I know this as I have been following a low-sugar diet for the last year and a half for health reasons. With the help of my wife, Sherri, we have been carefully looking at labels, and often paying higher prices to buy foods that are low in sugar.

There are many reasons to restrict sugar from your diet. It will help with weight loss, help control or even prevent type 2 diabetes, and may have a role in restricting cellular growth in certain kinds of cancers. The anti-inflammatory effects can help arthritis and many gastrointestinal disorders.

The decision to begin a very low-sugar, low simple-carbohydrate diet is complicated, as there is no agreement about what it entails. Diet choices can range from the extreme Keto diet to a modified low-sugar diet. Because there is no clear road map or agreement about what constitutes the “best” diet, I will share what I have learned.

Next, decide how you feel about incorporating fruit into your diet. Fruit contains natural sugars and carbohydrates. In a true and rigorous keto diet, fruit is restricted. The traditional keto diet has become very popular to promote weight loss, and an entire industry of keto products has surfaced. Keto-friendly chocolates, desserts, and foods, often under the name of Atkins (the original proponent of this diet) take up numerous shelves in grocery stores.

The problem that I have with a strict Keto diet is that it is not especially good for cardiovascular health (as it advocates foods rich in such saturated fats as red meat and bacon), these specialty products are often pricey, and many contain processed food.

1.0 Total Sugars include sugars naturally present in many nutritious foods and beverages, such as sugar in milk and fruits as well as any added sugars that may be present in the product. There is no Daily Value* for total sugars because no recommendation has been made for the total amount to eat in a day.

2.0 Added sugars include sugars that are added during the processing of foods (such as sucrose or dextrose), foods packaged as sweeteners (such as table sugar), sugars from syrups and honey, and sugars from concentrated fruit or vegetable juices. They do not include naturally occurring sugars that are found in milk, fruits, and vegetables. The Daily Value for added sugars is 50 grams per day based on a 2,000 calorie daily diet.

For most Americans, the main sources of added sugars are sugar-sweetened beverages, baked goods, desserts, and sweets.

Dr. Becker follow does not follow keto diet,  but it is “keto-friendly.” It allows fruit, especially berries and avocado, with no free sugars or junk carbs. There is evidence that the sugar in fruits is treated differently by the body than regular sugar, and the anti-inflammatory effects and fiber present in whole fruits is beneficial. Processed foods are a no-no, as they are pro-inflammatory. My diet is basically Mediterranean in nature but without sugar or carbs. This diet includes such foods as:

Here is a typical day on a low-sugar diet:

Lunch: Turkey sandwich with avocado, lettuce, and tomato with low-sugar bread (the label on the bread will specify the sugar content). Another good choice is a peanut butter and banana sandwich on low-sugar bread. Many kinds of peanut butter have a lot of sugar — get the kind that is 100% peanuts, with less than 2 grams per 2 tablespoons.

Dinner: Try to avoid dining out in restaurants. Often, the food is tasty because of the liberal use of sugar. I suggest grilled chicken or fish, vegetables such as broccoli or carrots, and a salad.

Snack: There are tasty snacks in the keto aisle of the grocery store to satisfy cravings but they often contain processed food. A healthier snack is an apple, pear, or peach. If you are willing to bake, there are many keto recipes available that use almond flour, coconut flour and artificial sweeteners.

I recognize that this diet is not for everyone and that it requires a lot of discipline. It helps to have a partner for food shopping, food preparation, and cheerleading. If you have type 2 diabetes, are overweight, or wish to follow an anti-inflammatory diet, it might be worth giving it a try. You will not be hungry, will almost certainly begin to lose weight, and just may give your overall health a boost.

I feel significantly better than I did a year ago. I have more energy and have been exercising regularly. It is hard to know how much of this is related to the anti-inflammatory effects of this diet, in addition to great medical care, but I plan to continue it. Bringing nutrition into your health care is important, and the potential positive effects should not be ignored.

David Becker is a board-certified cardiologist with Chestnut Hill Temple Cardiology in Flourtown. He has been in practice for more than 25 years.