I gave up having sugar since 2019. But, when I talk with people about a healthier diet, a common question I get is, how do I say away from sugar? 

Well, my answer is you can stay away from taking sugar, and it’s not difficult as you think.

Well, you may be consuming sugar more than you think. Would you like to make 2020 a healthier year? Then the best way to start is by cutting down your sugar.

Currently, the World Health Organization recommends taking a maximum of 25 grams of sugar per day for a healthy adult. But, it’s better to keep the sugar content in your food as low as possible.

Regularly adding sugar to your food and drinks can increase your weight, and increase your risk of developing diabetes.

So if you plan on cutting down your sugar, then this seven-day sugar challenge will help you cut down the sugar in your food, and by the end of the seven days, you will realize that it’s not hard as you may think, and you might not even go back.

It’s all about the tolerance

Just like alcohol, sugar also has a tolerance in the human body. What is tolerance? 

It means that when you eat something sweet, your brain will release chemicals to make you feel satisfied. By next time when you eat something sweet, you will have to add a bit more sugar than what you ate previously to get get the same satisfaction.

You keep on adding more and more sugar, and without you knowing, you are taking a lot of sugar than you should.

Coming back to the seven-day sugar-free challenge, let’s start small by following these simple steps to cut down your sugar.

Don’t add sugar for your tea or coffee for seven days

Drink coffee without sugar
Get used to drinking coffee and tea without sugar

Yes, one of the main ways you get sugar is when you add sugar for your tea or coffee. 

When you start the challenge, you can’t add sugar to your tea or coffee for the next seven days.

If it’s too difficult you can try flavored tea, such as cinnamon-flavored tea, for example, can lower your blood sugar levels.

No sugary drinks (carbonated drinks or otherwise) for seven days

Many carbonated soft drinks contain lots of added sugar
Many carbonated soft drinks contain lots of added sugar

Many carbonated soft drinks have lots of added sugar, many fruits juices and drinks can also include lots of added sugar.

So cut down the sugar by not taking any drinks with added sugar for seven days.

If you want to drink something sweet, why not try infused water?

No cake or sugar added bakery products for seven days

reduce the sugar before surgery
Cake and food like donut can have lot of added sugars

Cake and some bakery products also contain lots of sugar, so why not stay away from eating cake or any bakery products such as donuts with any added sugar for the next seven days.

Want to have a cake with no sugar? Why not try a banana cake or cake made with oat flour and artificial sweeteners?

No jam, no ketchup for seven days

Jam and ketchup contain lots of added sugar. By staying away from them for the next seven days, you are cutting down lots of sugar from your diet.

If you like to have ketchup, there is always sugar-free ketchup that you can have, similar taste but no added sugar. 

No dairy products with added sugar for seven days

Sometimes the dairy products can have lots of added sugar, for example, your chocolate-flavored milk has lots of sugar in it, to give the taste that you like.

So what can you do about it? Well, in your seven-day sugar challenge, you are prohibited from taking any dairy products with any added sugar. That means not taking your favorite drink for the next seven days.

And not to mention your favorite ice cream, with is another great source of added sugar.

You can drink skimmed fresh milk. It’s doesn’t contain any added sugar or fat. There are sugar-free ice cream available in your favorite supermarkets too.

So why not take the seven-day sugar-free challenge, and let’s see how far you can go.

So are you up for the challenge?

Author

Dr Rukshan Ranatunge is a graduate from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya (MBBS). He is currently studying for his masters in health informatics.

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