The sweet and delicious taste of sugar comes with its own set of problems. Though we tend to love the taste, and find it most everywhere, our bodies pay the price.

The World Health Organization has stated that sugar intake should not exceed more than 5% of your daily total calories. This means that you are looking at no more than about 25 grams of sugar per day. That’s easy to plan around, right?

Well, not exactly. A single Snickers bar gives you 18 grams of sugar. Add a cup of soda or some rich cereal and you are already pushing your limits. Seeing as most snacks are filled to the brim with sugar, how can you avoid spiking your daily totals?

Before you can really address your sugar intake, you need to understand why it is so bad for you. The reasons are numerous and concerning. Sugar itself contains no important nutrients while providing energy to the bad bacteria in your mouth. This will cause tooth decay, gum issues, and general health problems.

A surplus of sugar can also lead to issues with your own liver. An overabundance of fructose in the liver, derived from artificial sources, can cause excessive liver damage. Sugar is also one of the quickest ways to find yourself with a diabetes diagnosis. So you obviously want to avoid all of these issues but you can’t completely give up on your snacking. What can you do to reduce your sugar intake?

The quickest way for a person to fail their diet is by overconsuming their snack and junk food portions. The reason we tend to overeat these types of foods is simple: they are both the most convenient, and the most tasty, options. Sugar loaded drinks and candies are packaged, portable, and easy to acquire from just about anywhere. They are in the breakroom, the gas station, and entire aisles of the grocery store. You can avoid the urge to buy these products by leaning toward healthy alternatives. Sugar free chocolate is becoming one of the best ways to get your snack fix without the added consequences.

Picking up a long-term stock of healthier candy, like Asher’s sugar free dark chocolate bars, can lead to a healthier habit and a happier body. Quality dark chocolate that is free of sugar can still be tasty and convenient. Keep a handful of these bars at the office or stocked in the pantry to avoid the urge to purchase those sugar-loaded alternatives. Many sugar free chocolates, like these vanilla caramels, are also low on sodium–an added benefit!

You can also find a plethora of tasty treats by taking a walk down the fresh produce section of your favorite grocery store. We mentioned earlier that you could encounter complications of the liver due to fructose in sugar-riddled treats. This is not the case with fruit. Even diabetics are still allowed to eat whole fruits. Low glycemic fruits are an ideal snacking solution!

In closing, we believe that a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle can be found by avoiding dangerous amounts of sugar intake. By taking control of your nutrition, you can add years of healthy happiness to your life.