Breakfast
| Instead of | Try | Why it helps |
|---|
| Frosted or chocolate cereal | Plain wholegrain cereal or porridge with sliced fruit | Fruit adds sweetness plus fibre; you set the amount |
| Flavoured yogurt pot | Plain or Greek yogurt with berries and a pinch of cinnamon | Flavoured pots often carry several teaspoons of added sugar |
| Shop-bought granola | Toasted oats and nuts, or a granola with low added sugar per 100 g | Many granolas are bound with syrup or honey |
| Jam on toast | Mashed banana, nut butter, or crushed berries on toast | Swaps a concentrated sugar for whole fruit or protein |
| Pastry or muffin | Wholegrain toast with egg, or a homemade oat muffin with less sugar | More protein keeps you fuller through the morning |
Drinks
| Instead of | Try | Why it helps |
|---|
| Regular cola or lemonade | Sparkling water with citrus, cucumber or mint | Removes one of the largest single sources of free sugar |
| Fruit juice | Whole fruit, or juice diluted half and half with water | Juicing frees the sugar from the fruit's cells |
| Flavoured latte with syrup | Plain latte, or ask for one pump of syrup instead of the usual | Each pump of syrup adds sugar; fewer pumps is an easy step |
| Sweetened iced tea | Cold-brew tea with lemon, unsweetened | Same refreshment, no added sugar |
| Sports drink at the desk | Water | Sports drinks are designed for long, hard exercise |
More on this in hidden sugar in drinks.
Snacks
| Instead of | Try | Why it helps |
|---|
| Cereal bar | A handful of nuts and an apple | Many cereal bars are held together with syrups |
| Biscuits with tea | Oatcakes with cheese, or one biscuit on a plate rather than the packet | Portion control counts as a swap too |
| Sweets in the afternoon | Grapes, clementines or a few squares of dark chocolate | Still sweet, with less sugar per portion |
| Dried fruit by the handful | Fresh fruit, or a small portion of dried fruit with nuts | Dried fruit is easy to overeat because the water is gone |
Sauces and savoury foods
| Instead of | Try | Why it helps |
|---|
| Ketchup on everything | Mustard, salsa, or a reduced-sugar ketchup | Standard ketchup contains a notable share of sugar |
| Jar of sweet stir-fry sauce | Soy sauce, garlic, ginger and lime | Jarred sauces often list sugar high in the ingredients |
| Bottled salad dressing | Olive oil, lemon or vinegar, salt and pepper | Some low-fat dressings add sugar to replace the fat |
| Baked beans, regular | Reduced-sugar baked beans | Same meal, noticeably less added sugar |
Baking and desserts
| Instead of | Try | Why it helps |
|---|
| The full sugar in a recipe | A quarter to a third less sugar | Most cakes and cookies still work; texture may be slightly different |
| Sugar for flavour | Vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom or orange zest | Aromatic flavours make food taste sweeter than it is |
| Ice cream every night | Frozen banana blended until creamy | Whole fruit sweetness with no added sugar |
| Syrup drizzled on pancakes | Warm berries crushed into a quick compote | Fruit gives colour and sweetness without syrup |
Swapping sugar for honey, agave, maple syrup or coconut sugar is not a reduction. All of them count as free sugars. If you want sweetness without sugar, see the sweeteners guide.