You're probably eating more added sugar than you should (which in an ideal world is none). And you're certainly not alone.

The average American takes in 17 teaspoons of added sugars from foods such as sweetened beverages and desserts daily. That adds up to 270 calories a day, or just under 100,000 extra calories a year.

No wonder sweet snacking increases your risk for everything from dementia and tooth decay to obesity and all its associated complications.

Taming your sweet tooth should be a priority — and one that you can find joy in, because of how it benefits your health and because of the tasty foods you'll savor in place of the added sugars.

Here are three steps that will help you get your consumption of added sugar down, ideally to zero:

1. Walk for 15 minutes. Researchers have found that short walks can reduce cravings for chocolate even in stressful situations. We bet it works for doughnuts and sweet drinks too. So next time you crave added sugar, walk away from the impulse.

2. Opt for naturally sweet foods such as cherries, grapes, pineapples, and citrus fruits. In addition to the pleasing flavor, you'll be getting plenty of disease-fighting vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals. If you must have a sweetener, consider allulose, a sugar found in figs and raisins that is 70% as sweet as sucrose but has only 10% of its calories.

3. Keep iced, unsweetened black tea and coffee in your fridge. Take them (or water) with you to work or when you run errands.