Breaking the Habit with the Sugar Detox Diet
If you are struggling with weight gain, difficulty losing weight, lack of energy, and digestive issues, it might be due to how much sugar you consume. Sugar is in almost everything you buy in a package or box, from your bacon to your milk. The following information is going to guide you through the process of cutting out sugar with a simple detox diet.
Why You Should Do a Sugar Detox
While it is a standard joke among people to refer to themselves as a sugar junky, the reality is that it is not funny at all. Refined sugars are responsible for many medical ills. The average person in the United States eats between 22 to 30 teaspoons of the stuff each day. It would be much better for them to drop the sugar. The truth is that it would not be so difficult either. The only obstacle is sugar addiction.
The answer to the problem is to do a sugar detox. A sugar detox means that you drop all types of sugar from your diet for a specified length of time. You will need to cut every kind of sugar, though. This will include things like honey, alcohol, and white bread. The payoff is that you will feel much healthier when you cut the substance.
You need to understand that there is a difference between natural sugar and added sugar. Natural sugar, which is permitted, is contained in fruits and vegetables. Since they are linked to other substances, they decompose slowly and give you healthy energy.
Added sugar is bare. it is not bound to other substances. This will leave you with some empty calories. Many times, refined sugar is added to other foods. Refined sugar may make you feel good in the short run, but this short burst of energy can be followed by a dip in energy.
The way that this works is that this kind of sugar is released into the bloodstream rapidly. This will cause a spike in blood sugar. As a result, there is an increase in insulin in the body. Then, the insulin knocks down the sugar level. This low sugar level stimulates appetite. The cycle then repeats itself.
If you lead a sedentary existence, then these added sugars will cause you to put up weight and may even eventuate in diabetes or heart disease.
A Problem Addiction
While some people will claim that sugar addiction is not a true addiction, research indicates that it is. After you consume sugar, your body releases opioids and dopamine. Those substances stimulate you in a way akin to addictive drugs. Research also indicates that you can go through sugar withdrawal. While the withdrawal is not as severe as it is with a substance like heroin, still there is a real effect.
Many researchers hold that, while sugar isn't outright poison, it is a rather toxic substance for your body. As stated before, sugar can be responsible for various ailments. The fact is that one-third of our country is clinically obese. That is a serious problem. Diabetes is rampant, and even young children now are falling prey to the illness.
Other research also indicates that sugar is responsible for a myriad of health problems. It is implicated in more rapid aging and certain types of cognitive issues. Sugar has even been linked to some kinds of cancer. For all of these reasons, it is certainly rational for a person to be concerned about the sugar in their diet.
The Advantages of a Sugar Detox
You will be surprised at how much benefit you will receive from doing a sugar detox. You will be able to lower your weight, drop those headaches, gain surplus energy, and basically feel healthier.
A 2015 study showed that even cutting sugar for 10 days aided the metabolic health of obese children. Another benefit of a detox is that you will become more sensitive to the natural sweetness of produce. If you have lost this sensitivity by eating added sugar, then you will be pleasantly surprised at your new found experience.
The truth is that many people who go off of sugar find that refined sugar is just too sweet for them. You may find that you will no longer crave cookies and cake like you once did.