We ingest a lot of sugar every day, more than you think. Because sugar is in many food products in the supermarket, even in products that you would not immediately consider to be 'sugar-rich'. Research by Foodwatch, an organization that informs consumers about nutrition, shows that sugar has been added to about 56% of the products in the supermarket. This shocked me… Time for a change! In this blog I tell you how to get rid of your sugar addiction. Because getting rid of sugar is easier than you think.
What does sugar do to your body?
Why is it so important now that you get rid of sugar? There are a number of good reasons for this:
- Fast sugars cause your blood sugar to fluctuate strongly. When you eat sugar, your blood sugar rises quickly, causing you to reach a peak. You get a real energy boost, but unfortunately it is short-lived. Shortly afterwards you experience a gigantic dip, which often causes fatigue and concentration problems. Fluctuating blood sugar can also increase your urge to snack and your cravings for sweets. It is therefore best to ensure that your blood sugar level remains stable.
- Fluctuating blood sugar can also cause mood swings.
- It may increase the risk of heart disease. If you eat a lot of sugar, it will be stored in the body in the form of fats. This can also cause arteriosclerosis, which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.
- An excess of sugar is obviously not good for your teeth. If you eat a lot of sugar, you will suffer from tooth decay more quickly.
- Sugar causes obesity. Your pancreas is overloaded. In addition, too much sugar causes your body to become less sensitive to insulin. This increases your risk of type 2 diabetes.
How do you become addicted to sugar?
An addiction to sugar arises because your body produces the substance dopamine when you ingest sugar. This substance activates the reward center of your brain. It gives you a pleasant feeling, and that makes you actually crave more sugar.
So you actually end up in a vicious circle: you keep eating sugar because it makes you feel good and your body needs more and more.
Stop eating sugar: what are the effects?
If you want to stop eating sugar, you also have to take the effects into account. The first days and even weeks your body has to get used to, so you can experience withdrawal symptoms. The first 3 days these effects are often the worst, after that the strength decreases. These are the most common complaints:
- dizziness
- nausea
- fatigue
- to sweat
- headache
- feeling hungry (because you crave sugar)
- vibrate
- a bad night's sleep
- Acne (your skin is very restless)
No fun, but it's worth it. If you reduce your sugar intake, you have more energy, you feel fitter and healthier.
Tips to get rid of your sugar addiction
How do you start reducing your sugar intake? It is important to tackle this in steps. When you do this systematically, it is much easier to get rid of that addiction.
1. Learn to recognize hidden sugars
I already mentioned that about 56% of supermarket products contain sugar, according to research by Foodwatch. Yes, so also in products that you really don't expect this from. In sauces, toppings for your sandwich, breaded fish, ready-made salads….
So you will also have to learn how to parse labels. Sometimes you cannot recognize sugar on a label.
Here are some label tips:
- Everything is in order of importance. If an ingredient is at the very front of the list, then you can be sure that it is an important ingredient.
- In general, any ingredient that ends in -ose or syrup and syrup is still some form of sugar.
- Of course there are also other names for sugar. You can find a complete list on the website of the Diabetes Fund, and it is really huge!
2. Eat fewer ready-made meals and make a lot of food yourself
It is still the case that ready meals contain a lot of sugar and additives. It is therefore best to opt for fresh food as much as possible.
For example, you can also make sauces yourself. Ketchup and the like are often great sources of sugar, if you make them yourself you also know effectively what's in it.
Half of your plate should always consist of vegetables. They give you a long, saturated feeling that makes you less likely to grab other things.
3. Eat fewer fast carbohydrates
Huh, what is the link between carbs and sugar? I can already hear you thinking. :-) Sugars are carbohydrates, but not all carbohydrates are sugars.
There are 2 types of carbohydrates: fast and slow carbohydrates. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the slow carbohydrates, which means that they release energy slowly. You can find these slow carbohydrates in vegetables, for example.
A bigger problem are the fast carbohydrates, which you find in white rice, white pasta, white bread and fruit juices, for example. They release energy quickly and give your body a quick peak of your blood sugar. It is these carbohydrates that you should avoid as much as possible.
4. Snack on healthy things to curb your cravings
Do not immediately grab sugary snacks, but provide sufficient healthy variety. A handful of nuts or a small piece of dark chocolate can be just as tasty, and ensure that you are satiated for a long time. This reduces your craving for sweets.
Books that help you with a sugar-free life
Do you still find it difficult to get rid of sugar? Then the following books are definitely for you, because they help you on your way to a sugar-free life.
- Naturally! Without sugar cookbook - Anne Marie Reuzenaar (you will also find a lot of information about hidden sugars in this book)
- Happy sugar-free sweet! - Saskia Koopman
- The SUGAR book - Damon Gameau
- Enjoy without sugar! - Karlin Smeets
Conclusion: eating less sugar has many advantages
Although eating less sugar has many advantages, it is not possible to live completely sugar-free. There is also naturally sugar in fruit and even in bread or milk. In fact, you should mainly avoid those added sugars that manufacturers add to products.
By eating a lot of fresh and healthy food, you limit your sugar intake to a minimum.
Good luck!
