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Let’s face it – nothing quite says “happy birthday” or “congratulations” better than a slice of buttery cake that’s full of sugar. If you have a sweet tooth, giving up sugar might seem impossible. However, there are proven benefits of a diet low in added sugars. The 30-day no sugar challenge is for people who struggle to give up refined and added sugars. It involves slowly cutting away sugary foods and replacing them with whole, natural sugar sources. There are many versions of this challenge but the overall idea is to gradually eliminate foods that are high in added sugar. In this article, we’ll show you how to make a 30-day no sugar plan – here’s everything you need to know.
Yes, it is. There’s no doubt that eating a lot of added sugar is bad for your health. Here are 10 things that happen when you eat too much refined sugar:
One of the most common results of eating too much sugar is cavities. Eating sugar can actually bring cavity-causing bacteria right to your teeth so they can eat away at the enamel while you sleep. Even worse, eating too much sugar can cause an advanced form of tooth decay (10).
Sugary foods often provide a lot of calories but few nutrients and not much fiber. Eating too many of them too often can cause you to gain weight and actually make your body feel hungry because it hasn’t received any real nutrients (6).
Read More: Sugar Detox Plan – Why You Need One, According To Science
According to the American Heart Association, eating too much refined sugar can put you at risk for developing heart disease and stroke. Low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is a major risk factor associated with these two diseases (8).
Multiple studies have concluded that high added sugar intake may actually cause you to feel more anxious and sad (11). So the next time you’re feeling extra blue, it may be best to skip the candy aisle and run in the other direction!
If you already have acne problems or are prone to breakouts, then adding more sugar into your diet isn’t going to help matters one bit. Sugary beverage and food intake has been associated with acne in adults (1).
According to recent studies, eating sugary foods can cause you to gain belly fat, even if they don’t contribute to any other weight problems throughout your body (9).
While inflammation isn’t always a bad thing (it’s necessary to help fight infections and other foreign invaders), chronic inflammation is extremely dangerous because it’s been linked directly with diseases such as heart disease and cancer (2).
And meal plan that cuts out sugar is likely to benefit your health. More specifically, here are five potential benefits of a sugar free diet:
More research is needed, but there are suggestions that a sugar-restricted diet may reduce the risk of diseases including high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and obesity (3).
One review found an association between unhealthy dietary patterns (including excess sugar) and poorer mental health in children (7). Another study found that adults’ moods also improved after they stopped eating refined sugars for two weeks.
While most people will not notice immediate weight loss when cutting out refined sugars, some will lose pounds over time by reducing their caloric intake or increasing activity levels. This is because sugary foods often contain empty calories, meaning that they don’t provide our bodies with any nutrients.
If you’re feeling lethargic after your cup of blueberry-flavored yogurt, it’s probably because the sugar content is too high. After cutting out these foods for a while, you may notice that your energy levels return to normal or even increase.
Our teeth are constantly exposed to bacteria which react with sugars in our mouth to produce acids that attack enamel. This process can cause tooth decay, so limiting the intake of sugary snacks and drinks can help protect our pearly whites from damage (10).
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Any food that contains sugar, such as candy and soda, should be avoided when on a sugar-restricted diet. Even foods that are not sweet themselves can contain high amounts of sugar, so always check the nutritional information before you eat or drink anything.
Most fruits are packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants but they usually have a pretty high sugar content too. Some examples include raspberries, oranges and apples . If you do want to consume fruits on this challenge, try to stick to around one serving per day (which is equivalent to around 80 grams or one cup).
While vegetables don’t contain any sugars by themselves, some items like canned corn may have added sugar during processing. Most vegetables provide vitamins and minerals and are very low in calories (this is especially true for green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale and lettuce).
Try to limit any products containing refined grains such as white bread and pasta, which have been stripped of their fiber-rich bran coating. Whole grain foods such as brown rice, barley and buckwheat are a healthier alternative because they contain more nutrients than their refined counterparts (12).
Both fish and red meat can contribute to healthy diets, but some cuts may have higher levels of fat or calories, so it’s important to compare nutritional information before you buy them. Always try to opt for leaner cuts of meat when possible.
Milk, yogurt and cheese are all low in sugar but they may contain high levels of fat, so it may be best to choose lower-fat options depending on your goals.
Read More: 7-Day Low Glycemic Diet Plan: Keep Your Blood Sugar Steady With These Meals
Luckily, there are many drinks that don’t need to be totally cut out of this challenge. Here are some examples:
Both of these beverages are great for your health if you drink them without adding sugar (try using cinnamon or nutmeg instead). Featured Recipe: Cinnamon Apple Green Tea (A Great Natural Alternative To Coffee)
Herbal Teas – These tasty, flavor-packed drinks come in lots of different varieties and flavors including mint tea, chamomile and rooibos .
Drinking water is highly recommended for everyone, but it’s especially important if you’re trying to lose weight because our bodies need fluid in order to function properly (4).
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If you decide to take part in the no sugar challenge, you need to be realistic. Trying to achieve too much too soon can make it harder for you to stick to the diet. Use these five tips to transition slowly and guarantee success (5):
If you need to satisfy your sweet tooth, make sure you only eat healthy snacks like fruit or nuts. You can also try healthier alternatives to your favorite treats like these no-bake protein bars which taste better than the store bought kind.
Preparing homemade meals is always best because you can control the amount of sugar present in your final dish. By preparing food yourself, you know exactly what goes into each dish which makes it easier for you to avoid hidden sugars.
When you feel ravenous, your resolve becomes weaker so try to eat small meals or healthy snacks throughout the day. This is especially important when you first start the no sugar diet because it reduces instances of binge eating.
Setting specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound diet goals is a great way to stay motivated. When setting dietary resolutions, make sure you set clear or measurable targets so that you know whether or not you’re meeting your goal and if it’s the right target for you.
For example: ‘I will eat no sugar’ is not a great goal because it’s too vague, so adjust it to ‘I will eat no more than 20g of added sugar per day.’ Most importantly, such goals are realistic. Once you’ve followed your diet plan for a while, you’ll likely find that positive behavior changes become second nature and it will be easier to improve on these goals.
There are indeed health benefits associated with a meal plan that cuts out refined sugars, but they are not guaranteed to happen overnight. It may take some time for your body to adjust, so it is important that you do not stop eating sugary foods altogether. However, if you want to experience these benefits as soon as possible, then be sure to follow the 30-day no sugar challenge meal plan carefully.
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!