The goodness is taken away but the sweetness remains.

Sugar can be a source of energy for our bodies; it can also be addictive and contribute to a number of physical ailments. For those trying to control their weight, it can make weight loss difficult.

Because sugar is added to so many of the processed foods we purchase it’s difficult to know exactly how much we’re actually eating. It’s estimated that the average Australian consumes about 53kg of sugar each year.

How can you reduce the amount of refined sugar in your diet? First, buy foods that are unprocessed. Fresh fruits and vegetables, uncooked meats and unadulterated foods like organic eggs are always the best ingredients. Dried fruits are great as snack foods.

Stay away from white bread, pasta that isn’t wholegrain, white flour and products made from it, products with sugar added to them, sugar-sweetened soft drinks and sugar cured meats.

Check the labels of any packaged food products you purchase. You’ll be surprised just how much sugar is added to products like breakfast cereals, fruit drinks, white bread, soups and hot dogs. Thankfully, there are healthy alternatives to refined sugar that provide sweetness without all the problems.

You can satisfy your sugary cravings by eating foods that are naturally sweet. These include:

Blueberries
Raspberries
Strawberries
Bananas
Pineapple
Kiwifruit
Peaches
Apples
Pears
Plums
Sweet Potatoes

Another natural alternative to sugar is honey. Honey tastes sweet and is also a versatile ingredient used in a variety of foods.

A slice of wholegrain bread topped with honey and bananas is a great snack food. Fruit smoothies sweetened with honey are also popular with Australians of all ages.

There are two new natural sweeteners now available in Australia - Xylitol and Stevia, that are also alternatives to the refined sugar in common use.

Xylitol is said to taste just as sweet as sugar but with fewer calories per gram. It is in use in more than fifty countries around the world and has been approved by Food Standards Australia and New Zealand.

Stevia is up to 450 times sweeter than sugar, yet has zero kilojoules.  One liquid drop of Stevia is claimed to be the sweetness equivalent of one teaspoon of sugar! Both Xylitol and Stevia are relatively new in Australia but their use is expected to grow as more people discover the health risks of excessive sugar consumption.