Foods with less sugar

How to choose foods with less sugar

If you’re looking to cut back on sweets, or are counting calories, try to get your hit of sugar from foods that contain it naturally, such as dairy products and fruit. When it comes to packaged foods, nix the obvious-pop, cake, cookies and candy. But beware of some other packaged foods, too, because even those you consider to be healthy can contain a surprising amount of the sweet stuff. The good news? You can often find a great lower-sugar alternative. Click on for eight food swaps.

Yogurt

Instead of this: President’s Choice Blue Menu Fat-Free Finesse Strawberry 0% M.F. yogurt has 6 grams of sugar in a 3/4-cup (175-gram) serving.

Try this: President’s Choice Blue Menu Fat-Free Finesse Plain 0% M.F. yogurt has 4 grams of sugar per 3/4 cup. Just add your own fruit.

Salad dressing

Instead of this: Kraft Russian dressing adds 5 grams of sugar per tablespoon (15 mL) to your good-girl lunchtime salad.

Try this: Kraft Calorie-Wise Signature Sundried Tomato & Oregano dressing has just 1 gram of sugar per tablespoon.

Oatmeal

Instead of this: Quaker Apples & Cinnamon instant oatmeal packets have 11 grams of sugar per serving.

Try this: There’s a lower-sugar version of the instant, and Quaker Oats One Minute has zero grams of sugar. You can sweeten it with fruit or a little honey.

Soy milk

Instead of this: Vitasoy Organic Vanilla Fortified Soy Beverage has 8 grams of sugar per 240 mL (almost 1 cup).

Try this: Vitasoy Organic Unsweetened Fortified Soy Beverage has just 1 gram of sugar in the same serving.

Tomato sauce

Instead of this: Unico Original Pasta Sauce has 8 grams of sugar per 1/2 -cup (125- mL) serving.

Try this: Unico Passata Cucina Fresca. At 4 grams for the same serving, switching carves off 4 grams of sugar.

Bread

Instead of this: Dempster’s 12 Grain bread has 6 grams of sugar in 2 slices.

Try this: Dempster’s Healthy Way Multigrain bread has 4 grams in 2 slices.

Beans

Instead of this: Heinz Maple Style Beans with Pure Quebec Maple Syrup has 12 grams of sugar per 1/2 cup (125 mL).

Try this: Heinz Original Beans in Tomato Sauce has 8 grams per 1/2 cup.

Soup

Instead of this: Campbell’s Gardennay Butternut Squash soup has 13 grams of sugar per 1-cup (250-mL) serving.

Try this: Campbell’s Gardennay Field Potato with Spring Leek has only 2 grams for the same amount.

Related:
• 4 sugary foods you should be avoiding
• How to choose a healthy salad
• 6 foods you thought were healthy but aren’t