Most of us love to indulge in sweets and sugar-laden foods and tend to consume more than we need. Well, limiting added sugar intake from your diet is a healthful idea and offers umpteen incentives. Some people may wish to cut down on sugar in their diet. The no-sugar diet has gained a reputation as most people continue to look for effective ways to lead a healthy life or lose those extra kilos. On average, a person takes about 22 teaspoons of added sugar per day. And it’s on top of all naturally occurring sugars consumed through fruits, grains, and dairy products.
Overconsumption of sugar has been linked to:
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- Increased inflammation in the body
- High cholesterol
- High blood pressure
Well, by adopting a no-sugar diet, a person's risk of these health disorders remarkably decreases. The health incentives may encourage people to stick with the new no-sugar diet plan.
Dive into this article for tips on how to get started, foods to choose from, sweet alternatives to try, and more.
Start Slowly
Well, creating a diet plan that one can adhere to is very important. This implies starting gradually and thinking of the first few weeks as a time of lower sugar instead of no sugar. This helps your taste buds and palate to be retrained to opt for a less sugary lifestyle and eventually, you will no longer be craving high-sugar foods as before.
During this period, one can still have foods with natural sugars such as fruits, as these are laden with nutrients and dietary fibre. Gradually you should start making small modifications to your diet to reduce your intake of sugars.
Also Read: Sugar Detox Diet: Discover The Benefits And Ways To Cut Down Added Sugar
Tips To Start On No-Sugar Diet:
- Try making your coffee, tea, or breakfast cereal with less sugar
- Tweak regular soda and fruit juices with flavoured carbonated water that has no artificial sweeteners or fruit-infused water
- Go for unflavoured yogurt or try topping plain yogurt with berries
- Be mindful of the dried fruit you have, as they may contain added sugar on top of their higher naturally occurring sugar content
- Switch over with dried mango or fresh berries
- Choose whole wheat bread, pasta, and grains with no added sugar
- Always read labels to ensure you’re not getting any extra sugar in foods
Cut Down Visible sources
You don’t have to read the label to know that certain processed and baked foods sugar content is off-limits, these include:
- Pastries, muffins, and coffee cake
- Cookies and wafers
- Ice cream and sorbet
Remember that a few foods with naturally occurring sugar are often nutrient-dense, loaded with fibre, and can be a part of a wholesome, and well-balanced diet. However, as you get accustomed to a new routine, you can remove foods high in natural sugar, which will eventually train your brain to have lesser cravings.
Read Food Labels
Changing to a no-sugar lifestyle needs some learning curve, as there’s a lot of hidden sugar in products bought from supermarkets.
- Baked beans
- Crackers
- Tacos
- Grains, like bread, rice, and pasta
Thus, the easiest way to steer clear of hidden sources of sugar is to read the nutritional information and ingredients list on the food label.
Also Read: Guilt Free Ways To Satisfy Your Sugar Cravings
Know Names For Sugar
Well, sugar has several tweak aliases, and you should learn them to completely avoid it from your diet. A general thumb rule is to watch out for compounds ending in “ose”, which are usually different forms of sugar such as:
- Glucose
- Maltose
- Sucrose
- Dextrose
- Fructose
- Lactose
Labeled sugar can also take on many other forms, which include:
Molasses
Agave
Syrups, such as corn, rice, malt, and maple
Fruit juice concentrate
Maltodextrin
Limit Artificial Sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners are 200 to 13, 000 times sweeter than natural sugar, which can fool your brain into thinking that you’re having less sugar. Over a period, these substitutes can trigger sugar cravings, making it difficult for you to stick to a diet plan.
Common sugar substitutes include:
- Stevia
- Splenda
- Equal
- Sweet ‘N Low
- Nutrasweet
Though they’re typically sold as sugar substitutes for cooking and baking, they’re mostly used as ingredients in some food products. Ingredients to look for include:
- Saccharin
- Aspartame
- Neotame
- Sucralose
- Acesulfame Potassium
Sugar substitutes are found in products sold as no-sugar, low-sugar, or low-calorie food.
Avoid Juices/Beverages
It’s not just what you have that matters, but also what you drink. Sugar is found in:
- Soda
- Fruit juices
- Flavoured coffee, tea
- Flavoured milk
- Hot chocolate
Cocktails and other liqueurs are also laden with sugar, even wine contains naturally occurring sugar obtained from grapes.
Add Different Flavour
Eliminating sugar from the diet doesn’t mean avoiding flavour. A whole lot of spices, seasonings, and other natural ingredients can add some taste and flavour to your meals. For instance, sprinkle the cinnamon powder into your cup of coffee or unflavoured yogurt for that extra zest.
Vanilla extract is also a delicious option to add flavour to foods instead of sugar. Add whole bean vanilla or its extract to brew iced coffee or tea.
Meet Your Nutrient Needs From Other Sources
While restricting foods laden with natural sugar like dried fruits or fresh fruits, it’s vital to add other foods that can offer the same nutrients. For instance, fruits are generally high in vitamins A, C, and fibre, whereas vegetables can serve as an easy alternative for many fruits. Eat rainbow-coloured veggies to ensure you are getting a broad range of nutrients. You may also add a daily supplement to your routine, however, talk to your healthcare provider about your diet plan and how best you can meet your nutritional needs.
Add Sugar Occasionally
Completely avoiding natural and added sugars isn’t an easy task. Total self-denial may not be necessary. Remember, as you retrain your plate, the desire for extra sweet foods won’t be as great. While adding sugar back into your diet in the form of natural fruits, where you will be observing these foods to taste sweeter and more satisfying once you have gone through the sugar elimination process. On any occasion, sugar can be readily anticipated, savoured, and then steer clear until the next time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Added Sugar Different Than Sugar From Natural Sources?
No, it is not. Glucose, sucrose, and fructose are naturally produced in all green plants through the process of photosynthesis. Sucrose found in table sugar comes from sugar cane or sugar beets along with other simple sugars like glucose, and fructose. Sucrose is also extracted from fruits like bananas and mangoes.
Does Sugar Contribute To Weight Gain Or Will A No Sugar Diet Help Lose Weight?
Weight gain only happens when sugar is consumed as extra calories. Any excess sugars consumed is stored for future use as fat. But a sugar diet may not be the only reason for weight gain. In other words, a zero-sugar diet may or may not help in the desired weight loss.
Can No Sugar Diet Prevent The Risk Of Diabetes And Heart Disease?
Consuming excess calories in any form like sugars, fats, carbohydrates, or protein can increase obesity risk by many times. Obesity can cause chronic health problems such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, or diabetes. Moreover, the level of daily physical activity, lifestyle, and genetic factors are responsible for several chronic diseases and sugar alone is not the only culprit.
Conclusion
Totally going sugar-free isn’t recommended for everyone, however, restricting sugar is something all of us can do, even if it is for a short span. You may wish to substitute a no-sugar diet with a low-sugar diet on a week-to-week basis. Also, should avoid having refined sugars, and gradually reintroduce naturally occurring sugars back into the diet. No matter how you limit your sugar intake, making a sincere effort to do so, may have a good impact. This can help enhance skin health, boost energy levels, and reduce weight. These health incentives will gradually improve over a long period.
References:
- The Impact of Free Sugar on Human Health—A Narrative Review. Kerri M. Gillespie, Eva Kemps,2 Melanie J. White, and Selena E. Bartlett. Lindsay Brown, Academic Editor
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9966020/
- https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/no-sugar-diet
