Sugar is not healthy for us and we all know it but we all have the 'love-hate relationship' with sugar. Sugar is not that easy to eliminate from the daily diet since it is quite tough to ignore the sweet cravings and the urge to eat your favorite chocolate and sweet. But there are short term side effects of sugar withdrawal. The symptoms include anxiety, sleep troubles, mood changes, etc but the severity of symptoms may differ depending on how much calories you consumed through sweetened foods and beverages.
Today, we will discuss the ways in which we can manage the symptoms of sugar withdrawal so that the journey to a healthy lifestyle is easier and more helpful in the longer run.
Set realistic goals: Do not cut down the sugar from your diet completely at one go. The main idea is to slowly reduce the sugar intake by cutting out one source of added sugar at a time. If you consume sugar from soda, chocolates, and sweets, cut down one source of sugar and then move onto the next one. This helps in the longer run.
Eat protein rich diet: The urge to binge-eat sugared foods comes from the cravings or say the urge to eat something. The best way to curb the cravings is to eat protein rich foods to avoid hunger and low energy levels during your sugar detox. It will help you feel full for longer thus helping you avoid the temptation to eat sweetened items. Sources of protein include fatty fish, lean meats, eggs, beans, legumes, and nuts.
Increase your Fiber intake: Here the reason is similar to the previous one. Fiber helps keeps your satiety levels in check thus reducing the hunger and cravings. Fiber takes longer to digest and contribute to healthy blood sugar regulation.
Drink Enough Water: Water is the answer for almost al kinds of health-related problems. People often drink tea, coffee, soda but forget that no beverages can replace the hydration levels that water provides. Research has proved that water can help reduce your added sugar and overall calorie intake. Water intake can help regulate your bowel movements as well.
Avoid artificial sweeteners: You may think that giving up sugar and swapping out sugar for artificial sweeteners may help your reduce sugar intake from your diet but it can derail your efforts. It is because certain artificial sweeteners may cause metabolic changes that may increase cravings, food intake, and weight gain.
Reduce Stress: Research has proven that stress affects food preferences and gives rise to food cravings and sweetened beverages. Sugar has a reward effect on the brain and it has a calming effect on stress hormones that contribute to your desire for sugar when feeling stressed. Stress management can help cut sugar from your diet easily and help keep cravings under control.
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