I recently went over two weeks without eating any sugar in my diet, and besides all of the benefits (like losing over 10 pounds) I was able to enjoy, I also learned a lot about food as well. In specific, foods with sugar, and foods without sugar. When you examine labels closely and really watch your diet, there is a lot more sugar than you probably know. Today, after being on this journey for a while, I’m going to share my knowledge of the best foods without sugar. It’s a list of sugar free foods that you can incorporate into your diet to keep sugar at bay!
First, let’s talk about where most people stand with their sugar intake.
What is the Average Daily Sugar Intake for Americans?
The average American consumes roughly 17 teaspoons of added sugar daily. This number is far greater than what the American Heart Association recommends, which is around 6 teaspoons for women and 9 for men. Just about everything you pick up on the interior of your grocer is a processed or packaged food. These foods are loaded with added sugars. I spoke in great detail about the added sugar topic on this blog.
Added sugars cause weight gain, heart problems, and even diabetes.
What is an Acceptable Daily Sugar Intake?
Try getting less than 10% of your daily calories from sugar. Personally I go well below 5% after doing my two week challenge and losing weight.
A 12 ounce soda drink has roughly 11 teaspoons of sugar, and this is over the limit for both men and women, so you can see how hard this can get if you don’t know what your habits are doing to your body.
If you are eating fresh fruit, you are in the clear. There aren’t any added sugars in fresh fruit – the sugar is all natural.
Now, let’s get into the foods that have no sugar!
Best No Sugar Foods
Next time you hit the supermarket, do so with a mindset of finding only no sugar foods. Here’s my list of what I like to consume:
1. Fruits
Eat fresh fruit and you’ll get a sugar free experience. Avoid dried fruits, as they have added sugars.
2. Vegetables
There is nothing better for you than your greens! You can also include potatoes and carrots, which have natural sugar. Any fresh vegetable you purchase is sugar free, just make sure to take a close look at labels if you buy anything processed.
3. Beans, Peas, and Legumes
If you are avoiding carbs, you won’t want to eat these. But if you are fine with carbs, know that these are all low sugar options and of course, without any added sugars.
4. Animal & Plant Proteins
Lean beef, chicken, pork, and plant proteins are all good to consumer without any threat of added sugars.
5. Dairy Products & Dairy-Free Milks
I’ve cut way back on dairy personally, but a little almond or coconut milk may make it’s way into my coffee for some flavor!
6. Grains
Whole grains are free of sugars. My favorite are wild rice and farrow.
7. Nuts & Seeds
Nuts and seeds alone are great sources of foods without sugar. Just watch out if they add them to a trail mix filled with sugars. My favorites here are pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds, although the latter, you have to really watch out for the sodium content.
In addition, I like to add hummus, coffee, and Topo Chico water to my list.
And that concludes my list of the best foods free of sugars!