5 Low-Sugar Essentials an RD Always Keeps Stocked in Her Fridge
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If you’re the type to thoroughly examine ingredient labels, you’ve probably noticed that sugar is in… pretty much everything (yep, even in places you wouldn’t expect). And while we’re totally here for enjoying your favorite dessert, consuming too much added sugar can have some not-so-favorable effects on your body.
“After sugar gets digested and absorbed in your body, your blood sugar levels rise,” says registered dietitian Chelsey Amer, RDN. “You’ll get a burst of energy and you may experience a rush of the feel-good hormone dopamine…[but] over time, excessive sugar consumption can lead to inflammatory effects throughout your body, impacting your heart health, joint health, skin health, and more.”
Amer’s recommendation? Try to limit added sugars to less than 12 teaspoons a day (the American Heart Association says to shoot for no more than six to nine teaspoons)—which is considerably less than most Americans consume. To show you how she does it, Amer is sharing the staples she keeps on hand—from crunchy fruit to tasty, bubbly bevs like Humm Kombucha.
Sunflower Seed Butter
For a satisfying snack, Amer loves adding a spoonful of nut or seed butter to her daily lineup. Of all the options out there, sunflower seed butter is her personal favorite because it’s chock-full of healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals.
Drizzle it on your morning oatmeal, add it to a veggie stir fry, or enjoy it straight from the jar. But before you do, take Amer’s advice and check the ingredient list—nut and seed butters can often include added sugar, but they taste just as delicious without it.
Kombucha
When Amer wants something more fun and fizzy than a glass of water, she sips on kombucha. The fermented tea is packed with gut-friendly probiotics, which can help support your digestive and immune health, and anti-inflammatory antioxidants and polyphenols, which can help reduce oxidative stress in the body.
Sugar is a key part of the fermentation process that creates kombucha, but some types end up with more sugar in the finished product than others. That’s why Amer recommends always checking out the ingredient label before you crack one open, and she personally opts for Humm Kombucha’s convenient cans of low-sugar and no-sugar flavors—like delicious peach tea and refreshing blueberry mint—to give her that soda-esque fix without the extra sweetness.
“Even for a dietitian, water can get boring sometimes,” Amer says. “Kombucha is a great way to switch things up and hydrate while also supporting your overall health.”
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To keep her feeling energized throughout the day, Amer makes sure to stock her fridge with protein-rich foods, which help balance blood sugars. Plain Greek yogurt fits the bill with plenty of protein per serving and sugar from naturally occuring lactose, rather than the added stuff.
“It’s ideal to pair carbohydrates with a protein and/or fat for optimal blood sugar balance,” Amer says. “This balanced combination at meals and snacks helps keep your blood sugar (read: energy) stable throughout the day.” Alongside plain yogurt, she’s a big fan of cottage cheese, eggs, and turkey slices as additional protein sources.
Greek Yogurt
“Greek yogurt is so versatile. You can enjoy it for breakfast or snack, but also use it in baking and cooking,” Amer says. “It makes a great marinade for chicken.”
Fruit is sweet and delicious—but there’s no need to fear its sugar content. “Despite what you may have been told before, fruit does not contain too much sugar,” Amer says. “The natural sugar found in fruit is also paired with fiber, plus vitamins, minerals, and water.”
For a simple, savory-and-sweet snack, pair your produce with protein and healthy fat. Amer loves rolling slices of turkey and cheddar around crunchy apple slices—but you can get creative with your own combos. And if your favorites aren’t in season, no worries. Frozen fruit does the trick, too.
Fruit
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“All fruit can fit in your diet, but my favorite is raspberries because they’re delicious [and] they’re amongst the highest-fiber fruits available,” Amer says. “Most Americans don’t eat enough fiber, and raspberries contain a whopping eight grams per cup. That’s [almost] 30 percent of your daily needs.”
Yes, chocolate can qualify as a low-sugar snack. Amer recommends snacking on darker options with a high cacao count, which contain healthy fats and antioxidants and can support heart health, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels.
Ultimately, it’s about becoming what Amer calls “a label-reading maven” as you stock your fridge with nutrient-rich noshes. Sugar hides in lots of unexpected places, but small efforts like opting for a darker chocolate when you want a midday sweet can have a big impact on your overall wellness. “Dark chocolate with…70 to 80 percent cacao is a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth, with much less sugar than a lot of other sweets,” Amer says. “It’s a kitchen essential for me!”
Dark Chocolate
All photos by Audrey Anne Photography
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