A sugar-free diet, commonly referred to as a no-sugar diet, limits additional sugar. While obvious sugary items like sweets and soda fall under this restriction, extra sugar can also be found in savory meals like pasta sauce. More extreme variants of a no-sugar diet may include excluding items with naturally occurring sugar, such as fruits and vegetables. However, this is not typically advised as part of a healthy, balanced diet.
It is essential to understand the difference between healthy sugar and excess intake. It is advised to consume only healthy and naturally occurring sugar like fruits. Try to avoid any added sugar intake. Sugar is a carbohydrate. Like all carbs, they serve as a food source of energy. All sweet carbohydrates can be referred to as sugar. However, the phrase is most frequently used to refer to table sugar, also known as sucrose, or a "double sugar." Carbohydrates are converted by the body into easily absorbed simple sugars like glucose.
Why sugar needs to be limited
Simple sugar also termed “free sugar” degrades the nutritional value of meals by supplying large amounts of energy without necessary nutrients. Consuming too much sugar raises the chance of developing ailments like diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Dental caries is a condition generated by excess sugar intake that affects teeth. Having so many issues, it becomes essential to limit the intake as much as possible.
According to the study by WHO, free sugar intake in adults and children should be less than 10% of daily caloric intake. This amounts to around 12 teaspoons for an adult with typical body weight, with 5 g of sugar per teaspoon. Additional health advantages would result from lowering sugar consumption to under 5%, or 25 grams (6 teaspoons) per day.
Do’s and Dont’s for a no-sugar diet
Avoid sugar-sweetened beverages
Beverages including carbonated drinks, energy drinks, flavored milk, and many juices are additionally sweetened. These flavored drinks contain a large amount of sugar that gives you an energy boost but is harmful to your body in a long run. Consume even packaged fruit juices in moderation, as they have high sugar content.
Instead of carbonated drinks, fizzy drinks, or sugary juices, you should drink water.
Many times, we feel thirty and we try to compensate for it by taking carbonated drinks. This is a habit you need to break. If thirsty, go for a glass of water instead of taking more unintended sugar.
Choose to consume fresh fruit rather than packaged juice.
Packed juices might sound very healthy and natural. No matter how natural it is, it cannot be better than fresh fruits. All fruit beverages contain excess amount of sugar which again is very harmful to the body. It is better to have a fruit salad with fresh juicy fruits.
Decide on less-processed, healthier snack selections.
It is natural for us to snack. We all need an evening or after-breakfast snack. Snacking is completely okay until and unless you choose the right one. Instead of snacks with added sugars (such as cakes, biscuits, or chocolates), choose fresh fruits or vegetables. Decide on taking more natural food products rather than packaged products that are filled with added sugar and preservatives.
Pick whole foods instead of processed or refined ones.
Processed foods contain large amounts of sugar. Additionally, they include additives and other artificial ingredients that are unhealthy for our system. It is, therefore, best to choose whole foods.
Prefer cereal-based snacks over baked goods
Baked food products like cakes, cookies, and confections contain a high amount of sugar. You must choose cereal-based foods rather than these baked food products since they contain less sugar and fat.
Check the label before buying
The label will give you the reality of how much sugar is present in the product. It is essential to check before eating to make sure you are not consuming excess sugar amount.
Benefits of a no-sugar diet
Reducing blood sugar risk
Consuming meals and drinks with a lot of added sugar regularly can make it harder to control your blood sugar levels and raise your chance of developing type 2 diabetes.
High fructose and other quickly absorbed sugars are present in sweetened foods and beverages like soda, candy, energy drinks, and baked goods. These sugars have been associated with increased blood sugar and insulin resistance in diets. Your cells lose their sensitivity to insulin, a hormone that controls your blood sugar levels when you have insulin resistance.
Weighloss
Foods and beverages with a lot of added sugar tend to be high in calories but poor in nutrients that fill you up, such as fiber and protein. This is why eating a lot of sugary foods has been associated with weight gain. A high intake of added sugar is also linked to higher levels of visceral fat, the kind of fat that surrounds your organs. Greater illness risk is positively connected with increased visceral fat.
Eliminating sources of added sugar may aid in weight loss, particularly when combined with a nutrient-rich diet rich in protein and fiber.
Better oral health
It is well known that eating and drinking sugary things is bad for your teeth. In reality, consumption of added sugar is closely associated with a higher risk of cavities and gum disorders in both children and adults. This happens because the bacteria in the mouth break down sugar and produce acid that could harm your teeth.
Eliminating additional sugar might therefore help to keep your teeth healthy. However, merely giving up sugar for 30 days is not likely to have a significant impact on oral health.
Liver health
Diets high in sugar, particularly those high in fructose, can raise the risk of developing the nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a disorder marked by the accumulation of fat in the liver. Reducing the amount of sugar intake will help you prevent any such diseases and keep your life healthy.
Heart health
Risk factors of heart disease are high blood pressure, triglyceride, and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. These attributes are related to sugar-rich diets. Additionally, studies have connected ingesting too much-added sugar to an increased risk of developing heart disease and dying from it.
Disadvantages of no-sugar diet
You might start feeling weak
When you start a new diet, the body takes some time adjusting to the changes. The first few days will be challenging and might make you feel weak. It is normal for everyone. Since you have quit sugar intake, the body is not getting an instant energy boost which might be the cause. Although it is essential to understand that this is beneficial in a long term.
Difficult to sustain
If you want to follow a balanced diet for the long term, you need to know your habits and change them gradually. Quitting sugar for 30 days and then coming back to the original diet will not help you in any way. It is essential to gradually cut off the intake and take it in a moderation.
Conclusion
A no-sugar diet, sometimes known as a sugar-free diet, limits added sugar. This restriction applies to apparent sugar-containing foods like sweets and soda, but sugar can also be present in savory foods like pasta sauce. Excluding foods with naturally occurring sugar, such as fruits and vegetables, is one of the more extreme variations of a no-sugar diet. However, as part of a healthy, balanced diet, this is not usually recommended.
Understanding the distinction between excessive sugar consumption and healthy sugar is crucial. It is advisable to limit sugar intake to only healthy, naturally occurring sources, such as fruits. Try to limit your intake of added sugar. There is a large number of benefits of a no-sugar diet. These benefits include reduced blood sugar levels, weight loss, improved oral health, and better heart and liver health. These benefits make it important for us to minimize sugar intake. Although it is essential to carry on the limited sugar diet and make it a part of your daily habit. Changing your diet for 30 days and going back to the original habits will not be helpful.