar.
If you're trying to reduce sugar at breakfast, don't overlook this potential source of added sugar.Try to gradually decrease the amount of sugar you add to your coffee or tea each day until you're no longer using any at all.
If you need your morning cup to be sweet, try using honey or molasses.
While still sugar, they're a little healthier for you than refined white sugar.
You might also try using an artificial sweetener such as Stevia. , Protein, fat, and fiber are highly satiating and will help you keep your blood sugar stable.
For breakfast, this means eggs for protein and whole grains for fiber.
Olive oil and avocado provide healthy fats.Consider an omelette with peppers, onions, turkey, and tomato that's drizzled with olive oil or that has a sliced avocado on top.
That's a quick and easy breakfast option that will leave you feeling full for hours and provide a healthy amount of protein, fat, and fiber.
Oatmeal with dried fruit and nuts – especially almonds – is another way to get the protein, fat, and fiber you need to satisfy your body. , Exercise is one of the easiest – and most effective – ways to reduce sugar cravings and keep your energy levels up.
Try to get at least 20 to 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise every day.If your not currently physically active or if you are elderly, then take a 15-minute walk in the morning and then another in the evening.
This amount of activity should be sufficient to maintain a healthy activity level.
However, if you are physically active and/or young, then you should strive to get more physical activity than this.
You should also include some weight training in your exercise regimen.
Add strength training to build muscle mass and start burning belly fat, which excess sugar helps create.
When you get a craving for sweets, take a minute to go for a walk or run up and down a flight of stairs.
After exercise, your body craves salt, not sugar, so this can help you control those cravings while you're trying to cut back on sugar. , Nutritional deficiencies sometimes hide behind sugar cravings, making you feel like you need something sweet when really the need lies elsewhere.
Get in the habit of taking a good-quality multivitamin every morning after eating breakfast.Studies have shown that chromium, Vitamin B3, and magnesium are particularly instrumental in helping your body control blood sugar.Typically the fewer nutritional deficiencies you have, the fewer cravings you will have, making it easier for you to weaken the grip that sugar has on your body and mind.
If you have any significant health problems or chronic medical conditions, you should consult your doctor for recommendations on a vitamin that would work for you and not interfere with your condition or any prescription medications. , Sleep deprivation can disrupt your normal hormone levels and cause you to think you're hungry when you're really not.
Making sure you get between 6 and 8 hours of sleep each night can help you avoid sugar cravings while you're cutting back.Keep in mind that your brain associates sugar consumption with a burst of energy.
So if you're tired or fatigued, your brain is going to tell you that you want something sweet.
However, if you're well-rested and intersperse activity throughout your day, you'll be less likely to start thinking you need sugar to keep going.
Additionally, getting too little sleep can cause tension, stress, and anxiety, all of which may increase your craving for sugar. , Aside from it being generally important to keep your body well hydrated, drinking water can reduce or eliminate your cravings for sugar.
Often your brain tells you that you're hungry when really you just need water.Drinking a large glass of water before meals can help reduce your appetite, which may be important if you're trying to lose weight.
If you have a craving for a sweet or sugary treat, drink a large glass of water and wait for five minutes.
You may want to go for a walk or do something to take your mind off your craving.
After five minutes has elapsed, you may find that your craving is gone. -
Step 3: Use caution with prepackaged breakfast foods.
-
Step 4: Avoid artificial sweeteners.
-
Step 5: Try whipping up an omelette.
-
Step 6: Eat plain yogurts or cereals.
-
Step 7: Include fruits.
-
Step 8: Add spices to sweeten your food.
-
Step 9: Cut sugar in your coffee or tea.
-
Step 10: Eat a breakfast high in protein
-
Step 11: fiber and healthy fat.
-
Step 12: Stay active.
-
Step 13: Take a multivitamin.
-
Step 14: Get sufficient sleep.
-
Step 15: Drink lots of water.
Detailed Guide
The nutritional label on prepackaged food products you purchase will list the total amount of sugar per serving in that product.
Keep the serving size in mind as it may be less (or more) than you typically consume.Generally, you shouldn't get more than 5 percent of your calories from sugar.
For the average adult, this works out to about 30g of sugar a day, maximum.
Any food product with more than
22.5g of sugar has a high sugar content and should be avoided – especially for breakfast.
Eating something with that much sugar would mean you'd reached (or even exceeded, depending on the size of your portion) your daily allowance of sugar with the first meal of the day.
Foods with 5g of sugar or less typically are considered low in sugar.
If you're trying to reduce sugar at breakfast and can't get away from prepackaged food products, these are going to be your best bet.
While you may see the word "sugar" on a list of ingredients on the side of a prepackaged food product, you're also likely to see a number of other words that also are sugar, just in a different form.Watch for any word ending in
-ose – sucrose, glucose, fructose, maltose.
These are all sugars.
Highly processed sugars like corn syrup and high-fructose corn syrup can be found on many ingredient lists for prepackaged food products you might find in the grocery store.
Also be on the lookout for molasses, fruit juice, and honey.
Though technically "healthier" than refined sugar, these are still sugars and should be limited if you're trying to reduce sugar at breakfast. , Packaged, prepared, and frozen foods are notoriously high in sugar.
Many frozen foods, such as pre-made breakfast sandwiches, may include sugar as a preservative despite the fact that the food itself isn't particularly sweet.Even if the front of the box proclaims that the product is "lite" or "sugar free" or "diet," you still need to check the ingredient and nutrition panel.
Keep in mind that many of these labels, such as "lite," aren't regulated and could be a deceiving advertisement.
Particularly with food products advertised as diet foods, you need to be on the lookout for artificial sweeteners in addition to regular sugars. , Many sugar-free or diet versions of standard breakfast fare include chemical sweeteners that can be as chemical sweeteners that have their own downfalls.
For example, using artificial sweeteners does nothing to lessen your craving for sweet foods.
Perhaps more importantly, using artificial sweeteners does nothing to lessen your craving for sweet foods.If you find you need some kind of sweetener, at least in the beginning, use Stevia, which is more natural than the other artificial sweeteners on the market.
Try to use progressively less artificial sweetener each day until you eventually find you no longer need it to enjoy your food. , Omelettes are a quick and easy breakfast option that allow you to get a well-balanced meal with plenty of protein all in one dish.
You may equate omelettes with vegetables and savory flavors, but you can make sweet omelettes too – without adding sugar.For example, mix currants or berries into your eggs along with cinnamon and nutmeg for a sweet omelette.
Place fresh fruit and plain yogurt in the middle, then fold it over and serve.
Savory omelettes can be made with your choice of spices, peppers, onions, and other vegetables.
If you have limited times in the morning, dice up some peppers in the evening or when you have more time and store them in your fridge in a closed container so they're ready to go at breakfast time. , Simply swapping your sugary breakfast cereal for plain whole wheat or oats can eliminate as much as 70g of sugar from your diet over the course of a week.
If you need some sweetness, add dried fruit or spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg.Plain grains often can be purchased more cheaply than commercial cereals, and you can save even more by buying in bulk since they have a long shelf life.
If you want to reduce sugar at breakfast gradually, you may want to buy one box of your favorite cereal and mix a small amount of it into your plain cereal.
Each day, gradually decrease the amount of commercial cereal you use until you're not using any of it. , Fruit has natural sugars, but will help you decrease your craving for sugary confections in the morning while also providing vitamins and nutrients you need for a balanced diet and healthy body.You can blend fresh fruit in season with plain yogurt for a smoothie.
One benefit of smoothies is that you can make them in advance and keep them in the fridge to grab and go if you're pressed for time in the mornings.
Many commercial cereals that include fruit also include a lot of sugar that you don't need.
Buy plain cereal without sugar and add your own dried fruit.
Diced fruit also can liven up a bowl of oatmeal or cup of plain yogurt. , You can use spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, coriander, and cardamom to add a sweet flavor to breakfast foods such as toast or oatmeal.
You'll get the sweet flavor you crave and gradually decrease your desire for sugar.Cinnamon is a versatile spice that can add complexity and a balance of flavor to a number of breakfast dishes.
For example, you might try putting a dash of cinnamon on your scrambled eggs.
For a warm and hearty winter breakfast, add cinnamon and nutmeg along with dried apple chunks to plain oatmeal.
You might also consider adding these spices to plain yogurt or blending them into your favorite fruit smoothie. , Coffee and tea are common breakfast drinks, but many people load them up with cream and sugar.
If you're trying to reduce sugar at breakfast, don't overlook this potential source of added sugar.Try to gradually decrease the amount of sugar you add to your coffee or tea each day until you're no longer using any at all.
If you need your morning cup to be sweet, try using honey or molasses.
While still sugar, they're a little healthier for you than refined white sugar.
You might also try using an artificial sweetener such as Stevia. , Protein, fat, and fiber are highly satiating and will help you keep your blood sugar stable.
For breakfast, this means eggs for protein and whole grains for fiber.
Olive oil and avocado provide healthy fats.Consider an omelette with peppers, onions, turkey, and tomato that's drizzled with olive oil or that has a sliced avocado on top.
That's a quick and easy breakfast option that will leave you feeling full for hours and provide a healthy amount of protein, fat, and fiber.
Oatmeal with dried fruit and nuts – especially almonds – is another way to get the protein, fat, and fiber you need to satisfy your body. , Exercise is one of the easiest – and most effective – ways to reduce sugar cravings and keep your energy levels up.
Try to get at least 20 to 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise every day.If your not currently physically active or if you are elderly, then take a 15-minute walk in the morning and then another in the evening.
This amount of activity should be sufficient to maintain a healthy activity level.
However, if you are physically active and/or young, then you should strive to get more physical activity than this.
You should also include some weight training in your exercise regimen.
Add strength training to build muscle mass and start burning belly fat, which excess sugar helps create.
When you get a craving for sweets, take a minute to go for a walk or run up and down a flight of stairs.
After exercise, your body craves salt, not sugar, so this can help you control those cravings while you're trying to cut back on sugar. , Nutritional deficiencies sometimes hide behind sugar cravings, making you feel like you need something sweet when really the need lies elsewhere.
Get in the habit of taking a good-quality multivitamin every morning after eating breakfast.Studies have shown that chromium, Vitamin B3, and magnesium are particularly instrumental in helping your body control blood sugar.Typically the fewer nutritional deficiencies you have, the fewer cravings you will have, making it easier for you to weaken the grip that sugar has on your body and mind.
If you have any significant health problems or chronic medical conditions, you should consult your doctor for recommendations on a vitamin that would work for you and not interfere with your condition or any prescription medications. , Sleep deprivation can disrupt your normal hormone levels and cause you to think you're hungry when you're really not.
Making sure you get between 6 and 8 hours of sleep each night can help you avoid sugar cravings while you're cutting back.Keep in mind that your brain associates sugar consumption with a burst of energy.
So if you're tired or fatigued, your brain is going to tell you that you want something sweet.
However, if you're well-rested and intersperse activity throughout your day, you'll be less likely to start thinking you need sugar to keep going.
Additionally, getting too little sleep can cause tension, stress, and anxiety, all of which may increase your craving for sugar. , Aside from it being generally important to keep your body well hydrated, drinking water can reduce or eliminate your cravings for sugar.
Often your brain tells you that you're hungry when really you just need water.Drinking a large glass of water before meals can help reduce your appetite, which may be important if you're trying to lose weight.
If you have a craving for a sweet or sugary treat, drink a large glass of water and wait for five minutes.
You may want to go for a walk or do something to take your mind off your craving.
After five minutes has elapsed, you may find that your craving is gone.
About the Author
Betty Barnes
Experienced content creator specializing in hobbies guides and tutorials.
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