I am not going to lie, not too long ago I was this person. When someone asked their chosen Facebook population for advice on a sugar alternative, I was quick to say “Honey, that’s if you’re not vegan!”.

I was soon schooled by people who actually know.

You see, while you may be in the process of cutting out all sugar, you could be substituting it with agave nectar – a “very healthy alternative” – organic maple syrup, or honey. But darling, you might just be doing it all wrong.

You see, although you have substituted refined sugar, you’re still consuming different versions and the overall problem is actually excessive sugar intake. Hence the sugar tax South Africa will soon be dealt.

The World Health Organisation has recommended that sugar intake not exceed 5% of our total energy intake. If you want a sweet treat keep it small. Like, nine teaspoons (150 calories) if you’re a man and six (100 calories) as a woman.

So basically, you can substitute all you want – as some sweeteners have added health benefits – but at the end of the day cutting down is way more effective.

If you want to see if there are any other things you’re doing wrong, Health24 has listed four other diet mistakes you could be making.

Check them HERE.

[source: health24]