Our addiction to sugar, aided and abetted by the food industry, is the main driving factor in the obesity epidemic, according to leading US doctor, Robert Lustig, whose book Fat Chance: The Bitter Truth About Sugar has just been released in the UK. "We need to de-sweeten our lives. We need to make sugar a treat, not a diet staple," he says. His tips to minimise sugar intake include eating fruit, rather than drinking the juice, which has had the fibre squeezed out of it, and baking cakes and other sweet treats yourself with a third less sugar than the recipe says. Here are a few healthy treats to get you started.
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's banana recipes
Delicious ways with bananas and plantain, roasting, frying, and an easy ice-cream recipe – the natural sweetness of the banana means you can adjust the sugar down to taste.
Dan Lepard's low-fat, low-sugar chocolate cake
Chocolate and pear cake with a rich, deep flavour and delicate, moist texture, but very little fat or refined sugar.
Nigel Slater's alternative to sugary cereal
Toasted pumpkin seeds, banana and berries. A lovely way to start the day.
Yotam Ottolenghi's blueberry and white chocolate chip cookies
Ottolenghi uses a mix of caster and unrefined muscovado sugar in his blueberry and chocolate chip cookies, and suggests cranberries if you prefer less sweetness.
Henry Dimbleby's real hot chocolate recipe
Let the natural goodness of real cacao flavour your hot chocolate drinks and you won't miss the sugar – just buy at least 70% bars, sit back, and enjoy this warming treat.
Angela Hartnett's baked apples recipe
A lovely cold-weather pudding that should see you through the remainder of the frosty days. Using unsweetened apple juice, blackberries, cranberries and oats. Zing it up with your favourite dried fruits.
Buckwheat pancakes with yoghurt and berries
Who doesn't like a pancake? There are so many ways to enjoy them simply, with butter and cinnamon or these buckwheat pancakes with yoghurt and berries.
Dan Lepard's ale and wheatgerm pancakes
And if you need a little more sweetness in your life, you could try these wheatgerm pancakes, with a little honey, cream and ale.
Dan Lepard's chocolate and pecan brownies
Lepard uses sweet potato to reduce the processed sugar in these delicious-looking chocolate and pecan brownies.
Nigel Slater's rhubarb and blood oranges
Baked together, these make a delicious sweet-sharp breakfast compote (or a fine dessert). Go even easier on the sugar for extra sharpness and a good start to a winter's day.
Henry Dimbleby's almond smoothie
A filling smoothie using almonds, oats, seeds and fruit – a tasty, filling breakfast alternative.
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's apple, orange and pear salad
This collection of recipes with oranges has a very tempting option with mulled wine syrup, but the lower sugar salad sounds delicious too, especially with its use of orange flower water.
