Preparing to Break a Sugar Addiction
It is my belief that sugar, in all its various forms, is at the root of every junk food craving. Every kind of junk food has some form of sugar in it: corn syrup, high fructose syrup, glucose, fructose, lactose, maltose, dextrose, etc. When most people say they are going to cut sugar out of their diets, they overlook the hidden sugars; so their addiction to sugar remains.I am going to strategically cut sugar-in every manufactured form-completely out of my daily diet for seven full days. This experiment will either prove or disprove my belief that sugar is the root of all junk food addictions. I will also document any physical, mental, and emotional changes that may happen as a result of completely cutting sugar out of my diet. This will take much planning and research, as many staples in my daily diet contain sugar.[
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So where exactly is this unneeded sugar found in? Milk, bread, rice, chips, candy bars, soda, fast food, processed foods and the list goes on and on.Milk contains lactose, a sugar that will be stored in your body as fat if you consume too much of it. Cereals, cookies, fast food, processed foods and soda contain high fructose corn syrup, which can be addictive. The more you eat, the harder it is to stop, and when you do stop, prepare to undergo a sugar withdrawal.
Condiments and Dressings.This is the “Sugar Free” age! There are plenty of alternatives to choose from! The only hiccup? Paying five dollars (or more!) for each bottle of sugar-free ketchup or sugar-free mustard! Again, I may resort to making ketchup and mustard myself if I think it’s worth the effort.Checking my cupboards, it seems that my favorite instant oatmeal even has sugar already in it-12g to be exact! I cringe when I think of those unsuspecting people who add a little more sugar for added sweetness! In fact, just about everything in my cupboard contains sugar!
Anything that is canned, jarred, bagged, boxed, or stuffed in plastic tubing is processed and contains an insane amount of sugar. Nothing is sacred anymore! Even a cup of my child’s breakfast cereal contains 17g of sugar! One cup! Pour some milk on that cereal and the poor child just ingested about 30g of sugar in one meal! That’s assuming that the portion size is correct! Most people double-even triple-portion sizes without knowing it which means the amount of sugar consumption doubles or triples as well.
Keep notes on your sugar intake in your journal or Daytimer. How does decreasing your sugar levels impact your energy levels? Your mood during the day? Your ability to fall asleep at night? When do sugar cravings hit? It might be helpful to start with a Sugar Fast for a day or two. See how one day without added sugars affects you.Make easy substitutions. Buy brown rice instead of white rice, for example. Brown rice has a nice, nutty flavor, and takes just a bit longer to cook. The next time you go to the store, experiment with all kinds of whole grain alternatives. You might find some new family favorites.Keep healthy snacks readily available, and rely on a bit of protein in your snacks to keep your energy levels high. Keep a small bowl of nuts on the table, along with fresh fruits. When you are hungry for a mid afternoon snack, opt for lean protein and complex carbs.
People can become addicted to many things. It is called sugar addiction when an individual craves sweet foods. It is a psychological and physical craving.Sugar increases serotonin production in the brain, something like anti-depressants. One of the ways you can tell if you’re addicted to sugar is an extreme need to eat it. Once you consume enough of it your anxiety alleviates.
Eating sweets such as cakes, cookies and candy aren’t the only way to add a large amount of sugar to your diet. Breads, pastas and snacks made with white flour are processed carbs that turn to sugar in your body. This type of diet can lead to all kinds of illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, digestive problems and even certain cancers. There is also evidence that memory, concentration and focus may be affected.
Carefully measure how much honey you put in your tea and how much sugar you put in your coffee. Aim to put in a bit less each day or each week until you are drinking it either unsweetened or with just a bit of sugar.Buy items that are not sweetened, and add sugar only if you find that you need to. This will help you wean off the sugar gradually.Steer clear of sugars for breakfast. When you start your day with a sugar blast and crash, you may find yourself in a vicious cycle for the remainder of the day. Start your day with healthy lean protein and complex carbs. Try natural whole-grain breads and cereals for breakfast, along with a lowfat protein, such as skim milk, cottage cheese, or yogurt.
If you need to lose weight, consider a diet plan that focuses on reducing sugar intake. The Sugar Busters Diet Plan is probably the most well known. The idea of this diet is to reduce your intake of sugar and high starch carbohydrates, focusing instead on lean protein, low starch veggies, and whole grain carbs, in order to lose weight. Many of the low GI diets out there use this method, as well.
Unrefined coconut oil is reputed to help correct hypoglycemia and sugar addiction. Because of the ease with which the body absorbs coconut oil’s unique medium chain fatty acids, it is perfect for people who have trouble digesting fat. It is also an excellent healthy fat for vegetarians.Other healthy fats include olive oil, butter, avocados, nuts, and nut butters.Complex carbohydrates also prevent blood sugar swings. They are filling and have a subtle sweetness. These include carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, brown rice, whole grain bread, and other whole grains.White bread and white rice are not complex carbohydrates and will not have the beneficial effects. They will tend to increase cravings.Try superfoods, which are foods with extra nutrition that can correct vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Those deficiencies are an additional cause of uncontrollable cravings. Examples of superfoods include: superfruits such as acai and mangosteen; wheatgrass juice; seaweed.These techniques help defeat sugar addiction and provide other healthful benefits. Generous nourishment is an enjoyable way to permanently end sugar cravings.
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