Sugar-free diet: 6 tips for conscious consumption
It's hard to imagine our modern diet without sugar. It is hidden in more than 80 percent of all foods - not only in obvious sweets, but also in products such as sausage and bread. Knowing about these hidden sugars is the first step towards acting more consciously and reducing your own consumption in the long term.
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Sugar - sweet seduction with bitter consequences
High sugar consumption is associated with numerous disease risks. For example, it causes blood sugar levels to rise rapidly, resulting in a strong release of insulin. This blocks the burning of fat and makes losing weight almost impossible. At the same time, the constant ups and downs in blood sugar levels promote food cravings, fatigue and, in the long term, diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular problems, chronic inflammation and disorders in the gut microbiome.
The latest studies on sugar consumption show that high blood sugar levels can even damage the blood vessels in the brain - which can be a risk factor for vascular dementia. Memory performance also suffers, as sugar weakens neuronal plasticity and the hippocampus.
Why sugar is addictive
Sugar not only affects physical health, but can also be addictive. "Sugar addiction" may not be an official term, but it aptly describes what many people experience. Sugar causes the release of dopamine, the happiness hormone that acts directly in the brain's reward center. This leads to a feeling of elation and makes us satisfied.
From an evolutionary point of view, this makes sense: sugar provides quick energy, which used to be essential for survival and less available. Today it's different, we have enough energy available in the form of food - always and everywhere. However, our brain has not yet understood this and continues to "reward" us with a feeling of elation when we consume sugary foods and therefore fast energy.
The problem is that the more sugar we eat, the more the brain gets used to it and demands higher and higher amounts to achieve the same effect.
What types of sugar are there?
The various sugar works at a glance:
Are there healthy sugar alternatives?
Many supposedly healthy alternatives such as honey, agave syrup, maple syrup or coconut blossom sugar are also simply sugar. Sugar substitutes such as birch sugar and sweeteners such as stevia can also be a helpful alternative in the short term, but are not a long-term solution.
Sugar substitutes should therefore be avoided, especially if you have digestive problems such as flatulence, stomach pain or diarrhea. They can have a rapid laxative effect, which is why foods containing sugar substitutes must carry the warning: "May have a laxative effect if consumed in excess." Sweeteners are also suspected of having a negative impact on the gutmicrobiome1. In addition, sugar alternatives increase or maintain sweetness tolerance, which promotes the desire for ever sweeter foods in the long term.2
As a result, the craving for sweets is constantly intensified.
Sugar alternatives in comparison: sweeteners, sugar substitutes and natural sweeteners
How can I eat as sugar-free as possible?
Many people find it helps to simply stop buying sweets. After all, you can't eat what you don't have. In the long term, however, alternatives are important, because the cozy evening on the couch or the frustrating meeting with the boss are guaranteed to come back.
So instead of storing chocolate bars in your office drawer and kitchen cupboard, fill them with tasty alternatives. Choose foods that are similar in taste and texture to your favorite sweets. A celery stick as a substitute for chocolate ice cream is less likely to be convincing.
6 ways to reduce sugar
- Energy balls or bars sweetened with dates, dark chocolate, dried fruit or your favorite fruit
- Hearty snacks can also help: Olives, nuts, edamame, hard-boiled egg or raw vegetables with hummus and guacamole.
- Juices with 100 percent fruit content: Avoid nectar and fruit juice drinks with added sugar.
- Use dried fruit, bananas or apple puree for sweetening when baking
- Photo folder on your cell phone: If you have found a great snack, take a photo of it straight away and put it in your snack folder. This way, you'll have quick and healthy ideas ready for the next time you have a craving.
- Bitter substances such as those in dark chocolate or coffee can help to curb the appetite.
Tip: Go to the drugstore! There are now numerous sugar-free alternatives to gummy bears, chocolate bars and Nutella. Simply pick up new foods from the shelf and read the ingredients lists.
Dealing consciously with your own emotions
We often reach for sweets out of boredom, stress, loneliness or joy. Sweets therefore help to regulate our emotions. For example, it suppresses boredom and promotes pleasure. If we simply cut out sweets, the underlying emotions come to the surface unfiltered and can overwhelm us.
One example of this is people who have undergone gastric bypass surgery: the reduction in the size of the stomach means that only very small meals can be eaten, which greatly reduces emotional regulation through eating. As a result, those affected often experience intense emotional outbursts and can burst into tears for seemingly no reason.
To reduce sugar in the long term, it is therefore not enough to simply cut it out. It requires consciously dealing with your feelings and finding healthy alternatives.
Exercise for sugar cravings: a simple reflection process
- Before you reach for sweets, pause for a minute to check in with yourself.
- Ask yourself: "Why do I want to eat right now? And what do I really need right now?"
- Find a suitable solution for e.g. stress, boredom or the urge for rewards (e.g. a special tea in a nice cup, going for a walk, listening to your favorite song) OR make a conscious decision for enjoyment.
- Enjoy the knowledge you have gained, your patience and the conscious enjoyment. You have done a great job!
Tip: The exercise is not about forbidding yourself to eat! Rather, the focus is on getting to know yourself and your needs better and making a conscious decision instead of mindlessly shoving sweets down your throat.
Sugar-free in the long term: how to do it
It is difficult to give up sugar completely. Maybe it works for a week or even a whole month. But if we really want to do something good for ourselves and our bodies, the question is how we can stick to it in the long term.
The keyword is self-care and looking at the actual causes of sweet consumption.
Sugar reduction is not a punishment, but an act of self-care.
With small, conscious decisions and healthy alternatives, you can do your body and mind good in the long term. A lovingly prepared plate of fruit and vegetables will make you feel more appreciated than a torn open plastic bag of jelly babies.
Avoid black and white thinking
It doesn't have to be a complete ban on sugar, it's more about reducing and being mindful when eating sweet foods. Instead of strict prohibitions, mantras can help, such as: "I abstain because I want to be good to myself and be mindful of my needs."
Try an eating motive protocol
Such a log helps you to better understand the reasons for your own eating behavior.
By noting your emotions, thoughts and needs before and after eating, you can recognize patterns and develop suitable strategies. For example, if I always eat out of stress, in the long term I should of course tackle the stress and not the food. This means learning to say "no", asking for help or starting a new hobby.
It's not about being perfect, but about treating yourself with love and creating positive changes step by step .
Sources:
1 Suez J, Korem T, Zeevi D et al. (2014) Artificial sweeteners induce glucose intolerance by altering the gut microbiota. Nature 514: 181-186
2 American Dietetic Association (2012) Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: use of nutritive and nonnutritive sweeteners. J. Acad. Nutr. Diet 112: 739-758
