11 Tips for a Successful Sugar Free Diet
It's not easy to maintain a sugar-free diet, but it's not impossible either. Check out!
Maintaining a sugar-free diet has been a very frequent quest. An edition of the US program “60 Minutes” on CNN showed Dr. Sanjay Gupta and other experts discussing research on the health consequences of refined sugar. The results of the study revealed that sugar not only contributes to human obesity, it can also cause heart disease, diabetes and even cancer.
Fructose is found in most of the foods we eat today. Apparently, because it is present in large amounts of food, it is seen by a large part of the population as not harmful to health, not to mention that our brain, when consuming something sweet, releases dopamine, which brings a sensation of pleasure.
For these reasons, starting a sugar-free diet is very difficult. But it's not an impossible task. Check out 11 tips on how to stop eating refined sugar.1. The first initiative is motivation
Before starting the sugar-free diet, it is necessary that you have constant motivation, as most of the time, the beginning is always worse. To convince yourself, take a look at the video quoted at the beginning of the article (in English):
2. Eliminate soft drinks
Did you know that a standard soda can contains about ten teaspoons of sugar? Well, if you manage to quit the addiction or habit of drinking soda, you will be able to drastically reduce the amount of sugar ingested. But it's not just the carbonated ones that have this problem. Drinks, in general, that need a high level of sugar to be sweetened, can be cut from your daily menu. When necessary, if possible, use natural sweeteners. Find out about alternatives in the article: "Six natural sweetener options without synthetic sweeteners".
3. Beware of industrialized products
Avoid this type of product. And even if you buy organic products, be aware of the sugar rate. Avoid frozen foods and sausages and make your own meals with local and healthy products.
4. What if I eat out?
Before entering any restaurant, search for one that offers balanced meals and does not use sugar in their dishes. Give baked foods a chance, as they are less likely to contain lots of sugar.
5. Go on a protein and vegetable diet
In the book written by Julie Ross, “The Cure Mood”, the writer recommends removing refined foods (white sugar and white flour) from the diet. She even recommends consuming 20 to 30 grams of protein with each meal and four to five cups of vegetables each day.
6. challenge yourself
Sometimes, in an attempt to reduce sugar, you fail to eat right, which is not recommended. Defy yourself little by little and increase your rejection of sugar.
7. Share the idea
Maintaining a sugar-free diet is already a very difficult task and alone is even worse. Share the idea with friends so that the task becomes more complete and enjoyable. Nothing better than having another person to exchange information, recipes and have even greater motivation.
8. Hold the wish
After a few days without consuming sugary foods, your craving for sweets will diminish. A tip to help your body is to eat probiotic foods such as homemade sauerkraut, coconut kefir or kombucha. The acidity of these meals should help counteract your brain when it craves something sweet, and it also helps to reduce anxiety. Glutamine and L-glutamine supplements are also recommended, but consult a physician before taking any supplements.
- Home-style and natural anxiety remedies
9. Do activities that make you feel good
Health isn't just about what you can and cannot eat, it's also important to exercise daily - of course, as long as you have food in your stomach - and do pleasurable activities. Health also requires well-being.
10. Go by parts
Well, if you've ever tried to stick to a sugar-free diet and haven't been able to, start using organic, unrefined sweeteners like pure maple syrup or coconut sugar, among other available options. These sweeteners have intact minerals and vitamins, making them less tiring for the body, are less addictive and, in the case of coconut sugar, do not influence the blood sugar level as much. Stevia is a great choice for those who want something sweet with no calories or any high blood sugar.
- Coconut Sugar: Good Guy or More of the Same?
11. Pass to the next generation
If an adult person has difficulty controlling their consumption of sweets, imagine children. However, if you gradually remove sugary foods from your child, dietary reeducation will become simpler. Although it's a difficult task, your children will thank you up front. In addition to reducing purchases of processed products, a tip is to gradually reduce the amount of sugar you use in recipes such as sweets and cakes, so you and your family can gradually get used to less sugary flavors.
