Does a no–sugar diet include fruits?

Before you start a sugar-free diet, it’s important to decide whether you want to eliminate natural sugars that can occur in fruits and dairy products. Most registered dietitians would advise you to still include fruits as they are rich in essential nutrients, fiber, and antioxidants. Dairy is also a nutritious food that doesn’t need to be avoided on a no-sugar diet, unless you avoid dairy for other reasons, such as veganism or lactose intolerance.

Does a no–sugar diet help lose weight?

No-sugar diet can promote weight loss as it often results in a natural decrease in calorie intake. Although this may be true, this diet is not a complete solution for weight loss. To achieve the weight loss goal, it’s important to lead a healthy lifestyle that includes a well-balanced nutrition plan and regular exercise . Together with the elimination of added sugar from your diet, it’s sometimes helpful to track your daily calorie intake ( 26 ).

What’s the difference between natural and refined sugars?

Sugar is a simple carbohydrate that is used by the body for energy. Natural sugars are found in fruits and dairy products. Foods with natural sugar are important for our overall health as they provide essential nutrients, antioxidants, and vitamins. Refined sugar is often hidden in packaged condiments, dips, salad dressings, deli meat, crackers, flavored yogurt, tomato sauce, and salad dressing. It typically comes from sugar cane or sugar beets, which are processed to extract the sugar. It can also come from corn or other plants. It’s important to limit your consumption of added sugars as they can lead to severe health problems such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease ( 15 ). In addition, diets that are high in added sugar can contribute to the storage store of excess belly fat and weight gain ( 19 ). Added sugar is sugar that is added to foods or beverages. This includes refined sugar, but also “natural” sugars such as honey, maple syrup, agave syrup, raw sugar, etc. It does not include the naturally occurring sugar that is found in fruits or lactose in dairy products.