You may be aware that sugars contribute to tooth decay as well as many other health problems but what can we do to minimise sugars in our diet?

1. Cut out the sugary drinks

Many popular drinks are packed full of sugars. By limiting your intake of these beverages, you may significantly reduce your sugar consumption.

2. Be careful with “healthy” processed snacks and foods

It is important to be aware that many snacks which are marketed as “healthy” options can contain the same, if not more, sugar than some of their “unhealthy” rivals. Snacks such as muesli bars, dried fruits, and fruit drinks/juice poppers can be examples of this.

3. Stay away from sugary breakfast foods

Breakfast cereals are often among the worst foods for sneaking in added sugars. Options such as oats, eggs, or plain yoghurt can be great for avoiding a sugary breakfast.

4. Learn to read labels

Many food companies do their best to sneak sugar into their foods. For this reason, it is important to learn to read food labels to identify hidden sugars. Look to avoid foods which have sugars listed among the first ingredients in the ingredients list – the ingredients must be listed in descending order by weight, meaning the higher the ingredient is up on the list, the higher the content of that ingredient in the food.

5. Don’t keep sugary snacks in the house

An easy way to avoid snacking on sugary foods is to simply not keep foods you have identified as high in sugar in the house.

6. Don’t shop when you’re hungry

We are more prone to picking sugary snacks when we are hungry so another easy way to avoid consuming excess sugary food is to avoid shopping when you are hungry.

7. Get a good night's sleep

As well as being essential to your general health and wellbeing, getting enough sleep also helps you avoid cravings for sugary snacks. Lack of sleep causes people to favour high-calorie snacks which are often high in salts and sugars. A good night's rest can help us avoid such cravings.

Come and see Dr. Geoff today if you've been having a bit too much sugar and are worried about cavities!
Make an appointment online or phone (07) 4723 8100 to book your dental health visit today!