Guide to undergoing a 30 day sugar free diet & bull; hello healthy

Consumption of excess sugar can not only lead to obesity, but also increase cholesterol and blood pressure, to the risk of cancer, diabetes and heart disease. In fact, dr. Joel Fuhrman, author of The End of Dieting, reported by the Daily Burn emphasized that consuming too much sugar should be considered as dangerous as smoking. To combat these dire risks as early as possible, you can start committing to a sugar-free diet. Watch this article to find out how.

What is the maximum limit for sugar consumption per day?

The limit for daily sugar consumption on paper recommended by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia per person is 50 grams, or the equivalent of 5-9 teaspoons per day. If measured using numbers, this might already look "sweetness". But in reality, the average intake can be many times more than that.

The amount of sugar intake of Indonesians actually reaches 15 teaspoons per day - maybe even more. The average American can eat an abundance of sugary foods, whatever their form, the equivalent of 22 teaspoons of sugar. This number is three times more than what the American Heart Association recommends.

A sugar free diet does not mean stopping eating sugar, it just has to be very limited

In general, a sugar-free diet does not necessarily eliminate sugar intake altogether. However, sugar is still needed by the body to supply energy. This diet is more about limiting your daily sugar intake to a minimum.

The sugar referred to here is the intake of added sugar from desserts, sweet drinks, processed foods and light snacks, to artificial sugar as a substitute for regular sugar. Natural sugar intake, be it from fruit or vegetables is still taken into account - but also keep an eye on the amount.

When on a sugar-free diet, men should not consume more than 9 teaspoons of added sugar per day, while women should limit their intake to no more than 6 teaspoons per day.

A guide to a 30 day sugar-free diet

A sugar-free diet that you follow as discipline as possible will help you control your daily sugar intake, and it is not even possible that this will eventually become part of a permanent healthy lifestyle. Here are the steps:

The first 3 days

Sometimes, the advice of "limiting moderately" doesn't feel clear enough to most people. "Just enough, how much?" Moreover, these ambiguous guidelines are deemed ineffective for people who are already addicted to sugar. For that, Brooke Alpert, a licensed dietitian from New York emphasizes that you just get on with it eliminating any sugary foods from your diet during the first 3 days.

This includes not eating fruit, starchy vegetables (eg corn, sweet potato, cassava), milk and its derivatives, wheat, as well as alcohol. Basically you only eat protein, vegetables and healthy fats. For example, breakfast three eggs, lunch 300 grams of chicken / fish / tofu with boiled vegetable salad, then dinner with a lunch-like menu (300 grams of protein) with a choice of more filling vegetables, such as kale, broccoli, or spinach. Snacks for the whole day include 100 grams of beans, and drink only the following three options: plain water, plain tea, and bitter black coffee.

Fourth to seventh day

After 3 days of success, you can add apples. Once you start getting rid of excess sugar, even apples and onions will taste as sweet as lollipops.

Starting on the fourth to seventh day, you can add on one apple or dairy product, such as yogurt or cheese, every day. However, the choice of dairy products should be high-fat (full-fat) and unsweetened (unsweetened). Fat, fiber, and protein slow down the absorption of sugar, so if you choose low-fat milk, your body absorbs sugar faster.

You can also add some vegetables that are high in sugar, such as carrots and peas, as well as high-fiber biscuits.

2nd week

During the second week, you can add one serving of berries which are rich in antioxidants and an extra serving of milk. You can also add back carbohydrate vegetables, such as corn, sweet potatoes, and orange squash.

In this week, you it's okay to eat whole grain foods (whole wheat) for dinner. For a snack, choose a fresh fruit salad that's low in sugar without the addition of dressings or other sweeteners. Fruit is high in fiber and antioxidants, which help you lose weight and feel full for longer.

Week 3

For the third week, you can adding whole grains like barley, quinoa, and oatmeal, and even a few more fruits including grapes and sweet oranges. If you want, it's okay to drink a glass of red wine and an ounce of pure dark chocolate every day for this week.

Week 4

The last week of the sugar free diet is principally the same as the maintenance stage. You should maintain a healthy diet that has been built from day one and continue to be committed to continuing it.

During the fourth week, you can enjoy two daily servings of carbohydrates, such as rice and bread. You can snack on sandwiches this week. But reply also with high-fiber biscuits.

Passing out cravings is permissible, but there are conditions

In the future, after successfully committing to a 30-day sugar-free diet, you may just give up your cravings. But limit only a piece of cake or one scoop of ice cream if the desire to "eat sweet food" is no longer unstoppable.

After spending weeks without the presence of added sugar in your diet, your taste buds will reset the "system" so that you are no longer sensitive to the sweetness of added and artificial sugars, thus developing an appetite for real sugar that is healthier than fresh food. . This is why indulging yourself in sweets every now and then will not thwart your attempts to return from scratch.

After the 30th day of a sugar-free diet, you can consume all types of fruit as usual.