Consuming too much sugar is closely related to a number of health problems, so more and more people are choosing to stop consuming sugar. In addition to lowering the risk of obesity, organ problems, heart problems, and more, quitting sugar can lead to improved mood and increased energy. Because sugar is similar to other addictive substances, such as caffeine and alcohol, be prepared to experience withdrawal symptoms and extreme cravings before heading out to the other side happier, healthier, and in more control of your diet.
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Part 1 of 3: Learning the Basics of Sugar
Step 1. Understand how sugar affects the body
Sugar is a type of simple carbohydrate needed by the body as a source of energy. Sweet foods taste good to humans because we thrive on using sugar as fuel. But now that sugar is so readily available, most of us are eating more sugar than we would ever be able to convert into energy. The extra sugar in your system can cause weight gain, heart problems, and tooth decay.
The extent of the problem caused by sugar is still being researched. Recent research indicates that consuming sugar triggers the production of a hormone that makes cells more susceptible to cancer formation. Sugar consumption has also been linked to liver disease and premature aging
Step 2. Learn about the different types of sugar
When you think of sugar, you may think of a lump of granulated, powdered, or chocolate sugar, but sugar comes in many forms and is found in all kinds of foods. There are two main types of sugar: naturally occurring sugars, such as those found in fruit, and sweetening sugars, such as those you mix in cookie dough to sweeten them. Sugar has many different names, which you will want to recognize so you know what to avoid:
- Naturally occurring sugar These include fructose, which is found in fruits, and lactose, which is found in milk.
- Sweetening sugar includes white sugar, brown sugar, molasses, beet sugar, cane sugar, agave syrup, high fructose corn syrup, turbinado, honey, maple syrup and more. The sugars come from plants (or animals, in the case of honey), but are usually added to other foods to sweeten the food.
Step 3. Aim to eliminate sweetened sugars from your diet
Sweetening sugars that are added to foods to sweeten foods have no nutritional value, and it's easy to eat a lot of them without feeling full. The naturally occurring sugars in fruits and milk are accompanied by filling vitamins, minerals and fiber, so you end up consuming far less sugar. Some people choose to stop eating fruits and dairy to eliminate all sugar from their diet. But when you want to be sugar-free, at least aim to eliminate sweetened sugars from your life.
- For example, when you eat something sweetened with sugar, such as cookies, it lacks the fiber and nutrients that help you feel full, so you end up eating more sugar than your body needs.
- However, foods that contain naturally occurring sugars like oranges are high in fructose, but also have vitamin C, fiber, and water. When you eat oranges (not just orange juice, but whole citrus fruits), you will feel full after consuming the right amount of sugar.
Step 4. Also be aware of artificial sweeteners
Since researchers have discovered that sugar harms the body, scientists have developed a variety of different artificial sweeteners as low-calorie substitutes. The problem is, artificial sweeteners may be worse for the body than regular sugar. Aspartame, saccharin, sugar alcohols, and other sweeteners have a variety of different side effects and can be potentially harmful to health. What's more, when you're trying to stop consuming sugar, the sweet taste of artificial sweeteners can make you even more addicted.
It's best to avoid any processed foods that are sweetened with artificial sweeteners, such as diet drinks and other common sugary foods that are labeled "sugar-free" such as candy, ice cream, cakes, and so on
Part 2 of 3: Changing Shopping and Eating Habits
Step 1. Read food product labels each time
Eliminating sugar from your diet requires special attention to what you buy at the convenience store, because sugar is added to all kinds of foods. You'd expect to find sugar in something like packaged cookies, but you might be surprised to see that sugar is also commonly added to savory foods like salad dressing, bread, and ketchup. Read food labels carefully and avoid foods that contain sugar.
- Sometimes sugar is written as sucrose, glucose, dextrose, fructose, or lactose. Avoid anything that ends in "-ose", as that means the food contains sweetened sugar.
- Artificial sugars may be listed as aspartame, acesulfame potassium, saccharin, neotam, sucralose, maltitol, sorbitol, or xylitol.
Step 2. Choose the least processed foods
Sugar is commonly added to processed and packaged foods to improve taste, texture and shelf life. If you don't want to spend ten minutes reading labels every time you choose a food product, try choosing unprocessed foods. Shop in the grocery aisle and buy fresh vegetables and meats and dairy products.
- Frozen foods, packaged snacks, canned soups, yogurt, sauces, salad dressings, and meat marinades often contain sweetening sugar. Try to make these foods yourself from scratch.
- Even fruits can be added with sugar if in processed form. Fruit juices and dried fruit are stripped of the fiber or water that helps you feel full, making it easy to eat too much sugar. If you include fruit in your diet, make sure it's fresh fruit.
Step 3. Cook at home as often as possible
That way you can control exactly what is added to your food, and you won't have to worry about sweetening sugar. It's much easier to stop consuming sugar when you control what you eat at each meal.
Step 4. Make delicious sugar-free meals
Sugar provides many interesting flavors and textures in a typical diet, so when you stop eating sugar, you need to find other ways to stimulate your sense of taste. Otherwise, you may just revert to an old habit. Teach yourself to cook delicious food without adding sweetener sugar.
- Eat lots of protein in the form of eggs, beans, meat, fish, tofu, and other protein-rich foods. Protein helps you feel full and will reduce cravings for sugar.
- Eat plenty of vegetables, both fresh and cooked.
- Make your own salad dressings and dressings to make your meals even tastier. Use lots of spices to enhance the taste so that you really enjoy eating vegetables.
- Make sure you're getting plenty of healthy fats, which provide important calories and keep you feeling full. Olive oil, grapeseed oil, coconut oil, butter, and ghee should be a big part of a sugar-free diet.
Step 5. Reduce alcohol consumption
Alcohol contains a lot of sugar and doesn't come with a nutrition label, so even if you eliminate sugar from your diet, you may still be consuming more sugar than you realize. All alcoholic beverages contain sugar, not just the cosmo and margarita. Eliminate alcohol altogether or drink only dry red wine, which has lower sugar content than beer, champagne, and other alcoholic beverages.
Step 6. Order food wisely at the restaurant
It's easy to eat hidden sugars in restaurants, because the food there doesn't come with any discernible nutrition labels. You can also ask the waiter to tell you what's in the dish, but it's often better to have a good strategy for ordering foods with the least amount of sugar. Try doing the following to keep the restaurant food you eat sugar-free:
- Ask for a salad with plain oil and vinegar dressing, instead of opting for a ready-to-eat salad dressing.
- Ask for main meals to be cooked without using sauces and broths that may contain sweetened sugar.
- When in doubt, order steamed vegetables or plain grilled meats instead of casseroles and other mixed foods that contain a lot of ingredients. Choose the simplest dish on the menu.
- For dessert, opt for the regular fruit bowl, or skip it altogether.
Part 3 of 3: Making a Commitment to Quitting
Step 1. Provide healthy food
Filling your cupboard with non-sugar foods will help you stop eating sugar. When you're hungry, it's important to have a good variety of healthy foods nearby so you don't revert to your old sugary diet. Sugary foods are often the easiest to eat, so it may take careful planning to make sure you have plenty of healthy food that you won't want to eat sugar.
- Fill cupboards and fridges with edible sugar-free foods for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
- Have a sugar-free snack ready to eat. Slices of carrots, beans, hummus, whole-grain crackers (make sure they're sugar-free), and other snacks should be available when hunger strikes.
Step 2. Relax if you experience withdrawal symptoms
During the first week or two after starting to stop consuming sugar, you may feel nauseous, dizzy, and irritated. Your body has become dependent on daily sugar consumption, and eliminating it will have an effect until you get used to it. The discomfort will be worth living in the end, when the mood is balanced and you feel healthier and more energized than before when you were addicted to sugar. Here are some great ways to get through withdrawal symptoms:
- Drink lots of water. Keeping hydrated will help your body feel good and reduce withdrawal symptoms.
- Eat regularly. Even if you're not that into a sugar-free diet, make sure you're nourished so you'll start feeling better faster.
- Rest. If you feel irritated and tired, try to rest for a few days and take time to pamper yourself until your energy levels return again.
Step 3. Make a plan to get past your sugar cravings
You may imagine cupcakes, ice cream and candy for the first few weeks, but rest assured that your cravings will eventually fade. In the meantime, work around it by doing the following:
- If you want soda, drink plain sparkling water with a squeeze of lemon or lime.
- If you want a sweet cake, try eating pumpkin or baked sweet potato with a little butter or cream.
- If you want a fruity sweet treat, eat a bowl of fresh raspberries or strawberries.
- Eat nuts and seeds, which contain many nutrients that can reduce cravings for sugar.
Step 4. Join a diet program or support group
Quitting sugar isn't easy, and it can be helpful to get support from others who are going through the same thing. Instead of trying to do it all alone, sign up for a program or support group, either in person or online, so you can share motivational stories and tips to make this process go more smoothly. Also, it's great to have people with whom you can share your achievements!
Step 5. Tell your friends and family what you are working on
The fact that you stop eating sugar will have an impact on the people you regularly eat with, especially if you cook for your family or they cook for you. Explain to them why you stopped eating sugar, what foods you can no longer eat, and what foods you can eat. Ask them to help you in the process of stopping sugar consumption, and maybe even join you.
Step 6. Get back up if you fall
Birthday parties, holidays, and other special occasions are celebrated with sweet treats, and it's almost impossible not to indulge once in a while. If you end up eating something sugary, limit yourself to just one slice or one cookie so you don't end up going too far. After that, return to a sugar-free diet.
You may experience increased cravings for sugar for a few days after that, so you will need to be extra vigilant to stay away from sugar
Tips
- When you feel the urge to eat sugar, eat fruit instead of juice or sugary foods. Fruit fiber helps fill you up (so you won't be tempted to eat more) and natural sugars will help reduce cravings.
- Don't eat too much, even if you eat good and healthy food, too much good food is a bad thing!
