10 ways to cut down on sugar

• Reduce the sugar you add to hot drinks
• Avoid low-fat 'diet' foods
• Be wary of 'sugar-free' foods
• Go low GI (glycaemic index)
• Switch to less refined options
• Spice it up
• Beware liquid sugar
• Get into the habit of reading labels
• Choose your sweet treats wisely
• Beware the ‘health halo’

Whether you're looking for sugar-free baking guides or simply want to find out your recommended daily amounts, find all the answers in our sugar hub.

10 ways to cut down on sugar

Reducing your sugar intake can be easier than you think, by simply making a few adjustments to your diet you may be able to reduce some of the unnecessary sugar that you eat.

Here’s how to get started…

1. Reduce the sugar you add to hot drinks

Best done gradually to give your tastebuds time to adjust. For hot drinks, why not try adding a sprinkle of cinnamon to a cappuccino or hot chocolate? Cinnamon has several health benefits, it adds flavour without the sweetness and may support how your body responds to insulin, the hormone that manages blood sugar.

2. Avoid low-fat diet foods

So-called low fat or ‘diet’ foods tend to be high in refined carbs and potentially sugar. Instead understand what makes a healthy portion and stick to moderate amounts of the regular versions instead.

3. Be wary of 'sugar-free' foods

These often contain artificial sweeteners like sucralose, saccharin and aspartame. Although these synthetic sweeteners taste sweet, research suggests that they don't help to curb a sweet tooth, instead they may send confusing messages to the brain that may lead to over-eating. They may also have the potential to disrupt the beneficial bacteria in the gut that play an important role in managing blood sugar and much more.

Read more about sweeteners

4. Go low GI (glycaemic index)

By combining sugary foods with protein-rich ones like fish, chicken, turkey and tofu, you’ll reduce the impact of the sugar on your blood glucose levels. This is because protein slows stomach emptying, which helps manage cravings and reduces the glycaemic effect of the carb-rich foods you eat.

Read more about low glycaemic index foods.

Try our nutty chicken curry

5. Switch to less refined options

It’s not just sugar you need to consider, starchy foods like pasta, rice, bread and potatoes convert to sugar in the body and have exactly the same impact on our blood sugar levels. Swap white bread, rice and pasta for wholegrain versions and enjoy potatoes in their skins, for the added fibre.

Try our mixed seed bread or our wholemeal penne with avocado.

6. Spice it up

Reduce the sugar in recipes and replace it with spices instead. Spices boost flavour so your taste buds won’t miss the sweetness. We’ve used naturally sweet apples in our delicious spiced apple pie and kept sugar levels low by adding cardamom to provide a spicy twist.

7. Beware liquid sugar

Stick to one glass (150ml) of fruit juice a day (ideally dilute it with water and enjoy with a meal to protect your teeth), keep soft drinks and alcohol for treats and special occasions. Instead opt for herbal teas or water with slices of citrus fruits for flavouring.

Learn more about the health benefits of lemon water.

8. Get into the habit of reading labels

Packaged foods, even savoury ones like pasta sauces and condiments, can be high in sugar. Manufacturers add sugar, not just because it makes food taste good but because it may help with the texture of the product and provide bulk or volume. Get into the habit of reading labels and learn which ingredients are a form of sugar – good examples are any ingredients ending in ‘-ose’ such as dextrose, maltose and fructose.

9. Choose your sweet treats wisely

We all crave a sweet pick-me-up from time to time, but a piece of fruit with nuts or plain yogurt is always going to be the better option to a biscuit. This is because nuts and yogurt contain protein which helps balance blood sugar and energy levels. Alternatively indulge in a square or two of unsweetened, high cocoa dark chocolate, you’ll get all the pleasure of the chocolate’s silky texture as it melts from solid to creamy smooth in the mouth, but with minimal sugar (but do check labels).

Try our cinnamon cashew spread with apple slices, or our berry yogurt pots.

10. Beware the ‘health halo’

Many snack foods, such as granola bars and trail mixes, give the illusion of being extra healthy and better for you than a chocolate bar – you’ll see the label carrying words like ‘natural’ or ‘wholesome'. However, many of these products are still high in sugar, typically in the form of honey, maple or glucose syrup. These are all ‘free’ sugars – the type we are advised to cut back on.

So, how can you easily cut down on sugar?

It can be hard to spot added sugar because the sugar figure on the nutrition label (‘carbs as sugar’) includes both naturally occurring sugar and added sugar. The most effective way to minimise your intake is to avoid highly processed foods, buy whole foods and cook from scratch more often and choose water over sugary drinks like fizzy soda, cordial or fruit juice.

Useful resources for cutting down on sugar

Davina McCall: How to be sugar-free
Our favourite lower sugar recipes
Good Food's guide to sugar-free baking

Like this? Now read...

10 things you should know before giving up sugar
How much sugar in a can of cola?
Are fizzy drinks bad for you?
Are sweeteners bad for you?
All you need to know about sugar
More health & nutrition tips

This page was reviewed on 17 March 2025 by Kerry Torrens

Kerry Torrens BSc. (Hons) PgCert MBANT is a BANT Registered Nutritionist® with a post graduate diploma in Personalised Nutrition & Nutritional Therapy. She is a member of the British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT) and a member of the Guild of Food Writers. Over the last 15 years she has been a contributing author to a number of nutritional and cookery publications including Good Food.

All health content on goodfood.com is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. If you have any concerns about your general health, you should contact your local health care provider. See our website terms and conditions for more information.