How to Choose Natural Over Added Sugars

By Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN, LD 

Sugar is pervasive in the American food supply, showing up everywhere from sodas to condiments. It’s also at the top of many Americans’ minds. Cutting down on sugar is one of the most common nutrition goals. 

But there’s a big difference between natural and added sugars when it comes to making healthy choices. It’s recommended to limit added sugars in a healthy diet. 

Read on to learn more about the official guidance on added sugars and 10 sugar swaps. 

Limiting Added Sugar 

Natural sugars occur in fruits, milk, and certain vegetables. Added sugars are added to foods with the purpose of making them sweet. These include table sugar, brown sugar, and even sweeteners like maple syrup and honey. 

Foods that have natural sugars contain other beneficial nutrients, such as fiber, vitamins, and minerals in fruits and vegetables. Fiber helps to slow down digestion and prevent a drastic rise in blood sugar. Consuming foods with lots of added sugar, on the other hand, leads to a quick spike in blood sugar and subsequent energy crash. 

High added sugar intake has also been linked to health problems, including weight gain and type 2 diabetes. Nutrition experts suggest cutting back on added sugar as part of a healthy diet. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting added sugar to less than 10% of total daily calories.  

The American Heart Association encourages limiting added sugar to less than 6% of total daily calories. This translates to 6 teaspoons (25g) of sugar per day for women and 9 teaspoons (38g) of sugar per day for men. 

Keep in mind that these are limits, not goal amounts, for added sugars. If you are already eating less than the recommended limit, you shouldn’t be adding more sugar to your diet to hit it. 

Foods with natural sugars do not need to be limited. They are often brimming with beneficial nutrients and contribute to your daily vitamin, mineral, and/or fiber needs. If you have diabetes, keep an eye on portion sizes of foods with natural sugars and eat them in combination with foods that do not spike blood sugar. 

Natural Sugar Swaps 

There are a lot of ways you can swap added sugar in your diet with foods that contain natural sugars instead. 

Here are some swaps that can help you stay below the daily limit for added sugars: 

  • Instead of soda, infuse plain carbonated water with frozen fruits. 

  • In place of your morning pastry, make a smoothie with kale, frozen mango, and avocado. 

  • Use unsweetened applesauce or mashed bananas in place of sugar in baked goods. 

  • Instead of an afternoon candy bar, have a handful of dried apricots (unsweetened), almonds, and 70% or more dark chocolate. 

  • Choose plain oatmeal, not one with brown sugar, and sweeten it with fresh fruit instead. 

  • Skip the lattes with flavored syrups and drink coffee with a splash of milk and some cinnamon. 

  • Try homemade banana “nice cream” for dessert. 

  • Make popsicles with fresh fruit puree and plain yogurt instead of having store-bought frozen desserts. 

  • Enjoy a few dates stuffed with nut butter instead of cookies. 

  • Make homemade salad dressing with olive oil, lemon juice, whole grain mustard, and seasonings instead of buying one with added sugar. 

Note from Healthy For Life Meals: Our plans make it easy to cut back on added sugars without extra planning or prep on your end. Our 1200-calories-per-day plan includes an average of just 17g of added sugar per day, well below the AHA’s recommended limit of 25g for women, and our 2000-calorie plan just 27g per day, well below the recommendation of 38g for men. Order today for your low sugar, fresh meal delivery next week.

Stef Keegan