Want to quit sugar? Here's how!

Thinking of quitting your daily sugar intake? Good for you! Refined sugar is directly associated with many medical conditions including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity and depression - and of course, it contributes to poor dental health. Most people eat way more sugar than necessary so cutting back is a good idea.

Some people quit refined sugars cold turkey and remove them completely from their diet. But doing so may have negative effects on you, and you may experience withdrawal symptoms like sleeplessness, anxiety or even depression. The key is to do it gradually - here’s how to quit sugar the right way.

Slowly but surely

Refined white sugar is a known culprit that triggers surges in the levels of blood glucose and insulin. It is easily absorbed in the blood stream leading to common diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Start by removing foods that contain white sugar such as cakes, cookies, and muffins from your diet. Another good way to start quitting is by eliminating candies and sugary beverages such as soft drinks and instant juices. While they don’t all contain refined sugar, all other forms of sugar such as molasses and high-fructose corn syrup can be just as deadly.

Go for natural sugars

We know, sugar cravings are hard to fight, but when you’re cutting down on sugar, replace cakes and pastries with naturally sweet fruits such as bananas, apples, and berries to satisfy your sweet tooth. You can even top them with raw honey or maple syrup to make healthy desserts. But again, take it easy. Those are still sweet after all and indulging too much may just defeat the purpose.

Stay away from artificial sweeteners

You might be thinking artificial sweeteners are a good replacement for sugary treats. Well, sorry to burst your bubble but artificial sweeteners are not the sugary holy grail. They are very hard to digest which can lead to digestive problems and bloating. You’re not really doing yourself any favours by drinking soft drinks or eating candies that say they are sugar-free as these can trigger your cravings, eventually leading you back to binge-eating foods that are loaded with refined sugar.

Make reading a habit

Once you’ve started to cut out the obvious sugars from your diet, you’ll probably want to switch to other products you think are healthier. Reading labels will help you identify the types of sugar to avoid. Sugar has many names. Cane sugar, brown sugar, beet sugar, muscovado, demerara, and many more. Also remember that if an ingredient ends with the suffix “-ose”, then it’s sugar. Glucose, fructose, dextrose, lactose, and sucrose are all types of sugar.

Go easy on simple carbs

While it’s now common knowledge that simple carbs do add sugar to your blood stream, many people are still surprised that when they are cutting down on sugar, they need to cut down on carbs too. White rice, white pasta, white flour, and other similar simple carbohydrates break down into sugar once they enter your body. If you enjoy these carbs on a regular basis, they may cause your blood sugar levels to spike. Most diabetic people know this, so don’t wait to find out for yourself as diabetes is definitely no fun. Moderation is key.

Aim for whole foods

If you’ve started your journey to a no-sugar diet, and you still eat processed foods then you’ll still have a daily sugar intake in your diet. Aim for whole foods such as fruit, vegetables, lean meats, tofu, poultry, fish, nuts, seeds and whole grains.

Now’s the time to start quitting sugar!

If you’ve been planning to quit or reduce your sugar intake, now’s the time to get started! Begin by planning your meals so you can stick with your goal – and if you fall off track, remember, you’re just one meal away from getting back on the straight and narrow. Start removing foods that contain refined sugars from your fridge and cupboards and stock them up instead with whole foods.

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