No Sugar Diet : How to get started ?

The adult population absorbs about 22 teaspoons of added sugar every day. And that's on top of the sugars that exist normally eaten by fruit, grains and milk products. It has been related to excessive sugar consumption:

• Accountability
• Diabetes Chat
• Cardiac disease
• Increases Skin Inflammation
• Good cholesterol
• High Blood pressure 

When taking a no-sugar diet, the chances of these health problems is declining drastically. Having that in mind might help you adhere to a new diet schedule. Continue reading for tips on how to get going, look-out for ingredients, try tasty alternatives and more.

1. Start from Scratch

It's important to build a food schedule that you can commit to. This means too many people begin gradually. View the first few weeks as a time of reduced sugar, rather than no sugar. You can "retrain" your taste buds and palate to adopt a less sugar lifestyle, and eventually you won't be craving the same high-sugar foods as you used to.

You can still eat foods with natural sugars, such as fruit, during this time, as these are packed with nutrients and fibre. Since your knowledge base is increasing, you should start making minor adjustments to your diet to reduce your sugar consumption. You can do it. Try to put less sweetener on your cereal for coffee , tea or breakfast.

Swap regular soda and fruit juices for a carbonated flavored water that is without artificial sweeteners. Another option would be to infuse your favorite fruit with your water. Instead of your normal full-flavor pick, opt for unflavored yogurt. Seek flavoring berries with your own plain yogurt. Be aware of how much dried fruit you eat, since it has often added sugar in addition to its higher naturally occurring sugar content. Replace dried mango with fresh berries, and other fruit.

Choose whole wheat breads with no added sugar, pastas and other foods. Read labels to make sure the food does not contain added sugar. During the first week, many people are dealing with sugar withdrawal so if you feel cranky or craving sugar, you 're not alone. Making such small changes can help ease your cravings and set you on the path to success.

2. Cut the obvious Sources

You don't have to be a follower of the mark to know that the treats are off limits. Including:

• Pastries, such as muffins and chocolate cake
• Baked goods, such as biscuits and cake
• Frozen whipped cream and sorbet snacks

Remember that certain foods with natural sugar are also rich in nutrients, high in carbohydrates, and can be part of a healthy , well-balanced diet. However, you should also exclude foods rich in naturally occurring sugar from your diet, while you relax into your daily schedule. That will prepare the brain more to have less cravings.

Including:

• Dried fruit, such as raisins and dates
• Yogurt with berries added or other flavours
• Dairy

3. Start reading labels on foods

Switching to a diet that is no-sugar also brings a learning curve. In many, if not most, items found in store stores, there's secret sugar. Hidden sugars, for example, can be found at:

• Boiled beans
• Knuckles
• Tacos Tacos
• Covered rice
• Frozen inlets
• Grains, including bread, rice , and pasta

Reading the nutritional information and list of ingredients found on the food label is the simplest way to eliminate hidden sources of sugar. Keep these in mind: On bottles, the sugar is also expressed in grams. One tablespoon is equal to four grams. Some foods, such as fruit, do not come with a label on ingredients. It means you will need to browse the dietary information online. Nutrition labels should provide more detail soon to help you make better choices. The new label will list all overall and additional sugars. Some companies have already adopted the new label. Reading store labels can be confusing so some research may be helpful in advance. There are also shopping applications, such as Fooducate, that you can grab right on your phone to help you test the details on the go about food.

4. Learn the Sugar Codenames

Sugar has several sneaky names and you'll have to know them all to remove them from your diet entirely. A general rule of thumb is to look for ingredients which end in "ose" these are usually sugar forms. Take , for example:

• Glucose Cheese
• Misfeed
• Sugar
• Dextrosis
• Fructose
• LATHOSE

In addition to clearly labeled sugars such as malt sugar, there are many other forms the substance can take on. Including:

• molasses
• agave
• syrups, such as corn, rice, malt, and maple
• fruit juice concentrate
• maltodextrin

Take heart when that sounds daunting. When you've learned to recognise sugar in all its ways, eliminating it would be simpler and sticking to your strategy.

5. Avoid Man Made Sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners can be 200-13,000 times sweeter than true sugar anywhere. This can fool your brain into thinking that you’re actually eating sugar. In the long run, these substitutes can trigger sugar cravings, making it harder for you to stick to your eating plan. Common sugar substitutes include:

• Stevia
• Splenda
• Equal
• Sweet ‘N Low
• Nutrasweet

Although they’re usually marketed as a sugar replacement for cooking and baking, they’re often used as ingredients in some food products. Ingredients to watch for include:

• saccharin
• aspartame
• neotame
• sucralose
• acesulfame potassium

Often, sugar substitutes are found in products sold as no-sugar, low-sugar, or low-calorie.

6. Don’t drink it

It’s not just what you eat that matters. It’s also what you drink. Sugar can be found in:

• soda
• fruit juices
• flavored coffee
• flavored milk
• flavored tea
• hot chocolate
• tonic water

Cocktails and after-dinner liqueurs are also high in sugar. Wine, even if it’s dry, contains naturally occurring sugar derived from grapes.

7. Opt for the unsweetened version

Many foods and drinks come in sweetened and unsweetened varieties. In most cases, the sweetened form is the default product. There usually isn’t any indication that it’s sweetened beyond the ingredients listing. An “unsweetened” designation on the label is usually a sign that the item doesn’t contain added sugar. However, naturally occurring sugars may still be present. Take care to read the label thoroughly before making your selection.

8. Add more flavor without adding sugar

Removing sugar from your diet doesn’t mean eliminating flavor. Look to spices, seasonings, and other natural ingredients to add some variety to your meals. For example, drop a cinnamon stick into your cup of coffee or sprinkle the spice onto a cup of unflavored yogurt. Vanilla is another option. The extract can add a delicious flavor to the foods you used to sweeten with sugar, and you can use the whole bean to brew iced coffee or tea.

9. Ensure that you’re getting enough nutrients from other sources

When eliminating foods laden with natural sugar, like fruit, it’s important to add other foods that can provide the same nutrients. For example, fruit is usually high in vitamin A, vitamin C, and fiber. Vegetables can serve as an easy replacement for many fruit servings. Eat a variety of colors of vegetables to ensure you are getting the full spectrum of nutrients. Each color represents a different nutrient the body needs.You may also wish to add a daily supplement to your routine. Talk to your doctor about your diet plan and how you can best meet your nutritional needs.

10. Make sugar an occasion

Fully eliminating natural and added sugars is not easy to do. If the thought of never eating another piece of birthday cake is too much to bear, know that total abstinence may not be necessary. The American Heart Association recommends we limit our added sugar intake to nine teaspoons for men per day and six teaspoons for women per day. Remember, once you retrain your palate, your desire for extra sweet foods won’t be as great. When adding sugar back in your diet, start with naturally occurring sugars, like in fruit. You will find these to taste sweeter, and they’ll be more satisfying once you have gone through the sugar elimination process.

Think of sugar like your favorite holiday. Knowing that there’s a sugary occasion to work toward may help you stick to your goals. On set occasions, sugar can be eagerly anticipated, fully savored, and then tucked away until next time.

Bottom Line

Going completely sugar-free isn’t for everyone. However, limiting sugar is something most anyone can do, even if for a short period of time. You may wish to alternate your no-sugar diet with a low-sugar diet from week to week. You could also try avoiding refined sugars but reintroducing naturally occurring sugars, like in fruits, back into your diet. No matter how you reduce your sugar intake, making a concerted effort to do so is likely to have a positive impact. It can help your skin clear up, increase your energy levels, and reduce excess weight you’ve been carrying. These health benefits will only increase over the long-term.