Going for Sugar-Free Diet? 7 Days Diet Plan With Benefits & Precautions

Alice September 17, 2018 118

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Are you also one of those who needs a 4 pm chocolate fix or spends an entire afternoon drowned in sugar love or just craves for biscuits, snacks or frizzy drinks for all day long?Then trust me, my friend, you are also one of those 75% people who are sugar addicts. So, here in this article, I will tell you how you can lessen the cravings for sugar and go for the sugar-free diet to lose your weight in just 7 days.

We know how hard it is to stop yourself from grabbing a piece of cookie or chocolate as it tastes magical and satisfying too. But we have to accept that how bad is sugar for us and I know it is hard giving it up but we can definitely give it a try. The transition away from sugar is very hard at first as you will give provoking cravings, but within a few weeks you can feel the change and can see your efforts start to pay off. Moreover, sugar hides in food which seems to be healthy and doesn’t seem to be sweet, but actually, they have sugar in them. We think they are good for us, but actually not. Foods like bread, pasta, cereals and granola bars also have sugar contents hidden in them.

Research has shown that reducing source of sugar from diet not only keeps a check on your weight gain but reduces the risk of significant health issues like type 2 diabetes, autoimmune issues, and digestive problems. High sugar contents in the body can also increase inflammation, disturbance in hormone production, rob you of energy, and even create interference with your sleep and mood. That’s why it’s essential to reduce your sugar addiction and replace them with some “empty “calories which are nutrient-dense so that you can notice the changes about how you feel, both mentally and physically.

So are you looking for a sugar-free diet to burn those extra calories from your diet and shred some extra weight as well? Looking for some superb diet which curbs your sugar cravings and keeps you on track to stay fit and maintained. You might be wondering what to eat that has no sugar in it and still makes you feel fulfilled and satisfying?

Well here is a miraculous sugar-free diet plan which will kick off your addiction and will be more satisfying and also will help you drop 10lbs in just a matter of 4 weeks.

Why Is Consumption of Excess Sugar Bad?

There is always a limit to everything. A little of it is right but excess of everything is terrible. Same goes for sugar, it will be very unhealthy for you to consume too much sugar every day as it may sabotage your health as well as your figure.

After a meal, by default, the blood sugar level of the body rises and insulin starts working in action to stop that level from rising. But on a regular basis, if you consume too much sugar, then insulin stops doing its work and the next stop left, will be diabetes. Weight loss is next to impossible if you cannot control your sugar cravings.

What Is a Sugar-Free Diet?

A sugar-free diet is the one which limits all the sources of unhealthy (added sugar) like available in soda, deserts, packed processed foods and also limits the consumption of foods which have hidden sugar inside them. In sugar-free diet, we mainly focus on reduction of high carbohydrate food which may be healthy but still has natural sugar in them. There may be different plans one can opt for to practice low sugar diet. It purely depends on the preferences and goals of an individual on how much he/she can control and successfully achieve.

It’s your choice if you want to eliminate sugar from your diet like fruits and even some veggies which has natural sugar or you prefer eliminating only sweetened processed food which is very high regarding calorie count. Whichever way you choose, you can always replace these with more nourishing and fulfilling foods such as healthy fats and lean proteins. They not only come with a lot of health benefits but also you need not do a calorie counting as eliminating processed food is more than enough to reduce your calorie count, and it alone can produce the results you desire for.

Principles of a Sugar-Free Diet

• Avoid eating foods which have sugar or any form of sweeteners. Always check the ingredients and if you find any of these names (white granulated sugar, dextrose, fructose, brown sugar, confectioner’s powdered sugar, corn syrup, raw sugar, sucrose, high-fructose corn syrup, invert sugar, lactose, malt syrup, maltose, molasses, nectars), avoid buying it.

• Make sure you eat the balanced diet which includes all the essential nutrients such as protein, veggies and some healthy fat. The combination of these three is satisfying, keeps you energized all day long, and you will feel revived throughout the day. You can also include some carbs (make sure they are complex carbs as they have some fiber) but keep a check on the quantity you are consuming. If you are also going to weight loss plan, click here to know 25 amazing fiber-rich foods.

• The most significant principle you need to follow is to not drink calories which means, avoid caffeinated drinks, soda, juices or artificially sweetened drinks. Instead of adding sugar to your beverages try consuming them with water. For example, make herbal tea or black coffee without sugar. Unsweetened coconut milk or water is an excellent source if you want some hydrating stuff to your diet.

How Does a Sugar-Free Diet Works?

A sugar-free diet has a low-sugar and low-glycemic index which can help your body in balancing the blood sugar levels and helps in protecting your body from fatty liver disease, heart diseases and also prevent insulin resistance. However, it is a long-term effect and can be noticed only when you follow a sugar-free diet for the longer span of time. Sugar-free diet also controls your appetite, and keep you satiated and energized for longer. Glycemic index (GI) stands for “a measure of the blood glucose of the carbohydrate content of food, compared to pure glucose or sugar).”

A food’s GI number tells you how the food is converted into sugar. This means that the higher the GI number, the more your blood sugar level will increase after consuming that food. Mostly all carbohydrates lead to increase in blood glucose (sugar), but that doesn’t mean that all carbohydrates are unhealthy. We should avoid Sugary, processed foods which are mostly responsible for impacting the blood glucose levels in the body as compared to the whole, unprocessed foods. For example, foods like table sugar, white bread, white rice, white flour, potatoes and all other types of sweeteners have high GI values.

Factors which are responsible for determining a food’s GI value are: how much sugar the food has, how processed it is, what is the fiber content in it and what are the other types of foods which are paired with it (This is termed as glycemic load).

Listed below are the types of High-GI foods which has lots of Added Sugar and should be Removed from your Diet:

Refined grain or products which are made from white flours
All sort of white bread, processed breakfast cereals, cookies, snack bars, cakes, desserts, etc.
All sweetened dairy products
Sweetened beverages, such as soda, cold drinks, and bottled juices

Lower down the Glycemic index of the food you eat, more efficient it will be to lose weight.

How Does a Sugar-Free Diet Compare to Ketogenic Diet and Other Low-Carb Diets?

• If you are excluding all the sources of sugar from your diet, you are already following a low-carb diet as foods rich in sugar are responsible for providing the body with high amounts of glucose. Once the glucose in the body is reduced, the body starts burning the fat for fuel instead of the glucose which is coming from the carbohydrates or sugar.

• When sugar is excluded from your diet, then the carb intake depends on how many grains, legumes and other sources of carbs you are consuming. Make balanced eating with keeping in proportion to fats and protein.

• The keto diet is a very low-carb diet which includes no sugar and has just 20–50 grams of carbs on a daily basis. Majorly the calories come from fats, like vegetable oil, butter or Fat cuts of meat. High-carb foods are eliminated from the diet such as grains, dairy, fruits, and beans.

• You must be wondering how many carbs are there on a low carb diet? It depends from individual to individual, but the necessary range is 50-130 grams of carbs. The lower the carb intake, the quicker will be the weight loss. However, a deficient carb diet is not suitable for all and realistic approach to go for a moderate one which gives you the best fit. Not too lean nor too bulky.

What Are the Natural Sugars Which Are Necessary for Health?

There is no denying the fact that the lower the carbs, the faster the weight loss. But we know that there is at least a minimum requirement of carbs which is needed by the body for fueling our physical activities, for supplying of energy to brain and body and for repairing the damaged tissues. The only change we can make is consuming less than that of most people usually consume.

Here are some carbohydrates which you can include in your diet, which also includes some natural sugars such as in fruits or veggies:

• Plant-based foods usually contain carbohydrates, and may also contain natural sugars, but also provide dietary fiber. Fiber does not get fully digested the moment it is consumed, which is the primary reason why people don’t count grams of fiber in their net carb intake. The calculation of net carbs is the grams left when the grams of fiber is subtracted from the total amount.

• Fibers are essential for proper digestive health, appetite controlling hormones and cardiovascular health.

• Fiber is mostly found in low-calorie foods which are high in minerals, antioxidants, and vitamins. For example, high-fiber foods include leafy green veggies, berries, apples, beans, seeds avocados and sweet potatoes. Not all of these foods are “sugar-free,” but the sugar they do contain is naturally occurring and often not a problem considering all the other nutrients available in the food.

Whole foods are not just low in calories but also good sources of electrolytes (potassium and magnesium) and antioxidants (beta-carotene, vitamin E and vitamin C).

So What Does the Sugar-Free Miracle Diet Look Like?

Here are some golden rules that you need to follow when you are on sugar-free miracle diet. These rules are for seven days of the week, and if you follow these religiously, then you are on track and ready to shed those extra kilos to get that desirable body you always wanted.

For day 1-3 of the week these are the golden rules you need to follow:

• Make sure there are no desserts and no fruits in your diet. Also, there should be no sugar in whatever you drink. We know its cruel but let’s try and do it for a week.

• No squashes no diet cokes no packaged drinks should be a part of your diet.

• Drink tea, coffee, milk or plain water whatever of your choice but with no sugar and sweeteners.

• This one is really tough if you are a sauce lover. Make sure your diet has no ketchup, no brown sauce, no soya sauce, be it Thai or Chinese sweet or sour sauces but make sure you avoid them.

• Your diet should have more of meat, fish, and eggs.

• You can consume a breakfast which has carbs but makes sure the cereals you are consuming are unsweetened.

• Make sure you eat in small portions. To keep a check on this after seven mouthfuls you should ideally stop eating. And the next meal you can take is after 2 hours. Eat in breaks.
For day 5-7 of the week, these are the rules you need to follow.

• You can add a little of sweet, but the quantity is less. The dessert should be a healthy one like some fruits smoothie, fruit salad, yogurt or some fromage with stewed fruits. Read here, how to make fromage.

Everyday Diet Plan is Here:

Breakfast

Make a carbohydrate breakfast with ½ cup oats combined with deliciously frozen blueberries, and add a tablespoon of linseed, sunflower, and almonds with milk and your healthy bowl of breakfast are ready.
Or you can also include some shredded wheat with almond flakes and skimmed milk.
If you want some proteins to be added to your first meal, then go for2 rashers of bacon, one egg, grilled tomatoes and the skinny latte. Now that’s what we call an ideal nutritious breakfast.

Snack

Eat one fruit be it banana or apple with some handful of walnuts or cashews.

Lunch

Baked cod with a fusion of veggies like chopped tomatoes, peppers, garlic, carrots and butter beans.
Add some marinated Chicken in yogurt to some stir-fry with vegetables and your dish is ready.
If you are a fish lover, this is for you. Make a cold salmon or tuna salad for a satisfying and delicious lunch.
You can also make a complete meal with quinoa rice cakes, smoky salmon, and avocados.
Add some veggies sticks with hummus.

Snack

Have some Greek yogurt with raspberries and chia seeds.

Dinner

Have some grilled lamb with salad, and you are good to go.
Make a right salad sandwich or combine whole grain with your favorite chicken.
Prepare a whole wheat pasta tossed with some chopped bell peppers, one tablespoon of mayonnaise and add some tuna to it for added nutrition.
Make some low sugar baked beans with two slices of whole grain toast.

Breakfast

Two eggs, any style, one slice wholemeal toast and peanut butter
Make a bowl of goodness with oats, skimmed milk and lots and lots of berries for a great taste and nutrition.
You can also opt for muesli or porridge with skimmed milk. For added protein add some boiled egg whites to the breakfast.
Make a yummy omelet with three eggs and top it up with mushroom, spring onion and spinach for added goodness.
If you are in a hurry for work, then take a slice of wholegrain toast with peanut butter and two egg whites.

But make sure for the first week when you start following the sugar-free diet you cannot get a cheat day. Afterwards, enjoy this one day by eating the food of your choice.

Some of The Best Low-Carb, Sugar-Free Foods

The above diet is what needs to be followed if you want to lose those extra kilos. Also if you want a list of foods which are low in carbs and are sugar-free, then this is the guide for you. Listed below food are highly nutritious yet sugar-free foods which can also use as alternatives or add on to your sugar-free diet if you get bored of this diet plan.

Foods high in Protein:

• Walnuts
• Egg whites
• Beef, lamb, and venison.
• Poultry products like chicken and turkey.
• Lentils, pulses, beans, and legumes. Make sure you consume them soaked and sprouted for better digestion.
• Soya chunks or granules. Make sure they are fermented soybean products.
• High-quality protein powders such as whey protein and pea protein.
• Wild fish like salmon, tuna along with the green salad.
• Consume an at least 1-2 glass of raw milk or fermented dairy products like yogurt.
• Raw cheese

Foods High in Fiber (These foods might contain small amounts of natural sugars in them):

Consume veggies like cabbage, broccoli, sprouts, spinach, etc.
Other veggies like bell peppers, cucumber, carrots, green peas, okra, turnips, squash, zucchini, asparagus, tomatoes, mushrooms, artichokes, etc.
Avocados, blueberries, and strawberries
Chia seeds, Coconut flakes, and flaxseeds
Black beans, navy beans, lentils, split, lima, mung, etc.
Consume in moderate amounts of whole grains like quinoa, brown rice, oats, buckwheat, and amaranth.
In smaller amounts consume fruits like apples, bears, figs or kiwi

Healthy Fats:

Use virgin olive oil for veggies and salads.
Opt for snacks like walnuts, almonds, cashews or brazil nuts which has healthy fats.
An alternative to olive oil can be flaxseed oil. Avocado oil, MCT oil, and palm fruit oil.
Go for grass-fed butter, milk, coconut oil or cream.
Seed oils like sunflower oil, flax or chia is also healthy.

Sour Foods, Probiotic Foods & Other Detoxifying foods:

• Apple cider vinegar can be used in salad dressing or with lemon water.
• Lukewarm water with early lemon morning can be a great detoxifying agent.
• Bone broth is also great food.
• Herbs and spices like garlic, turmeric, parsley, ginger or oregano are also great for health.
• Stevia can be used as a sugar substitute as it is a no-calorie natural sweetener. Use in drinks and food in place of regular sugar.
• Cultured veggies like olives and gherkin pickles are also counted as healthy.

Precautions to Be Taken Care of When Following a Sugar-Free Diet

When you are habitual of a diet its sometimes difficult to switch from the diet. There may be some side effects associated which are temporary when you switch from a high carb diet to a low one. It depends on how many carbohydrates you have been consuming and what was the sugar intake you have been taking. These side effects usually go within one to three weeks depending on how much you are controlling your diet and eating less processed foods.

The transition from high carb diet to consuming healthy fats and fiber it takes time for your digestive system and appetite to adjust. You may feel that you are low on energy or feeling of fatigue may be there for one week. There can be digestive issues like gas or bloating in the stomach. You may have unnecessary cravings to eat something all the time. Issues like the change in sleep, appetite and brain fog may also be experienced. The only thing you can do it keep a check on your diet and eat after every 2 hours. Eat healthily but don’t quit eating as excessive dieting can be harmful as well.

Benefits of Reduced Sugar Intake and Eating More Whole Foods

Talking about the benefits of reduced sugar intake and eating whole foods, let me tell you there are innumerable benefits.

Some of them are listed below:

• Eating whole foods helps in gaining more energy.
• It also helps in reducing weight and prevents future obesity as well.
• It’s natural if you will reduce the sugar intake the chances of you getting diabetes reduces as well. It lowers the risk of prediabetes as well.
• It also reduces the risk of cancer.
• Reduced sugar is equal to reduced risk for inflammatory digestive conditions, such as constipation, stomach bloating, diarrhea, irritable bowel disease (IBD), intolerance to wheat/gluten or acid reflux
• Sugar-free diet lowers the risk of poor metabolism and also reduces the chances of heart disease, hypertension. S
• Sugar-free diet also protects you and your body against fatty liver disease.
• Be it inflammation, kidney stones, peptic ulcer, autoimmune disease, neurological diseases, weight gain, polycystic ovarian syndrome or nutrient deficiencies; sugar-free diet gives you better protection against all these disease or disorders.

For including whole foods in your diet eat more fiber and protein to your diet. Also, don’t forget to consume sour fermented foods which are healthy. Get into a habit of eating more healthy fats, and your body will inevitably get into that perfect shape.

Final Thoughts on Sugar-Free Diet for Weight Loss:

After all the discussion we can conclude that a sugar-free diet is the one which excludes all sort of processed foods and additive sugars. Sugar diet is quite similar to low glycemic index diet or a low carb diet which helps in reducing those extra kilos from your body and also makes your body adaptive to survive without or less sugar as it reduces the reliance of body on sugar/glucose for energy.

The benefits of reducing sugar are well known to us as it not just sheds the weight but also moralizes blood sugar levels, prevent insulin resistance, reduces the cravings for unhealthy snacks and also gives you the energy t keep you feel satiated so that you don’t keep on munching something unhealthy. Try focusing on the changes listed above and try and follow that seven-day diet. There are multiple food options listed there and keep on experimenting with them to cook some delicious recipes out of these low carb sugar-free foods. Replace your simple carbs to complex carbs, and you are good to go.

Suggest your ideas and thoughts about the diet plan and let us know what the differences you experienced after following this sugar-free diet are. Till then stay fit and stay healthy. 🙂

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