Sugar-free diet: This is how you don't fall into the sugar trap

On average, every German eats a good 16 teaspoons of sugar a day. Way too much. But implementing a sugar-free diet is not that easy. We'll tell you how it works anyway.

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Sugar has a lot of calories, causes tooth decay, can lead to obesity and promote diseases such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease. The World Health OrganizationWHOtherefore strongly recommends that we reduce our sugar consumption. Three German specialist societies, German Society for Nutrition (DGE), the German Obesity Society (DAG) and the German Diabetes Society have agreed on 50 g per day as the upper limit. This corresponds to about 10 teaspoons. However, according to the German Nutrition Society, the intake of free sugar in Germany is well above the recommendation. But how can you save sugar and implement a sugar-free or low-sugar diet in everyday life?

The biggest stumbling block is that sugar is found almost everywhere, often in hidden form. Whether table sugar (sucrose), dextrose (glucose) or fructose (fructose) – many foods contain some form of sugar.

A recent study byFoodwatchshows: Germany leads the European rankings when it comes to sugar consumption from soft drinks. The high sugar content in soft drinks not only contributes significantly to weight gain, but also increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. That's why Foodwatch is campaigning for a so-called "soda tax" to curb excessive consumption of sugary drinks.

So it's quite complicated to completely avoid sugar. But we'll give you a few tips on how you can still eat as sugar-free as possible.

Sugar-free diet: is it even possible?

Some people might think that I rarely sweeten with sugar. That's right, pure household sugar isn't used that often in everyday life. However, it is found in many processed foods. For example, pizza, bread, fruit yoghurt, sausage and of course sweets, chocolate, cakes, biscuits... And yes, most people eat some of that.

A completely sugar-free diet is hardly possible and doesn't have to be. That shouldn't be the case! Because sugar (but only in a certain form) is the fuel for our bodies, we couldn't live without it. It is important that you know foods with hidden sugar and reduce them.

Do you know how much unnecessary sugar you are consuming?Credit:iStock

Beware, sugar trap

Anyone looking for 100% sugar-free foods will be disappointed. Because there is a little bit of sugar in almost all foods. Nevertheless, there are of course products that contain more sugar than others: sweets, ice cream and cakes scream “sugar”. Reducing it is good, but it is not enough if you want to maintain a sugar-free or low-sugar diet.

If you want to eat as “sugar-free” as possible, you should try to cook for yourself as often as possible and avoid ready-made foods. By preparing your own meals with fresh, natural products, you are guaranteed to reduce your sugar consumption.

Sugar is often hidden in ready meals: prefer fresh, home-prepared meals.Credit:iStock

If you buy such products, pay attention to the list of ingredients. Because sugar hides a wide variety of terms: glucose, fructose, maltose, maltodextrin, syrup, malto extract.

Sugar is not only a great flavor carrier, but can also be added as a preservative or thickener. Anyone who has ever made jam themselves knows how wonderfully long-lasting the jam is when adding sugar...

If you are aiming for a low-sugar or sugar-free diet, you should avoid these foods:

  • Cornflakes and ready-made muesli
  • White bread and toast
  • Fruit yogurt
  • sweets
  • Cakes and tarts
  • Chips and pretzel sticks
  • Ketchup
  • Fast food and ready meals
  • Soft Drinks

How good are sugar alternatives?

Would you rather use sweeteners or honey instead of sugar? You don't have to give up sweetness completely if you want to reduce your sugar consumption. There are many alternatives to table sugar, e.g. E.g. honey, agave syrup, stevia or various sweeteners. All of them have their advantages and disadvantages:

  • Honey and agave syrup: also contain a lot of sugar, a similar number of calories and can lead to tooth decay.
  • Stevia: Is better because it contains 0 calories and is still completely natural. However, the taste takes some getting used to.
  • However, you should avoid sweeteners, they are still criticized.

Healthier and fewer calories: There are even more ideas for delicious ones here!

Our tip:Use real sugar if you want to sweeten something, but reduce the amount gradually. For example, lemon also tastes very good in tea.

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The best tips for a sugar-free diet

Would you like to try a low-sugar or sugar-free diet? Then it's best to stick to the following tips:

  • Cook as freshly as possible and avoid ready-made products.
  • Eat unprocessed foods such as fruits, vegetables, meat, eggs or oatmeal as often as possible. Milk, natural yogurt, quark or cheese are also a good alternative.
  • Avoid sugar and sweeteners in drinks.
  • Drink water and herbal or fruit tea instead of soda and juice.
  • Learn to eat sweets with pleasure - then cravings don't stand a chance and a piece of chocolate is enough.

Sugar-free diet: small experiment

Sugar is the same as salt: our bodies, and especially our taste buds, quickly get used to “too much” of a good thing: If you eat a lot of sugar, you always need more sweetness for the optimal taste.

Say:You sweeten much more because otherwise everything tastes sour or like nothing.
Conversely, this also means that if you eat less sugar, you will taste the flavor much more intensely and therefore need to sweeten less.

Pay close attention to everything you eat for a week. Write down all the foods that are high in sugar and gradually eliminate them to reduce your sugar consumption. You will see: after just a few weeks you will taste sugar much more clearly. And a lot of things that previously tasted good are suddenly too sweet... Sometimes less is more!

Important note at the end:Your body is as individual as your character. You have to find out for yourself which diet and which form of training suits you best. Don't let others put pressure on you. In principle, however, the following applies: an active lifestyle with a balanced diet and lots of exercise is still the best way to stay fit over the long term and achieve or maintain a healthy weight.