We all succumb to the charms of sugar: a sweet treat after dinner, a sneaky chocolate bar to power through the afternoon; an ice cream on a hot day. The instant benefits of a sugar high are undeniably joyful: everything in the world seems a little bit better.

On one hand, the reason for this is obvious: cookies, cakes and chocolate taste delicious. On another level, we’re simply responding to cellular-level biological prompts. A spoonful of sugar sets off a chemical reaction in our brains, flooding our receptors with dopamine – a feel-good neurotransmitter – that conditions us to associate sugary foods with happiness.

While there’s nothing wrong with indulging in a little treat every now and again, excess sugar can cause all sorts of medical problems and health risks, from diabetes to heart disease. Too much sugar is known to clog arteries, promote visceral fat gain, encourage acne, trigger insulin resistance and cause tooth decay, to name some of the most common side effects. What’s worse, if you regularly overconsume sugar, your body can easily become used to a high sugar intake – requiring more to get the same sugar rush, and creating strong cravings that make it even harder to resist.

But with some knowledge, willpower and planning, you can make a few clever changes to keep your sugar intake at a healthy level.

Check the ingredients

Excess sugar is often added to all sorts of products like bread, processed foods or cereals to make them taste better and therefore make us consume more. Scanning an item’s ingredients list when you’re food shopping is a fantastic habit to get into, so you’re aware of what’s in your food and can opt for healthier options. Be prepared to go into detective mode: sugar is often given other names. Look for corn sweetener, molasses, high-fructose syrup and glucose, which are all forms of sugar that should be limited.

Avoid liquid sugar

While sugar is obviously linked to cakes, cookies and desserts, more than half of the excess sugar we consume is actually hiding in liquid form. Soft drinks are the worst offenders by far – according to the American Heart Association, an adult male will reach his maximum daily sugar intake by consuming just one can of soft drink. Sweeteners added to coffee and tea are also culprits – contributing up to 60 per cent of a beverage’s calories.