Think cutting out sugar in your morning cup of coffee has solved all your problems? Think again.

Have you taken a close look at some of the things in your fridge lately? 

Now for some good news: Whether you’re trying for a sugar-free diet or just figuring out how to cut down on sugar, we have a few pretty good ideas to help you out. So … read on.

Read Your Labels

Sugar is everywhere. Not sure if there’s sugar in something you’re about to eat? According to the University of California, San Francisco's SugarScience Resources, there are a whopping 61 names for sugar. So you may not see sucrose or fructose on your ingredient label, but things like dextrin, maltose, and barley malt are other sneaky ways to say: “Hey, there’s sugar in this product.”

 

Swap out Sugar-Laden Drinks 

Well, duh. Ditch the sodas, the sports drinks, those supplements with added sugar, fresh-squeezed juices, and smoothies. Stick to no-sugar-added teas, black coffee, sparkling water, or, you know, just plain old water.

Cook! 

The easiest way to cut your daily sugar intake is to avoid prepackaged foods. That means cooking — you know, boiling water and turning on your oven. No need to be super extra. Just start simple, like with grilled veggies and a protein. Oh, and we just happen to have tips on how to grill the best steak everrr.

Inventory your sauces

Look, sauces are the reason why we eat things. A poke bowl isn’t nearly as yum without the drizzle of ginger ponzu. Fries basically demand to be smothered in ketchup. But if you’re reducing sugar, that means tossing some bottles that — real talk — have probably been in your fridge for way too long anyway. 

Thankfully, there are a ton of healthy alternatives these days — and not the kind that are loaded with aspartame and sketchy ingredients. Primal Kitchen and Tessemae’s have real-food, sugar-free sauces and dressings that won’t make your taste buds sad.

Also, try seasoning your food with herbs and spices. Sub in mayo and yellow mustard as your sandwich condiments of choice. Add pesto or a chimichurri sauce to make your meats and veggies more exciting.

 

Fill Up on Protein 

Keep high-protein foods that don’t have a bunch of added sugar on hand as your go-to snacks. That way when your stomach starts to rumble midday, you can grab a handful of almonds, a boiled egg, roasted chickpeas, seeds, or plain Greek yogurt. 

And if you need a snack with a little more flavor, don’t worry — you’ve got options. Our Zero-Sugar Jerky and Meat Sticks, for example, manage to be freaking delicious without any added sugar. We’d name more options, but...do we really need to?

Figuring out how to reduce sugar intake isn’t quite as hard as you’d think. If you’re still on the fence about tossing your fave high-sugar salad dressing, check out our post on the benefits of a low-sugar diet. You’re welcome.

Ready to stock up on some sugar-free snacks? Put that Amazon Prime membership to good use and grab a few bags from our Zero-Sugar jerky line. You can also shop from our site or find us in a store near you.