These days, cutting out sugar is a real challenge, while a sugar-free diet could bring many health benefits. Most people in Western countries have a sweet tooth, with adults consuming an average of 22 teaspoons of added sugar daily. Aexcessive sugar consumptionis therefore often associated with diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure. That's why a sugar-free diet might be the right dietary change, and here's how and why you should get started.
Improve general health through a sugar-free diet
According to nutritionists, a sugar-free diet can significantly reduce the risks of disease for the health conditions mentioned above. Keeping this in mind would make it easier to stick to a new diet plan. Read on for tips to get you started, foods to watch out for,sweet alternativesto try and find out much more.
Start slowly
Creating a diet plan you can stick to is key when making a change like this. For many people, this means starting slowly. Think of the first few weeks as a time with less sugar instead of no sugar at all. Accordingly, you can retrain your taste buds and palate to adopt a lifestyle with fewer sugary foods. Eventually, you won't crave the same high-sugar foods as before. However, during this time, you can still eat foods with natural sugar content, such as fruit, as they are full of nutrients and fiber. Then, as your knowledge base starts to grow, you could do small onesMake changes to your dietto reduce sugar intake.
Replace sugary sources with a sugar-free diet
You don't have to be a label reader to know that sugary foods can be unhealthy. These include breakfast pastries, such as muffins and coffee cakes, as well as baked goods. Frozen treats like ice cream and sorbet are also high in added sugar. Also note that some foods often contain naturally occurring sugarrich in nutrients and fiberare. In addition, natural products are suitable for a balanced nutritional plan. However, if you plan for a sugar-free diet, you can also eliminate foods high in naturally occurring sugar from your daily menu. This will further train your brain to have fewer food cravings. Such products can be, for example, dried fruits such as dates and raisins, yogurt with added fruits or other flavors, and sweetened dairy products.
Find out about food
Switching to a sugar-free lifestyle often comes with a learning curve. Many, although not most, products found on supermarket shelves contain added sugar. This can be found, for example, in canned vegetables, crackers, packaged rice, frozen entrees, and inGrain products, such as breadand noodles. The easiest way to eliminate hidden sources of sugar is to read the nutritional information and ingredients list on the label. The sugar content is often stated on labels in grams. Four grams corresponds to one teaspoon. However, some foods, such as fruit, do not have a label. This means you have to look up the nutritional information online.
Nutrition labels should contain additional information that will help you make informed decisions. However, reading labels can sometimes be confusing. Therefore, you can help yourself by researching several pieces of information in advance. There are also apps for a sugar-free diet, as well as shopping apps that you can download directly to your phone to check the facts about food on the go.
Learn the alternative names of sugar
Sugar has many sneaky coded aliases, and you need to know them to keep the sugar-free diet healthy by cutting out added sugars completely. A general rule of thumb is to look out for ingredients ending in “ose” – these are usually forms of sugar. These would be, for example: glucose, maltose, sucrose, lactose, as well as glucose and fructose. In addition to clearly marked variations of sugar, such as malt sugar, the substance can take many other forms. These include molasses, agave syrup, corn syrup, rice, malt and maple syrup, as well as fruit juice concentrate and maltodextrin. Once you learn to recognize sugar in all its forms, it will be easier to avoid it and stick to your dietstick to diet plan.
Avoid artificial sweeteners
Artificial sweetenerscan be between 200 and 13,000 times sweeter than real sugar. This can trick your brain into thinking you are actually eating sweets. In the long term, these substitutes can trigger cravings that would make a sugar-free diet difficult. A common sugar substitute could be stevia, for example. Although sweeteners are typically marketed as sugar substitutes for cooking and baking, they are also often present as ingredients in some foods. Additives to watch out for include: saccharin, aspartame, neotame, sucralose, and acesulfame potassium. Sugar substitutes are often included in products that are sold as sugar-free, low-sugar, or low-calorie.
Avoid sugary drinks
It's not just important what you eat, but also what you drink. Accordingly, drinks with added sugar cansugar-free dietaffect. Some notable examples include sodas, fruit juices, flavored coffee and tea, sweetened milk, hot chocolate, and water with flavor enhancers. Cocktails and liqueurs are also high in sugar and can significantly increase blood sugar levels after dinner, for example. The wine, even if dry, contains naturally occurring glucose.
Choose unsweetened foods for a sugar-free diet
Many foods and drinks come in sweetened and unsweetened versions. In most cases, the sweetened form is the standard product. However, there is usually no indication that a product is sweetened beyond the ingredient list. A description of “unsweetened” on the label is usually a sign that the item contains no added sugar. However, naturally occurring sugars may still be present. It's best to read the label carefully before making your selection.
Go for more flavor instead of sugar
Removing sugar from your diet doesn't mean eliminating taste too. Therefore, rely on spices and other natural ingredients to add some variety to your meals. For example, add a cinnamon stick to your cup of coffee or sprinkle the spice on a cup of natural yogurt. Vanilla is another option that is suitable for a sugar-free diet. The extract can add delicious flavor to foods you previously sweetened with sugar. You can also use the whole bean to make iced coffee or tea, for example.
Consume nutrient-dense foods
Make sure you get enough nutrients from other sources. When eliminating natural sugar-laden foods like fruits, it's important to add others that can provide you with the same nutrients. For example, fruit is usually rich in vitamin A, vitamin C and fiber. Vegetables can also serve as an easy replacement for many portions of fruit. Eat vegetables of different colors to ensure you get the full spectrum of nutrients. Each color represents a different nutrient that the body needs. You might also consider adding a daily supplement to your diet plan. However, before doing so, talk to your doctor about how best to meet your nutritional needs.
Limit a sugar-free diet to special occasions
Completely eliminating natural and added sugar is not easy. If the thought of never eating a piece of birthday cake again is too much, know that total abstinence may not be necessary. Nutritionists recommend limiting added sugar intake to nine teaspoons per day for men and six teaspoons daily for women. However, your craving for extra sweet foods will no longer be as great after retraining. When adding sugar back to your diet, start with naturally occurring sugars, like those found in fruit. You will find that these taste sweeter and are more satisfying once you go through the elimination process.
Think of sugar like your favorite holiday. Knowing that there is a sweet opportunity that you are working towards can help you stick to your goals. On certain occasions, sugar can be eagerly awaited, savored and then put away until the next time. Regardless of how you choose to reduce your sugar intake, a concerted effort is likely to have a positive impact. This can help your skin clear, increase your energy levels, and significantly reduce any excess weight you've been carrying around. These health benefits can only benefit you more in the long run.
