Our love of sugar comes naturally to us, from our first taste before we know what sugar is. Sugar has been harvested and enjoyed since the 1600s but didn't become affordable for the masses until the 1850s. For many poor people sugar made dry bread palatable and tea taste nicer. It was used to preserve fruit and to create amazing deserts and cakes. If you ate sugar before 1950 you knew that you had eaten sugar.
But things have changed and now when we eat sugar we are often unaware because it isn't that obvious. Sugar in its many various forms is added to all sorts of foods that we normally don't associate with sugar. For example many prepared meals have added sugar but would you add sugar to a savour meal if you cooked it at home?
There is much debate about the addictiveness of sugar with some experts likening it to nicotine and cocaine. People who give up sugar for what ever reason usually find that they experience signs and symptoms of discomfort and cravings not dissimilar to an addict going through withdrawal symptom's. These signs and symptoms can last for up to four weeks and return if the person eats sugar again and then gives up again.
Some dietitians suggest that there is no need to give up sugar and that we shouldn't because our bodies need it. Whilst it is true that our bodies require sugar we are able to make it for our cells using fats both consumed and stored in a process called glycosis. When we go on a weight loss diet our lack of sugar consumption means that we have to use up our fat stores instead which is one of the ways we can choose to loose weight.
What can we expect to eat on a sugar free diet? Lots of proteins, dairy products without added sugar and low carbohydrate vegetables such as green leafy varieties, zucchini, tomatoes, peppers, onions, mushrooms and cucumber. If having a more starchy vegetable stick to carrots and sweet potatoes. Peas and parsnips have lots of sugar in them. It is your choice to have fruit or to leave it out. If you choose to have fruit then choose those with a lower sugar content. How do you know? If it tastes really sweet then it is really sweet.
There seems to be much discussion about how much natural sugar we should consume with views between almost no natural sugars to a limited amount each day in the form of fruit and vegetables.
If choosing to loose weight using this diet then one thing is very clear. You can consume no product with any added sugar or any artificial added sugar for a whole host of scientific reasons including how our bodies deal with artificial sugar and how tasting it maintains our need for sugar rather than wean us off it.
Those who have followed this diet successfully claim that within days they were sleeping better, had more energy and started to loose weight. For some their love of food containing sugar lead to them reintroduce sugar once they had reached their goal weight. For others who were concerned about the possible health issues related to sugar consumption they have remained sugar free and claim that they remain healthy and at their target weight.
Some people choose to become more aware of their sugar consumption and reduce it by changing one or two aspects of their diet. The only issue with this is that the sugar consumption tends to creep back up over time unless you are very vigilant and determined to maintain it at a set level.
For me personally if I was going to try this diet it would be AFTER the festive season so that I can enjoy my chocolates, mince pies, Christmas pudding and glass of bourbon.
Always consult your health practitioner before undertaking any diet.
warmest wishes
Sarah
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