Do you have a sweet tooth? Do you crave chocolates, biscuits, fizzy drinks, cakes, and pies? Then you could be addicted to sugar!
We know how harmful can sugar be for our health. It not only causes negative effects on your metabolism but may also contribute to several diseases. However, relieving your dependency on sugary foods can be difficult because a lot is concealed within items that are supposedly good for us, including low-fat yogurt, granola bars, or cereals.
What to Eat and Avoid When You are on No Sugar Diet
While you can achieve your desired weight by switching to a high-fiber diet that contains the proper mix of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and sources of protein, you need to give up flour and refined sugar and make some tweaks in your food habits. The sugar-free diet menu includes foods having a low glycemic index and thus helps in maintaining a steady blood sugar level.
Foods rich in carbohydrates, such as white rice, potatoes, flour, sugar, and white bread have the highest GI. Although no food groups are restricted, you should avoid having food items with high GI.
Grains: You may eat pasta, whole-grain bread, oatmeal, and brown rice.
Fruits and vegetables: Avoid eating watermelon, pineapple, and parsnips.
Protein: You may have fish, eggs, lean meat, and nuts.
Sweeteners: While table sugar is a strict no, artificial sweeteners in moderate amounts are allowed.
Avoid Foods that Increase Blood Cholesterol
Make sure that you minimize the intake of foods that possibly increase LDL or bad cholesterol. Try cutting out the following from your diet:
Foods rich in saturated fat like coconut oil, butter, fatty meats, low-fat milk, cream, and cheese
Processed meats like bologna, bacon, sausages, and hot dogs
Foods with partially hydrogenated oils (trans fat) including margarine, packaged snacks, fried foods, and coffee creamers
Egg yolks
Benefits of Sugar Free Diet
High sugar intake has often been associated with diseases and conditions including obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Hence, by having a no sugar diet, you can:
Lowers the risks of developing diseases: Taking foods rich in sugar may influence your body’s metabolism and affect the immune system. Since high sugar level is associated with hyperactivity, depression, indigestion, and dermatitis, you need to cut down your sugar intake to lower their chances of occurrence.
Rejuvenates your body so that you feel less sluggish: Taking whole, unrefined foods provide you with lots of vitamins, fiber, antioxidants, and water needed to fuel your body.
Improves mental clarity: Studies have shown that excess sugar in the body may contribute to the lack of concentration, nervousness, and development of negative thoughts.
Helps maintain your weight: When you have sugary foods, the excess sugar gets converted to fat that is stored inside the body. Therefore, limiting your sugar intake can assist in managing your weight.
Good for dental health: Since consumption of sugar promotes the growth of infection causing bacteria and tartar buildup in your mouth, switching to sugar substitutes such as Xylitol may be helpful for your dental health.
7-Day Sugar Free Diet Plan to Help You Lose Weight
This is a sample meal plan intended for an individual who works out three to four times a week. If you perform strength or endurance training, include larger servings of brown rice, whole wheat pasta, quinoa, sprouted-grain bread, and other whole-grain foods.
1st Day
Breakfast: Pancakes made from gluten free buckwheat, topped with fruit puree containing a mix of half cup mango, banana, one tsp grated ginger, and a small quantity of coconut milk