You don’t have to give up sweet drinks or restaurant meals. A few smarter choices when you order add up quickly. Start with the one swap that feels easiest.
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Drinks
Sweet drinks and bubble tea: step down gradually
1Order “less sweet” until it feels normal, then lower the sugar %
2Skip toppings like pearls and jelly to cut starch, sugar and calories
3Swap cow’s milk for almond or another plant milk
4Drink some water before you start sipping
5Once used to it, try unsweetened
☕CoffeeBlack, unsweetened
🍵TeaGreen tea at 0% sugar, or clear tea with no milk, less sweet or unsweetened
🥛MilkPlain low-sugar milk, or plant milk such as almond. Notice how your body responds to cow’s milk.
🥣YogurtPlain Greek yogurt with no added sugar
💧 Water is the best drink. Sip small amounts often through the day rather than drinking a lot at once.
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Eating out
If you see this
Try this
Oil-soaked dishes such as deep-fried
→
Grilled, baked, steamed or boiled
Dishes smothered in sauce (steak, salad)
→
Ask for sauce on the side; choose clear dressing or olive oil
Pouring dipping sauce over everything
→
Dip lightly to cut sugar and MSG a lot
Fatty cuts and skin
→
Look for protein first; pick leaner cuts or remove the skin
Highly polished white rice
→
Brown rice or less-polished carbs (white rice is fine if that’s all there is)
Big bowl of noodles
→
Clear soup without noodles, glass noodles, rice vermicelli; add more soup or blanched items if still hungry
Fish balls and sausages
→
Real cuts of meat; avoid processed food
Drinking all the broth
→
Sip less to cut sugar and sodium
Curry rice with sauce poured over
→
Ask for the dishes with meat but not the sauce
Chicken rice with skin and oily rice
→
No skin, and plain rice instead of oily rice
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Vegetables & fruit
Add vegetables to every meal. If you don’t love them, take what you can.
If the restaurant has a salad, order one more plate, dressing on the side.
Choose whole fruit over juice. It keeps you fuller and gives more benefit.
Avoid dried fruit; most has concentrated or added sugar.
Pick low-sugar fruit instead of sweets, such as guava, rose apple, dragon fruit and pomelo.
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Sweets
Share with friends or family.
Plan clearly which day you’ll have a treat.
On days you can choose well, do your best.
Eating enough good fats can help you crave sweets less.
Cutting back on sweets helps fat loss a lot. If stopping feels too hard, reduce the amount gradually.
In short: pick the one change that feels easiest, such as “less sweet” or no chicken skin, repeat it until it feels normal, then add the next.
General information for healthy adults. If you have a medical condition, talk to your doctor or a dietitian.
