Have you ever noticed how much sugar is in our daily diets? Does it ever feel like no matter what you do, you can’t seem to break away from it?
Are you beginning to find that everything you eat or drink tastes sweet? One health trend that many are embracing is kicking sugar out of their lives.
Risks of Too Much Sugar
Our bodies don’t need sugar to function. In fact, there are many ways that sugar is bad for us. Studies show that sugar increases inflammation.
When we are constantly consuming sugar, we are creating a state of chronic low-grade inflammation. It can put us at risk of many different health problems that include:
- Allergies
- Weight gain
- Diabetes
- Heart Disease
- Cancer
Benefits of a Low Sugar Diet
There are many reasons you might want to break a sugar addiction. Making this change can improve your health – and your life in many ways.
Clearer Skin
Sugar can damage collagen and elastin, which protect skin from wrinkles. It’s also linked to acne, so cutting it will keep your skin looking clear and youthful.
Reduces Cancer Risk
Many people don’t realize that cancer cells eat sugar. When you’re not eating sugar, you’re reducing the chances that cancer can develop.
Improved Heart Health
Did you know that sugar is now thought to be one of the leading contributors to heart disease? The more sugar you eat, the more likely you are to struggle with heart attacks and strokes.
More Energy
Avoiding sugar can help you to maintain energy levels throughout the day because you don’t experience the common “sugar slump” that occurs shortly after you’ve eaten it.
Better Sleep
Too much sugar before going to bed can keep you from winding down and sleeping well.
Fewer Weight Problems
Cutting sugar from the diet can help your body to stabilize your weight for good.
Better Teeth
Almost everyone knows that sugar breaks down the enamel of teeth and can cause tooth decay, but it bears repeating. Strong healthy teeth are not friends of sweet treats and drinks.
What Makes Sugar Addicting?
Sugar makes us feel good.
It goes straight to the “reward center,” of the brain and stimulates the hormones that boost mood and feelings of happiness.
This is why so many people crave sugar daily. Our brains think we need sugar each day to survive.
When you consider that sugar is added to almost every food we eat, it’s no wonder that our bodies think they need it.
This can make breaking a sugar addiction feel really difficult and almost impossible for most of us. It doesn’t have to be torture, though.
You don’t have to feel like you’re fighting a losing battle in breaking your addiction to sugar. There are some easy steps you can take to help you cut it from your diet for good.
You might find that as you continue your journey, foods that contain added sugar begin to taste too sweet and unappealing over time.
How to Break the Sugar Addiction
Decide if you want to quit sugar cold turkey or if you’d rather cut down on your sugar intake gradually. This will help you to avoid feeling overwhelmed with the process.
If you’re eliminating sugar, you should decide if you want it to be a permanent change, or if there is another reason you want to quit for a while.
Some people feel that they have better long-term results by gradually reducing their sugar intake to a comfortably low level, while others feel that completely cutting all added sugars from the diet at one time is best.
Here are some great ways to break a sugar addiction:
Get Rid of All Processed Foods That Contain Sugar
Almost all prepackaged foods contain sugar. Start with the foods you have in your home now. read all the ingredients of all the foods that are packaged, and note how much added sugar is in each food or drink.
The fewer packaged foods you have in your home, the easier it will be to begin breaking your love of sugar.
Stock up on Whole Foods
Make the produce section your best friend and stock up on fresh fruits and veggies. Choose the ones that have a low glycemic index because they don’t increase your sugar levels.
Berries are one example of a healthy, low-glycemic choice. They have enough sweetness to ease sugar cravings without making it difficult to stick to your goal of kicking sugar.
Decide Why You Want to Overcome Your Sugar Addiction
When you aren’t sure of the reasons that you want to do something, you’re less likely to accomplish it.
Write a list of all the ways that you will feel better if you quit sugar. Have a quick guide of all the ways you want to improve your overall health by giving up sugary snacks and drinks.
Refer to your list and guide any time you’re feeling like you will falter.
Don’t Reward Yourself With Sugar
Often, we think that because we’ve done so well cutting sugar from our lives that we can have “just a little,” and it won’t make us crave more. This is a myth.
When you use sweet treats like donuts, cookies, and cakes as a reward for doing so well without sugar, you could find that you lose valuable ground in breaking your addiction to sugar.
Identify Benefits as You Notice Them
Perhaps you’ve lost weight, or maybe your skin is glowing. No matter what the benefits of your new sugar-free diet, take note of them so you continue progressing toward your goal of quitting sugar for good.
When we see the results of things we try, we are more likely to continue them. Plus, taking note of the benefits also speaks to the reward part of the brain.
Be Careful With Alcohol
If you truly want to cut your sugar addiction, it’s important to be aware of the types of alcohol that you consume, and then only have it in small amounts.
Alcohol breaks down in the body as sugar, so even one drink could leave you craving all manner of the sweet stuff.
Drink Lots of Water
Water is essential for the function of every cell in the body, and when you’re trying to cleanse your system, it helps to carry the remainder of it out.
Be sure to get plenty of water in your diet to help ease sugar cravings and keep you hydrated and satisfied.
Get Enough Protein in Your Diet
Many people find that when they quit sugar they feel like they are missing out and constantly seek something to compensate for sugar.
Plenty of protein helps the brain and body to feel satisfied and that helps you to stick to your goals.
Small Snacks Can Also Help Keep You on Track
When you get too hungry, it makes breaking a sugar addiction harder because you don’t plan what you eat.
Enjoying several small snacks each day can help you prepare when it comes to healthy meal choices.
Low sugar cheese, nuts, berries, and veggies are all excellent options that won’t spike your sugar and make you crave more.
Find Alternatives to the Sugar-Laden Foods You Usually Turn to
While the body can suffer from too many added sugars, it can benefit from healthy fruits and proteins.
Finding other treats that make you feel good can keep you from caving to your urge for something sweet to eat.
Make Exercise a Priority
Regular exercise helps to boost your “feel good” hormones. These are the same hormones that are stimulated when we eat sugar.
If you’re working to break an addiction to sugar, getting regular exercise can help ease cravings, and help you feel great.
Get Plenty of Sleep
When we are tired, our bodies trick us into thinking that sugary snacks and beverages will make us feel better and more awake.
However, the boost that sugar offers is always short-lived and the crash usually leaves us feeling worse than if we had chosen to have no sugar.
Reward Yourself in Ways That Really Work
Chose options that make you feel good, but that won’t sabotage your efforts. Self-care treats, such as a massage or pedicure can help you feel amazing, and keep you focused on your goals.
Whatever you choose to do, make sure that it keeps you moving toward living your life without sugar.
Sugars to Eliminate
What kinds of foods contain sugar, and what kinds of sugars should you eliminate?
Not knowing can make it difficult to break the sugar addiction and choose the healthiest, sugar-free foods available.
Sweetened Drinks
Sodas, juices, sweet tea, and sweetened coffee drinks are all loaded with added sugars. Some studies suggest that these are the biggest offenders when it comes to the amount of sugar in many diets.
Cutting these sweet drinks alone could be enough to have a significant impact on your overall health.
Refined Carbohydrates
Refined carbs are just about everything that everyone loves about sugar. White bread, pasta, sweet cakes, cookies, donuts, waffles, pancakes, crackers, and more can all be included in the list of foods that should be avoided when working to kick a sugar addiction.
Milk Products
Many of these choices are dense in nutrients, but it’s important to choose the non-sweetened kind to avoid extra sugars. Yogurts, milk, and even kefir can contain added sugars.
Packaged Foods
Most packaged foods contain added sugar for preservative purposes. Even foods that taste salty often contain lots of sugar.
Fruits that have a high glycemic index
These fruits have many benefits, but if you want to eliminate all sugar from your diet, these should be avoided.
Watermelon, pineapple, and bananas can have a high GI, but studies suggest that reasonable portions of these fruits have plenty of benefits that negate the sugar intake.
Final Thoughts
One good way to identify added sugars in foods is to look at the label, where it details added sugars. When you’re working to break a sugar addiction, be sure to choose only foods that have zero added sugars.
Most fruits and vegetables contain safe amounts of sugars, but you will likely want to avoid the ones that potentially carry a higher GI at least while you’re going through your sugar detox process.
If you are ready to overcome sugar addiction, you should know that it doesn’t have to feel impossible. Lots of people have done it and enjoy a sugar-free diet all the time, and you can, too.
Stay focused on your goals, take note of the benefits as you experience them, and find other foods that help you feel satisfied and happy, and you can be on your way to living without sugar in your life.
