Video: How to break up with sugar Share Facebook Twitter Print details Sugar: It's in just about everything we eat. And if it seems to have a special power over you, you're not alone. But you don't have to be a superhero to outmuscle its hold on you. The first step is to recognize where it's hiding, even in foods you don't think of as sweet. Then, learn the secret to sugar trade-outs — even learning how easy it can be to make your own salad dressing. Ready to cut back? Watch for more smart strategies for retraining your brain and downsizing your sugar intake. Show transcript How to break up with sugar The more sugar you eat, the more you want. You can take control. Learn to spot sugar on labels. It has a lot of names that don't sound like sugar such as "fructose," "dextrose" and "syrup." Look beyond sugar. Refined starches in foods like white bread, pretzels and chips are the same as sugar to your body. Swap added sugar for natural sugar. Fruit adds sweet plus vitamins, minerals and fiber. Mix up your own salad dressing. Store-bought can pack the sugar. Making your own is as easy as olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Skip sugary drinks. They're the No. 1 source of added sugar in the American diet. Diet drinks, too. They can actually cause more cravings. Hide temptations. You're more likely to eat cookies and candy you can see. Give it 3 weeks. Your taste buds can change to prefer less sweet stuff. Guidance from the registered dietitian nutritionists and wellness coaches at the Mayo Clinic Healthy Living Program.Get more healthy action tips delivered daily when you download the Mayo Clinic app. Show references Ng SW, et al. Use of caloric and noncaloric sweeteners in US consumer packaged foods, 2005-2009. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 2012;112:1828. Drewnowski A, et al. Sweetness and food preference. Journal of Nutrition. 2012;142:1142S. Hidden in plain sight. University of California at San Francisco. http://www.sugarscience.org/hidden-in-plain-sight/#.V5Y5VI7UQt8. Accessed Sept. 28, 2016. de la Fuente-Arrillaga C, et al. Glycemic load, glycemic index, bread and incidence of overweight/obesity in a Mediterranean cohort: The SUN project. BMC Public Health. 2014;14: 1091. Yang Q, et al. Added sugar intake and cardiovascular diseases mortality among US adults. JAMA Internal Medicine. 2014;174:516. Yang Q. Gain weight by "going diet?" Artificial sweeteners and the neurobiology of sugar cravings. Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine. 2010;83:101. Wansink B, et al. Slim by design: Kitchen counter correlates of obesity. Health Education & Behavior. 2015. In press. Accessed Sept. 28, 2016. Wansink B, et al. The office candy dish: Proximity's influence on estimated and actual consumption. International Journal of Obesity. 2006;30:871. Wise PM, et al. Reduced dietary intake of simple sugars alters perceived sweet taste intensity but not perceived pleasantness. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2016;103:50. VID-20305587