Multiple reasons exist to cut down or eliminate sugar from your diet. For example, if you are pre-diabetic or have diabetes, your physician may tell you to slash the sugar. Weight watchers can shed pounds without making any other changes just by swapping that sugar on their cereal or coffee for zero calorie sweeteners. And when you visit the dentist, the advice usually includes “Cut the sugar!”
The great news for sugary foods lovers: Vitacost has a wide array of options, from the newest sugar substitutes like stevia to sugar-free desserts. So get your taste buds ready to be tempted with these guilt-free goodies:
- Are you a fan of the pink, blue or yellow packets for your coffee or tea? Then meet the newest variety: Stevia! All natural and calorie-free, it mixes well with any beverage or food, from oatmeal to yogurt. Recommended: Best Of All All-Natural Stevia Sweetener.
- Plain yogurt is great for your digestive system, and when you choose a variety high in protein, it helps maintain your muscles and metabolism at their peak. The issue for many of us: That tartness! Solve it with a zero-calorie flavoring, such as Wisdom Natural SweetLeaf ® Sweet Dropsâ„¢ Sweetener in flavors like vanilla crème and English toffee.
- One of the easiest ways to lose weight is to make small swaps in foods you regularly eat. For example, if you pile sugary jam on your toast each morning, you can cut as much as 300 calories a day by substituting a zero-calorie jam, such as Walden Farms Blueberry Jam or Strawberry Jam.
- “Mom, Dad, what’s for dessert?” Shifting to reduced sugar or sugar-free products can benefit the entire family. But it leaves you with a dilemma when dessert time arrives. Solution: Sugar-free brownie mixes, which taste just as fudge-rich and chewy as the regular kind! Recommended: Universal Nutrition Doctor’s CarbRite Sugar-Free Brownie Mix, which contains no sugar.
- Are you having a snack attack? An apple and a piece of cheese or a handful of nuts make great options. But when you’re in a rush or on the go, you want something that’s ready to eat. To the rescue: NuGo Nutrition Smarte Carb Sugar Free Peanut Butter Crunch bars! With 20 grams of protein and five grams of fiber, they’re designed to minimize blood sugar spikes, which is important for those with diabetes, pre-diabetes or hypoglycemia. And when it comes to flavor, there’s something magical about the combination of peanut butter and chocolate. These bars are so good that they just may make you happy that you’ve chosen a sugar-free lifestyle!
Joanne Eglash, Vitacost.com’s Diet Diva, has a master of science in holistic nutrition and more than 15 years experience as a nutrition consultant, blogger, author and journalist. She has written for a wide range of publications and websites, including ediets.com,Natural Health magazine, Shape magazine, Success magazine, Energy for Women and Chefs. Joanne is currently the national Diets columnist for the online news and entertainment site, Examiner.com, and a features food columnist for Yahoo.