8 Health Tips And Benefits Of A No-Sugar Diet
Most adults consume sugar in quantities more than necessary. Therefore, reducing sugar intake is a pretty healthy step towards a better future. Most people wish to take this diet a step further and cut down sugar entirely from their diet, but it can fail in the long run.
The no-sugar diet has recently gained a lot of popularity as more and more people are looking forward to effective ways to live a healthier life and lose weight. They are relying on multiple health tips from various sources to garner all the benefits.
All the health benefits of a no-sugar diet set aside, there are a few things one needs to consider.
This article will focus on eight easy and practical health tips to cut down sugar entirely from your diet. The article will also talk about multiple things that need to be considered in this process, along with the risks to be aware of.
Why should you cut out sugar?
One of the most common health tips revolving around the internet today is to cut down on sugar and carbs.
Reducing one’s sugar intake can improve a person’s health. Most adults are consuming more sugar than what’s recommended. According to the National Institute of Health, it is estimated that an average adult is getting approximately 15% of their calorie intake in a day from added sugars only. So, in a way, we are not really consuming natural sugar present in milk and food.
Excessive intake of sugar can lead to harmful effects and conditions, including metabolic syndrome, obesity, heart diseases, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, inflammation, fatty liver disease, cavities, and dental plaque, to name a few.
Reducing one’s sugar intake is one of the most helpful health tips through which a person can reduce their risk of the aforementioned health conditions.
Replacing high sugary food items with other, much healthier options can help us get all the essential nutrients, minerals and vitamins, without any added calories. It can also help us lose weight in the long run.
8 Health Tips To Cut Out Sugar From Your Diet
1. Take it slow
One of the most integral aspects to remember when trying to change your diet is to take it slow. Going from a diet full of sugar-based diet to a diet without it should be a slow and gradual process.
It might help you if you start eliminating the most obvious sugar sources from your diet. You can easily avoid all kinds of sugary baked goods like cakes, brownies, and muffins.
Removing candy from your diet is also an excellent way to cut down sugar completely.
You can also start to reduce the overall amount of sugar intake by keeping away from adding extra sugar and cream to your coffee or tea. Try to use none at all. Building up to a no-sugar diet is one of the best health tips to help retrain the palate, which means that you are less likely to crave any missing sugar in your diet.
2. Read all labels
Once you have managed to cut down the most obvious sugar sources from your diet, turn your attention now to other products that you consume. Read their labels carefully to identify what you are consuming.
Sugar can have multiple names and can be found in various forms in most foods that come in packaging. They can be diluted in the food in the form of concentrates or syrups. There are at least 60 different names for sugar on different labels. The most common names used on labels are:
- Cane sugar
- Brown sugar
- Corn syrup
- High fructose corn syrup
- Evaporated cane juice
- Beet sugar
- Barley malt
- Invert sugar
- Coconut sugar
- Agave syrup
- Maple syrup
- Rice syrup
- Apple concentrate
- Grape juice concentrate
- Honey
- Demerara
- Panela
- Piloncillo
- Sucanat
- Turbinado
- Muscovado
One must also be aware of the items with ingredients ending with “-ose.” Anything that ends with that suffix is also a sugar. Examples of these types of ingredients are:
- Sucrose
- Glucose
- Dextrose
- Lactose
- Fructose
Sugars also tend to hide in various ways, especially in food purchased in supermarkets. Therefore, reading the labels is a must for anyone willing to follow these health tips for a strict no-sugar diet.
Products like condiments, salad dressings, breakfast cereal, milk, pasta sauces, and even granola bars can have sugar in hidden forms in their ingredients.
Avoid simple carbs
Most no-sugar diets do not focus on this, but following this is extremely important. One must avoid all kinds of simple carbohydrates. Simple carbs can include white flour, white rice, and white pasta.
Our bodies tend to quickly break down these carbs into sugar. The process can cause a rise in our blood sugar levels. One should therefore look forward to replacing these carbs with whole-grain options.
Avoid any artificial sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners have always been subject to controversy in the diet industry. They tend to be much sweeter than sugar is, but few to no calories.
Consuming artificial sweeteners can trick our bodies into thinking that we are actually eating sugar. This can lead to more sugar cravings, making it extremely difficult for us to stick to a no-sugar diet.
Therefore, one should avoid consuming any of the following artificial sweeteners:
- Splenda
- Stevia
- Equal
- Sweet’N Low
- NutraSweet
One can also look for the chemical names for these artificial sweeteners on an ingredient list, especially when any packaged food item is marketed as low calorie, diet food, or low sugar food item. Chemical names can include:
- Sucralose
- Aspartame
- Saccharin
- Neotame
- Acesulfame K or Acesulfame Potassium
- Avoid drinking sugar
Sugar can be easily consumed in the form of processed foods. However, sugary drinks are the most significant source of sugar intake in our bodies. Sugary drinks like soda, sweetened teas, specialty coffee, and even fruit juices have added sugars.
Replace these drinks with unsweetened versions, like herbal teas, sparkling water, or just normal water. This helps people stay hydrated without increasing their sugar intake.
Consume more whole foods
When we are following a strict no-sugar diet, we must aim to consume more whole foods. Processed foods are much likely to contain added sugars and other refined ingredients.
Diets must focus on complete and whole foods. The following will be wiser choices of consumption:
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Lean meats, tofu, and poultry
- Fish
- Unprocessed grains
- Legumes
- Nuts and seeds
Ideally, people can also choose to consume small amounts of dairy in their diets. Milk, plain yogurt, and simple cheeses are best for the same.
Plan your meals
Sticking to diets without a plan can be difficult to follow. When people feel hungry, they are more likely to reach out for sugary snacks, which are not exactly nutritious and healthy.
Most people take a day to do their entire meal prep along with grocery shopping for the entire week. Plan your meals in advance to reduce any cravings and stick to a nutritious and healthy diet. With healthy food ready for you, you will have less temptation to reach for that soda can or a candy bar.
Spice it up!
Your palate will miss sugars at first when you are opting for a strict no-sugar diet. So, this is one of the best health tips for you to ensure you do not go running back for that orange soda you love.
So, you have reduced your sugar intake with no flavors to replace it with. You can find that flavor in different variations, with sweet-tasting herbs and even spices in your food preparation to replace the sugar.
Common replacements for this can include adding nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, and even cardamom to your diet. These additions are flavorful, especially for coffee, yogurt, and oatmeal.
Health benefits of no-sugar diet
Now that we are all caught up with the health tips, we will now follow the possible health benefits of a strict no-sugar diet.
Eliminating any added sugars and maintaining a rich, healthy, and nutritious diet will obviously have multiple health benefits for your body. Specifically, reducing sugar intake can help you:
- Lose weight
- Prevent obesity
- Have clear skin
- Reduce the risk of skin cancer
- Prevent mood fluctuations and mood swings
- Reduce inflammation
- Reduce the overall risk of type 2 diabetes
- Risk Factors
Yes, there are plenty of possible health benefits of reducing your sugar intake. But are there any side effects of this diet? Let’s find out!
Before you go ahead with the abovementioned health tips and adopt a complete, no-sugar diet, you should consider whether or not to eliminate the natural sugars from your diet too.
Natural sugars can occur in certain dairy products and fruits.
Although the proponents of a complete no-sugar diet state that eliminating fruits is a wise choice, this exclusion also extends to antioxidants, fiber, and other healthy compounds that help protect your body from various diseases.
Therefore, including whole fruits in a complete no-sugar diet is still healthy. However, if you choose to eliminate them, consume dry fruits in moderation. Also, look for varieties in this category without any added sugar.
Elimination of sugar from your diet is not a sure-shot solution to lose weight. It is a part of a lifestyle that you are trying to build. Apart from these health tips to cut down sugar completely, your lifestyle must also include a nutritious, balanced diet and regular exercise.
People looking to cut down sugar in their diets must speak and discuss the pros and cons for their health and bodies with their trusted medical professionals, nutritionists, and dieticians. This helps, especially when one suffers from an underlying health condition.
Final Words
Alternating your diet and consuming sugar on special occasions can also help people cope with the overall loss of sweetness in their diet. Cutting back on sugar by following these health tips is a great idea since it will help you reduce multiple health conditions in the long run and improve your overall health and well-being.
But all this considered one must note that you cannot just switch to the no-sugar diet in one night. One should take it slow, have patience, and gradually do it.
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