Anna Gracey - The Shocking Truth About The Sugar Detox Diet: Getting A Handle On Sugar Through Detoxing

Sugar comes in many forms, processedand raw. It has found its way into virtually every bit of processed food onstore shelves. It's so ubiquitous, in fact, that it causes health problems inadults and children worldwide. The average adult today consumed a shocking 150pounds of sugar in a single year. While sugar provides an excellent energyboost, such huge quantities of sugar mostly go to waste as empty calories.

With so much sugar in most availablefood, it's a thing to eliminate from the diet. Yet for those with sugar-relatedhealth problems, that's exactly what they need to do. For many, these healthproblems can be mitigated by a sugar detox. This sort of cleansing rids thebody of excess sugar and reminds it how to function without the constant influxof processed sweetener. It may be difficult, but it is not impossible.

Why Consider a Sugar Detox?

When sugar hits the digestivesystem, it is quickly broken down into a burst of powerful, but short-livedenergy. Most energy drinks, sodas and other energy-granting foods are primarilysugar for this reason. It has a near-immediate effect. The problem is theduration. When the sugar high wears off, the body drops into a sugar crash,leaving you feeling more lethargic and generally worse than before. The typicalresponse, of course, is to drink more energy drinks, causing another high andanother crash. It is, at its heart, a cycle of addiction. Breaking this cycleis incredibly difficult, partially due to how common sugar is as an ingredient.

Beyond the simple physical addictionand cycle of consumption, excess sugar has negative health effects. Sugar, whenit is broken down, causes the body to release insulin. Imbalanced insulin andexcess sugar lead to diabetes, cholesterol problems and high blood pressure.With a sugar detox, these issues can be reduced or avoided altogether.

Sugar is impossible to eliminatefrom your diet. Various forms of sugar are found in nearly every food, bothorganic and processed. That said your body does need a certain amount of sugarto function. The sugar your body needs will primarily come from carbohydratesthat are metabolized as glucose. What you're working to remove from your dietwith a sugar detox is the refined sugar found in most processed foods.

Detoxing Step by Step

Get rid of the easy, convenientsources of sugar. Put away the sugar bowl. Don't add sugar to coffee, cereal orother foods you eat. Cut out the fruit juice concentrate and the soda, diet orotherwise. As much as you can, avoid any kind of processed food.

Start watching ingredients lists.Sugar is often hidden under a number of different names in order to disguiseits presence in processed foods. Sometimes it is coupled with an adjective tomake it seem healthier, which is not the case. Avoid any mention of pure sugar,such as brown sugar, cane sugar or raw sugar. Avoid the chemical names, likefructose, maltose and sorbitol. Avoid sweet syrup ingredients like corn syrupand barley malt. At first, it will be very difficult as you realize virtuallyevery item in a grocery store contains one or more of these ingredients.

Keep up with the diet. A full sugardetox will take several weeks; perhaps even as much as a month, before you'recompletely past the sugar withdrawal cravings. This is an excellent time tobuild better eating habits.

While the sugar detox is as easy asone-two-three, the actual process is hard on your body. You have likely beenconsuming large amounts of processed sugar for most of your life. Cutting itout suddenly and completely is a drastic shift in lifestyle and it will takeyour body some time to adjust.

An Appropriate Diet

With processed foods and sugarydrinks cut out completely, it might not seem like there are many options toeat. In general, you should focus your diet on lean protein sources and complexcarbohydrates, which will provide what little sugar you need. Fruits andvegetables -- fresh, of course -- are good to eat. Whole grains and legumes arevalid options, as is brown rice. Avoid processed white rice, as it has littlehealth benefit. Unsweetened, plain yogurt is an excellent snack, especiallypaired with fresh fruit. It can also be used as a cream substitute in certainrecipes.

You're going to feel hungercravings. Your body will crave the sugar it is missing, even though most of itis never used. Vegetables and nuts are good snacking alternatives when had inmoderation.

Resisting the snack urge is the keyto sticking with a sugar detox diet. Many people who try this detox encounterheadaches and a generally sick feeling. These symptoms, as well as a generalshakiness, generally indicate a certain amount of hypoglycemia, which can beminimized by eating more protein or vegetables.

Mind over Diet

Part of the detox process ismaintaining the willpower necessary to avoid processed foods. With vendingmachines in every building and convenience stores on every block, it's hard toavoid the temptation. One psychological trick is to keep notes each day on thereasons you're starting to detox. Health issues, family you don't want todisappoint, pre-diabetes and cholesterol issues are all good reasons. If youcan, enlisting the aid of friends and family to pressure you into keeping upwith the diet will help as well.

After a sugar detox, several thingshave happened. Your body will have adjusted to a different source of incomingsugar energy, as well as a generally lower level of sugar. Your diet will haveprovided you with the healthy eating habits necessary to maintain a healthylifestyle. From there it is simple maintenance, keeping a reduced sugar intakefor a healthier life.