Five simple ways to reduce the amount of sugar in your diet

Yes, weight loss is mainly about calories in versus calories out

While you don't need to obsess over the amount of sugar in your diet, it's still good practice to reduce your levels. Excess amounts, particularly when overweight, can make you insulin resistant. This occurs when your body doesn't know how to make use of the glucose (sugars) from carbs efficiently. According to experts from AXA PPP healthcare, in extreme circumstances this can give rise to conditions such as type 2 diabetes. [caption id="attachment_232334" align="alignnone" width="1356"] Fruit juice packs a surprising amount of sugar - swap for fresh fruit instead (Photo by Alexander Mils on Unsplash)[/caption] According to the British Medical Journal, too much sugar is linked to weight gain, obesity, type 2 diabetes, tooth decay, gum disease and a myriad of other health problems. Now you know the risks, it's time to set about lowering your levels - which is easier said than done for those with a sweet tooth.

How to reduce your sugar intake

[caption id="attachment_232335" align="alignnone" width="2048"] Rice cakes are a wiser snack option if you're looking to lower your intake[/caption] Small but sustainable lifestyle changes can help you cut excess sugar from your diet. Some tips that the NHS recommend include:

• Don't take sugar in your tea: Reduce the amount of sugar in your tea and coffee until you adjust to the taste.
• Cook from scratch: This means you know how much sugar is going into your food.
• Swap sugary snacks: Fill the biscuit gap with oatcakes or rice cakes.
• Drink more water: Dehydration can make you hungry, so make sure you drink enough.
• Eat fruit whole: Eating fruit instead of drinking it is more satisfying than fruit juice.

Read more from JOE:

• I went inside the WWE's Performance Center to train with superstars of the future
• 'Rage yoga' now exists, for people who love swearing and heavy metal music
• Boost your deadlift by including this unusual exercise in your workouts