Interest abounds in reducing sugar in our diets to improve health, make space for more wholesome ingredients, reduce risk of chronic diseases and perhaps assist in weight control. But if quitting sugar worries you, rest assured that a low-sugar diet doesn’t equate to low amounts of flavor! Our seven-day nutritious meal plan, which contains less than 25 grams of total sugar per day, proves just that! Plus, find out how to break your sugar addiction using our helpful tips below. And to sweeten to deal, here’s an easy-to-follow guide to natural sugar alternatives so you can learn how stop eating sugar for good!
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Sunday |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Saturday |
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B
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Egg muffin bake: egg whites w/ spinach, mushrooms, & low-fat cheese or nondairy cheese |
Oatmeal w/ apple pie spice + slices from ½ pear |
Cold whole-grain cereal w/ unsweetened almond milk & lean sausage or veggie sausage |
Breakfast burrito: whole grain wrap w/ scrambled tofu or eggs & sautéed veggies |
Avocado toast w/ hemp seeds |
Unsweetened vanilla yogurt w/ chia seeds, kasha & five blueberries |
Protein waffles w/ unsweetened Greek yogurt & pecans |
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S
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Cottage cheese w/ 2 Tbsp. pomegranate arils |
Unsweetened yogurt w/ low-sugar granola & peanut butter powder |
Mixed nuts + 1 Tbsp. raisins |
Celery + natural peanut butter |
½ apple + low sugar caramel dip |
Carrots + hummus |
Baked tortilla chips + guacamole |
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L
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Pita pocket stuffed w/ quinoa, diced vegetables, walnuts, feta cheese & olive oil |
Vegetable pizza: whole-grain sandwich slim w/ light cream cheese, carrots, broccoli, bell pepper, sunflower seeds & dill |
Toasted chicken or faux chicken sandwich + lentil soup |
Leftover Buddha bowl + green smoothie: celery, spinach, unsweetened soy milk, parsley |
Peanut butter & low-sugar jelly sandwich on flax bread + string cheese |
Kale salad w/ pumpkin seeds, onions, garbanzo beans, pecans, oil & vinegar dressing |
Broccoli salad w/ sunflower seeds + cookie dough milkshake: unsweetened soy milk, almond butter, vanilla extract, raw cacao nibs & stevia |
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D
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Fettuccine Alfredo: raw cashew cream sauce w/ whole grain noodles & broccoli |
Whole wheat spaghetti w/ marinara & lean meatballs or veggie meatballs |
Buddha bowl: black rice, shelled edamame, cauliflower, kale & tahini |
Bean chili w/ whole-grain dinner roll |
Pizza bagel: whole-grain bagel w/tomato sauce, light cheese, meat or soy crumbles, mushrooms, onions & Italian seasoning |
Tofu rice paper spring rolls w/ carrots, cucumbers & sesame seeds + light peanut sauce |
Pita sandwich: falafel w/ baba gannouj, pickled cabbage, beets & crispy onions |
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D
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Whole-wheat crackers w/ nut cheese, cucumber, radish & dill |
Protein balls: peanut butter, oats, cocoa powder, cinnamon, grated orange peel |
Baked tortilla chips w/ corn & black bean salsa |
Graham crackers w/ light cream cheese |
Decaf chai tea made w/ unsweetened coconut milk & monk fruit extract |
Air-popped popcorn w/ spices & drizzled light margarine |
Bruschetta: tomatoes, parmesan cheese, basil, balsamic vinegar & olive oil |
Added vs. natural
Most sugar in the American diet comes from added sweeteners, namely in beverages. Excess sugar by the name of syrup, honey, nectar, molasses, sugar, agave, concentrated juice, fructose, glucose or sucrose, from places like bars, candy, cookies, pies, fruit drinks and desserts offer very little benefit to our health. However, sugar which is inherent to fruit and dairy (as well as in small varying amounts from legumes, grains and vegetables), offers a pretty package of fiber and protein, respectively. Keep in mind that dehydrated fruit, such as raisins or dried cranberries, will have more sugar per ounce than its fresh counterpart due to extracting the moisture, therefore it is advisable to stick to one serving.
How much sugar is OK?
The “Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) 2015-2020” recommends that no more than 10 percent of your total calorie intake be from added sugars. This means for an adult following a 1,600-calorie diet, no more than 40 grams a day should be from added sweeteners, while an adult following a 2,000-calorie diet should not exceed 50 grams of added sugar per day. If you are at increased risk for heart disease, the American Heart Association has more stringent guidelines that suggest no more than 25 grams (six teaspoons) added sugar for women and no more than 36 grams (nine teaspoons) added sugar for men is consumed daily. The DGA advises to strive for two cup-equivalents of fruit (on a 2,000-calorie diet) and three cup-equivalents of dairy or fortified soy milk on a daily basis for a healthy eating pattern.
New & improved labels
The food industry is undergoing an overhaul of the nutrition facts panel present on food packaging. The standard nutrition facts panel from the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) of years past will now experience a facelift: different listed vitamins/minerals, larger fonts, adjusted serving sizes, and the clarification on how much total sugar is added. This puts some power back at our fingertips as now consumers can determine, for example, if a fruit-derived food product actually has most of its sugar content from produce itself or if it is from added sweetener.