Sugar has prominent drawbacks, including increased risk of tooth decay, weight gain, and the possibility of developing or worsening diabetic state.

Britons really do eat too much sugar: 700g of the sweet stuff a week. That's an average of 140 teaspoons per person.

Stop taking sugar and start using sweeteners instead, not only reduces sugar intake, it also less Calories too.

There are five artificial sweeteners that have been tested and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA): acesulfame potassium (also called acesulfame K),aspartam ,saccharin ,sucralose.

I started with Aspartame K, and then used Sucralose has the fewest negative health effects of these four artificial sweeteners. But since it is still sugar it put me off and now I am using Stavia.

Also, with the exception of aspartame, others cannot be broken down by the body. They pass through our systems without being digested so they provide no extra calories. But since doing some research, it looks like I will start using Stavia ( watch the video below).

However, after years of studying saccharine and other artificial sweeteners the National Cancer Institute has stated “There’s no scientific evidence that any of the artificial sweeteners approved for use in the U.S. cause cancer. ” Overall, consumption of artificial sweeteners are deemed safe. The only disorder that people need to watch their consumption of aspartame.

Sugar's many guises

There are lots of different ways added sugar can be listed on ingredients labels:

• sucrose
• glucose
• fructose
• maltose
• fruit juice
• molasses
• hydrolysed starch
• invert sugar
• corn syrup
• honey

Honey is a sweet organic alternative and has extra Health Benefits. But this is not helpful to those who need to lower calories, such as diabetics.

Coconut Sugar looks a good alternative thanks, and a better choice than Honey. It is still high in calories slightly less though than cane sugar, so would not be good for low calorie diets.

As for Coconut Oil, it is very high in Saturated Fat compared to many other vegetable oils.

Snacks

Healthier snack options are those without added sugar, such as fruit (fresh, tinned or frozen), unsalted nuts, unsalted rice cakes, oatcakes, or homemade plain popcorn.

If your snack has two bars, have one and share the other, or save it for another day.

When shopping, look out for lower-sugar (and lower-fat) versions of your favourite snacks.

Here are some lower-calorie substitutes for popular snacks:

• cereal bars – despite their healthy image, many cereal bars can be high in sugar and fat. Look out for bars that are lower in sugar, fat and salt.
• chocolate – swap for a lower-calorie hot instant chocolate drink. You can also get chocolate with coffee and chocolate with malt varieties.
• biscuits – swap for oatcakes, oat biscuits, or unsalted rice cakes, which also provide fibre.
• cakes – swap for a plain currant bun, fruit scone, or malt loaf. If you add toppings or spreads, use them sparingly or choose lower-fat and lower-sugar varieties.

Dried fruit, such as raisins, dates and apricots, is high in sugar and can be bad for your dental health because it sticks to your teeth.

Drinks

Nearly a quarter of the added sugar in our diets comes from sugary drinks, such as fizzy drinks, sweetened juices, squashes, and cordials.

A 500ml bottle of cola contains the equivalent of 17 cubes of sugar. Try sugar-free varieties, or – better yet – water, lower-fat milk, or soda water with a splash of fruit juice.