Having tasted sugar, it’s easy to understand how addictive it can be, making the process of eliminating it from your life challenging.
Whether your goal is to live a healthier life or lose weight, the question is, how do you get started?
Why Is Sugar Unhealthy?
Excessive sugar intake is linked to several health issues, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, tooth decay, weight gain, obesity, increased inflammation, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.
What Is A zero-Sugar Diet?
A zero-sugar diet, also known as a no-sugar or sugar-free diet, is a method of eliminating sugar and sugar substitutes from your diet. Removing sugar can help prevent diseases associated with overconsumption.
6 Tips To Get Started
Step 1: Gradual changes are key, so, start small. For example, if you usually add one spoon of sugar to your coffee, reduce it to half a spoon to ease into the transition.
Step 2: Replace sugary breakfast items, like scones, and indulge in alternate protein-rich items such as bananas, dried fruits, or nuts.
Step 3: Read food labels before purchasing any items. Many products contain hidden sugars.
Step 4: Learn to recognize hidden sugars. Keep an eye on ingredients ending with “ose” (e.g., glucose, fructose), as these are often forms of sugar or sugar substitutes.
Step 5: Avoid artificial sweeteners. According to Healthline, “Artificial sweeteners can be anywhere from 200 to 13,000 times sweeter than real sugar,” which may increase cravings for sugar and hinder your diet.
Step 6: Cut out packaged beverages such as soda, sweetened coffee, tonic water, and hot chocolate. These are often loaded with hidden sugars.
Cutting sugar from your diet isn’t for everyone, but if you’re able to do it, it could greatly enhance your overall health.
