Going on a sugar-free diet is an easy way to protect yourself against a wide variety of chronic diseases and help to lose weight, but there are a few key points to understand before slicing sugar out of your life.
What is a Sugar-Free Diet?
A sugar-free diet is one that eliminates all sources of added sugar and hidden sugar, while also reducing your intake of simple carbohydrates. On average, Americans consume more than 350 calories worth of sugar each day, which can increase the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and chronic inflammation, as well as poor immune function. Some people think that a sugar-free diet means the complete elimination of all sugars, but that isn’t the case. Complex carbohydrates like grains or fruit should be reduced, but they don’t need to be eliminated entirely. [1]
The problem with eliminating sugar from your diet is that the body does crave that sweet substance since it provides a simple and easily accessible form of energy. To counter these unwanted symptoms and cravings, your dietary choices must be carefully considered, and should primarily include protein, healthy fats, high-fiber food, and sour/fermented foods. [2]
How Does a Sugar-Free Diet Work?
A sugar-free diet works because it prevents your blood sugar levels from spiking so widely whenever you eat. Most of the foods that are eliminated in this diet are considered high-glycemic foods, which have a strong effect on blood sugar and glucose. By replacing these with low-glycemic foods, many of which are more complex in terms of digestibility, you can actually improve your metabolic rate, increase feelings of fullness, and switch to more impactful forms of energy production within the body (protein and fat metabolism). [3]
Cutting down on sugar can offer multiple health benefits. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Sugar-Free Diet Plan
On a sugar-free diet plan, there are certain key foods to avoid, certain ones to include, and some of that should be eaten in moderation, such as citrus fruits.
Foods to Eat
- High-fiber foods (broccoli, brussels sprouts, chia seeds, berries, tomatoes, black beans, quinoa, oats, brown rice)
- Healthy fats (olive oil, walnuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, grass-fed butter, avocados)
- Sour foods (kombucha, sauerkraut, natto, tempeh, pickles, tofu, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice)
- Proteins (lean grass-fed beef, chicken, whey protein, bone broth, lentils, beans, salmon, eggs, raw cheese)
Foods to Avoid
- Processed foods, junk food, desserts, candies, sweets
- Products made with refined grains, primarily white flour
- Sodas and sweetened beverages
- All types of cane sugar and table sugar
Benefits of a Sugar-Free Diet
The diet might be a challenge for some people, but it has many powerful benefits.
- It can lead to weight loss and a lower risk of diabetes.
- By preventing obesity and preventing the spikes and drops in blood sugar, you will be at a lower risk for a metabolic disorder. [4]
- Your energy levels will also be more stable throughout the day, as the foods on a sugar-free diet take a longer time to digest.
- When it comes to digestive health, cutting down on sugar and boosting high-fiber foods will help to remedy irritable bowel syndrome, bloating, Crohn’s disease, candida, and many other infections or bacterial overgrowths. [5]
- This sugar-reduction diet has also been linked to a lower incidence of fatty liver disease and protection against certain chronic diseases. [6]
- Inflammation throughout the body can be reduced and nutrient deficiencies can be avoided, as many sugar-free foods are nutrient-dense.
- It can also be used as a treatment for the candida virus.
Word of Caution
The main problem with a sugar-free diet is the cravings that will arise in the first 4-7 days. As your body realizes that it isn’t getting its typical sugar fix, it could cause mood swings and intense hunger pains. But stay strong, these symptoms will eventually pass.
