The Sugar-free Diet: Everything You Need To Know

Sugar is quite a dangerous element if consumed in excessive amounts. Unfortunately, its consumption is very common in the vast majority of the population, especially because of industrial sweets. As a result of this, The sugar-free diet has become one of the most popular in recent years.

This type of diet helps people in an effective way to stay healthy and lose weight. However, not everyone is convinced that the sugar-free diet works. This is why we will see what this diet consists of and how to adopt it correctly.

How to adopt a diet without sugar?

Among the main positive consequences for the body by reducing the amount of sugar in the diet, is the fact of losing weight more easily. Therefore, we show you some tips to start following a diet without sugar.

1. Do it gradually

First of all, we must bear in mind that sugar is quite an addictive element, according to research published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine . Therefore, adopting a sugar-free diet should be done gradually, so that our body can adapt little by little to reducing the amounts of sugar during our day to day.

As an example, we can start by eliminating the main sources of industrial sugar from the diet. Among them will be sweets, pastries or sugary drinks. 

2. Read food labels

Once we have eliminated the main sources of sugar in the diet, with which the consumption of this ingredient could skyrocket, the next logical step will be to reduce the added sugar that many other foods contain.

Also, we must bear in mind that anything that ends with the suffix -osa will also be some type of sugar. Examples of this are sucrose, glucose, dextrose, fructose, and lactose. All these compounds will be metabolized as sugars, and an excessive consumption of them will be counterproductive for the diet.

On the other hand, and as we have mentioned, sugar is hidden in a surprising amount of food that we buy every day in the supermarket. It can be found in many preserves or in jars such as tomato sauces. This is why it will be essential to know how to read food labels in order to identify added sugar.

3. Avoid simple carbohydrates

Another important tip when adopting a sugar-free diet is to reduce the consumption of carbohydrates, such as those contained in white flour, pasta b lanca and white rice . Regular intake of these foods has been shown to increase the risk of developing metabolic diseases.

The nutrients from these foods can be broken down very easily in the body, causing the blood glucose level to rise. In this sense, it is best to substitute this type of food for its wholegrain versions, both in bread, pasta and rice.

4. Go for whole foods

As we have mentioned, white or more refined foods have a higher content of sugar and simple carbohydrates, which results in a greater production of sugars in the body. Therefore, it will be very important to choose whole foods and put aside the most processed carbohydrate sources in favor of others like these:

• The vegetables.
• The fruits.
• Poultry or tofu.
• Fish.
• Lean meats
• Nuts and seeds.
• Unprocessed whole grains and legumes.

Other tips for following the sugar-free diet

Along with the above tips, we can also put the following into practice to start following a sugar-free diet:

• Do not substitute fruit for fruit juices: although fruit juices are natural and without added sugar, opting for them will make us take a higher amount of fructose and less fiber. Regular fiber intake is associated with a lower risk of metabolic problems, according to the evidence.
• Choose whole foods, not skimmed:  Whole foods have a lower sugar content than skimmed foods.
• Try other types of sweeteners:  although it is not convenient to consume them excessively, sweeteners such as honey or stevia can be an alternative.
• Increase water consumption: in  addition to being a drink free of sugars and calories, water favors the regulation of blood glucose levels.
• Get enough sleep: the lack of energy will cause our body to produce more glucose to obtain it. Therefore, a good rest will be essential to obtain positive results in the diet.

Reduce sugar intake to improve health

With all these tips it will be easier to gradually adopt a diet without sugar, which will provide important benefits for the body. Remember to implement this method gradually and, if you have doubts, consult the specialist.