When cutting out sugar, what should you stop eating? Your guide to a healthier diet

October 12, 2025 •

2 min read

According to the American Heart Association, most adults consume significantly more than the recommended daily amount of added sugar. When cutting out sugar, what should you stop eating is often the most challenging and critical question to answer, as the sweet stuff hides in many surprising places beyond candy and soda.

Quick Summary

This guide identifies the primary sources of added sugar to eliminate from your diet, from sugary beverages and desserts to hidden ingredients in processed meals and condiments. It offers strategies for reading food labels and outlines healthy alternatives to support a lower sugar lifestyle.

Key Points

Eliminate Sugary Drinks: Cut out soda, most fruit juices, sports drinks, and sweetened coffee, which are major sources of liquid calories and added sugar.
Watch for Hidden Sugars: Be vigilant about checking food labels on condiments like ketchup, sauces, and 'healthy' processed snacks like granola bars, which often contain surprising amounts of added sweeteners.
Replace Refined Carbs: Foods like white bread and pasta are quickly broken down into glucose, so swap them for whole-grain alternatives that provide fiber and stabilize blood sugar.
Opt for Whole Foods: Prioritize vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, and healthy fats, which provide essential nutrients and help curb cravings by keeping you full.
Read Food Labels Thoroughly: Learn to identify sugar's many aliases, including ingredients ending in '-ose,' corn syrup, and fruit juice concentrates, to successfully eliminate added sugar.
Avoid Artificial Sweeteners: For a complete reset, it's best to avoid artificial sweeteners initially, as they can maintain your preference for intense sweetness and continue to fuel cravings.

Reducing sugar intake is a common goal for improving health, but the prevalence of added sugar in modern diets makes this challenging. The key is to identify where sugar is present, extending beyond obvious sweets to many packaged foods. This guide details food categories to eliminate and suggests healthier swaps.

The Sweet Culprits: Foods with Obvious Added Sugar

Foods with clearly high sugar content are often the first to be addressed when reducing intake. These contribute significantly to excess calories and health risks. For a detailed list of foods to avoid, including sugary drinks, sweets, desserts, and sugary breakfast items, and information on hidden sources of sugar in condiments and 'healthy' packaged foods, please refer to {Link: Banner Health website https://www.bannerhealth.com/healthcareblog/advise-me/sugar-detox}.

Artificial Sweeteners and Highly Processed Foods

Some alternatives and refined carbohydrates can impact sugar cravings and blood sugar levels.

Artificial Sweeteners (may maintain a preference for sweetness)
Refined Carbohydrates (e.g., white bread and pasta, which break down quickly into glucose)

How to Identify Hidden Sugars

Reading food labels is essential. Look for the "Added Sugars" line on the Nutrition Facts panel. Check the ingredients list; if sugar or its aliases appear early, the product is high in sugar. Become familiar with sugar's various names, including words ending in "-ose," different syrups, and terms like cane sugar, honey, and molasses.

A Comparison of High-Sugar vs. Low-Sugar Alternatives

For a comparison table illustrating high-sugar foods and their low-sugar alternatives, such as swapping sugary soda for sparkling water, flavored yogurt for plain Greek yogurt with berries, and white bread for whole-grain bread, please see {Link: Banner Health website https://www.bannerhealth.com/healthcareblog/advise-me/sugar-detox}.

Making Lasting Changes

Replacing eliminated sugar with nutritious foods is key to managing hunger and cravings and ensuring adequate nutrient intake.

Focus on Whole Foods: Prioritize vegetables, fruits, lean protein, and healthy fats, which provide fiber, vitamins, and minerals that help regulate blood sugar and provide sustained energy.
Stay Hydrated: Drinking enough water can help distinguish thirst from hunger or sugar cravings. Infusing water can add flavor without sugar.
Use Natural Flavorings: Spices like cinnamon, vanilla, or nutmeg can add flavor. Cinnamon may also help with blood sugar regulation.

Conclusion

Reducing sugar intake is a significant step for health, requiring careful attention to dietary habits. It involves eliminating obvious sweets and identifying and replacing hidden sugars in various processed items. By focusing on whole foods and understanding food labels, individuals can gain better control over their diet. This approach supports healthy weight, more stable energy, improved mood, and a reduced risk of chronic diseases. Adjusting to less sweetness takes time, but the long-term health benefits are considerable. Consulting a registered dietitian can provide additional personalized guidance.

Frequently Asked Questions

To check for hidden sugars, first, look for the 'Added Sugars' line on the Nutrition Facts panel. Next, check the ingredients list. If sugar or an alias like high-fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, molasses, or anything ending in '-ose' is near the top, the food is high in added sugar.

When you stop eating sugar, your body can experience various benefits. These include more stable energy levels, reduced risk of weight gain and diabetes, improved mental clarity and mood, better skin health, and curbed sugar cravings over time.

Common names for sugar include corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, cane sugar, brown sugar, honey, molasses, and any ingredient ending in '-ose' such as sucrose, dextrose, fructose, and maltose.

No, you do not need to avoid all sugar. The sugars found naturally in whole fruits and vegetables come with essential fiber, vitamins, and minerals that help your body process the sugar slowly. The focus should be on eliminating added or 'free' sugars from processed foods.

To deal with cravings, focus on eating whole, satisfying foods rich in protein and fiber, like nuts, seeds, and vegetables. Stay well-hydrated, and try using natural flavorings like cinnamon or vanilla. Cravings typically last only 15 minutes, so find a distraction like a walk or a glass of water to push through.

While honey and maple syrup are natural, your body responds to them in the same way as regular sugar. The American Heart Association classifies them as 'added sugars.' They should still be used in moderation when you are cutting back on sugar.

Good low-sugar breakfast options include plain Greek yogurt with fresh berries and nuts, oatmeal made with rolled oats and topped with cinnamon, or scrambled eggs with vegetables like spinach and tomato.