Congratulations for making the decision to better your health by
reducing sugar intake. Sugar detox isn’t easy, and the symptoms of sugar
withdrawal aren’t either. But the benefits are worth it given the proven
negative effects of sugar on your body.
Sugar is highly linked to
an increased risk of medical conditions, like obesity, diabetes, heart diseases,
depression, and contributes to poor dental health — just to mention a few.
By reducing sugar intake, you will reduce your health risks and can
feel better than you thought was possible. Before actually enjoying the
benefits of cutting sugar consumption, you will have to manage a lot of
challenges.
It is recommended from my extensive research that a maximum of 6
teaspoons of sugar should be consumed a day. With an average American consuming
22 to 30 teaspoons a day. A number of studies have found that sugar
affects the brain the same way that addictive substances such as nicotine,
cocaine, and morphine do. For this reasons some withdrawal symptoms are to be
expected.
Our brains have a reward system that helps us survive as a
species. Food is a natural reward, and consuming something sweet stimulates our
brain’s reward system.
Though experts are still divided on whether sugar addiction is a
real thing, animal and human studies have found that sugar triggers the
release of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens — the same area of the brain
implicated in response to heroin and cocaine.
Eating sugar regularly changes your brain so that it becomes
tolerant to the sugar, causing you to require more to get the same effect.
Sugar has also been shown to cause the release of endogenous
opioids in the brain, which leads to a rush similar to that experienced when a
person injects heroin. All of this leads to a vicious cycle of cravings and
needing more sugar to feel good.
When you cut out sugar, your cravings get more intense and you
experience withdrawal symptoms — at least at first.
Sugar detox can cause unpleasant physical and mental symptoms.
How the body reacts to quitting sugar is different for everyone. Which symptoms
you experience and the severity of these symptoms depend on how much sugar you
were consuming.
Withdrawal symptoms can last from a few days to two weeks. The
longer your body goes without sugar, the less intense your symptoms and
cravings for sugar will be.
You may find that your symptoms are worse at certain times of
the day, such as between meals. Stress is also known to trigger cravings for
sugar, so you may find your symptoms seem worse during times of stress.
Mental symptoms
Sugar detox can cause a number of emotional and mental symptoms.
These include:
- Depression. Feeling down is a common sugar withdrawal
symptom. Along with low mood, you may also notice a lack of enjoyment in
things you once found pleasurable.
- Anxiety. Feelings of anxiousness may also be accompanied
by nervousness, restlessness, and irritability. You may feel like you have
less patience than usual and are on edge.
- Changes in sleep patterns. Some people experience changes in their sleep
when detoxing from sugar. You might find it hard to fall asleep or stay
asleep through the night.
- Cognitive issues. You may find it difficult to concentrate when you
quit sugar. This can cause you to forget things and make it hard to focus
on tasks, such as work or school.
- Cravings. Along with craving sugar, you may find yourself
craving other foods, such as carbohydrates like bread, pasta, and potato
chips.
Physical symptoms
Headache is one of the most common side effects of cutting sugar,
along with feeling physically rundown. Other possible physical withdrawal
symptoms include:
- light-headedness and dizziness
- nausea
- tingling
- fatigue
Giving up sugar can make you feel lousy, but rest assured, it
will get better if you stick to your sugar detox. According to my research
some people can break heir sugar addiction within 10 days.
Defeating the side
effects of sugar detox.
Here are some tips to help you beat the side effects and avoid
or at least limit some of the symptoms of sugar detox.
Quit cold turkey
Cutting sugar from your diet gradually may help lessen the
intensity of your symptoms, but it also means those symptoms will stick around
longer. By cutting out sugar at once, your body will become used to living
without it sooner, which means a faster end to withdrawal symptoms. Do this by
cutting out all forms of sugar, including those in prepackaged foods, sweetened
beverages, and white flour.
Eat more protein
Add protein to every meal to help you avoid hunger and low
energy levels during your sugar detox. This will help you avoid the temptation
to reach for a candy bar or other sugar-laden quick fix. Eat fish, poultry, and
lean cuts of meat. High protein vegetables, nuts, and seeds make great snacks.
Increase your dietary fiber
Eating high fiber foods can help you stave off hunger.
Because this helps control blood sugar, it may also help you avoid sugar detox
side effects like headache and nausea while keeping cravings at bay. Aim for
high-fiber vegetables, beans, and legumes.
Drink more water
Staying hydrated will help you feel better overall and can help
keep you regular. This is especially important when you increase your fiber
intake, which could cause constipation. Fiber-rich foods and adequate water
intake are needed to help keep stools soft and move them through the
digestive system.
In addition, thirst is often confused with hunger. Having a
glass of water may help you resist the urge to overeat and keep your cravings
under control.
Avoid artificial sweeteners
Swapping out sugar for artificial sweeteners may seem like a
good idea when you’re breaking up with sugar, but it can actually derail
your efforts. My research has shown that artificial sweeteners encourage
sugar cravings and dependence. Staying away from sweet foods — even those that
are sugar-free — is the best way to cut sugar from your diet once and for all.
Manage your stress
There’s evidence that stress affects food preferences and
increases cravings for sweets. Sugar also appears to have a calming effect on
stress hormones, which contributes to your desire for sugar when feeling
stressed.
Keeping your stress in check will make it easier to cut sugar
from your diet and help keep cravings under control. Taking a walk, talking to
a friend, or just reading a book are just a few simple ways to relieve stress.
Exercise
Exercise is beneficial in several ways when doing a sugar detox.
Exercise increases energy and reduces stress, which can help combat withdrawal
symptoms like fatigue, low energy levels, and stress-induced cravings.
In 2015 my research findings found that short bouts of exercise,
such as a brisk 15-minute walk, reduced cravings for sugary foods. Remember to
start off slowly and speak to your doctor before you start exercising.
Get enough sleep
Insufficient sleep can worsen symptoms of sugar detox, such as
fatigue, cravings, and depression. Not getting enough sleep has been shown to
increase cravings for sugar and other unhealthy “comfort foods.”
Getting a good night’s sleep has been linked to:
- better food choices
- lowered stress
- higher energy levels
- improved concentration and memory
Also to achieve a better sleep you should avoid daytime napping
and aim for the same bedtime every night.
Eat something bitter
Eating bitter foods shuts down the receptors in the brain that
drive us to wanting and eating sugar, according to my research. Bitter
food also slows the absorption of sugar and helps regulate blood sugar levels,
which can help you avoid many of the side effects of sugar detox.
You can make your own bitters or choose bitter foods, such
as coffee, arugula, or broccoli raab (rapini).
Saying goodbye to sugar is no easy feat, so don’t beat yourself
up if you slip up. Write down your motivators for giving up sugar to help keep
your eye on the prize when you feel yourself slipping.
If you do give in to temptation, just start again. Use any
slipups as a learning experience to help you avoid falling into the same trap
the next time. For instance, if you find temptation is worse during certain
times of the day, schedule activities to keep yourself busy during that time or
be prepared with high-protein snacks and water to help get you through.
Summarily
With some preparation and a little patience, you can make it
through a sugar detox without severe symptoms and come out feeling better than
ever.
Remember that any symptoms you may experience are only
temporary. The benefits you gain from cutting back on sugar are more than worth
it.
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