Authors: Madeleine Shaw
•
Sugar affects your mineral and nutrient absorption
: It also contributes to bloating and indigestion.
•
It’s pointless:
Most sugary foods lack
needed nutrients, so in effect you are eating ‘empty’ calories.
•
It’s bad for you:
Studies on people around the world show that sugar in the diet may be linked to a range of metabolic problems including obesity, diabetes and cancer.
sciency stuff simplified
The rate that sugars in food are broken down and absorbed into the bloodstream is called the food’s glycemic index (GI).
Sugars from low-GI foods are absorbed slowly, leading to a gradual rise in blood sugar levels. However, sugars from high-GI foods are absorbed more quickly, causing a rapid rise in blood sugar levels.
As sugars move into the bloodstream, they trigger the release of insulin from the pancreas. Insulin acts to remove sugars from the bloodstream for storage in our cells.
The other hormone involved in our energy balance is leptin. This hormone signals to your brain how much energy is available in your body and what to do with it.
A substance called dopamine, produced in the reward centre of our brains (a collection of brain structures that regulates anything pleasurable) controls our overall energy balance. It gives us that sense of satisfaction and reward when we eat. In contrast, the ‘fullness’ hormone leptin normally keeps this in check by suppressing the effect of dopamine – so we ease off eating.
When our energy levels (intake and output) are in balance, we burn energy at a normal rate, and feel really good.
But a sudden hit of sugar requires a rapid release of insulin to match it, and we get an insulin ‘spike’. A spike in our insulin levels can block the way leptin normally signals fullness to the reward centre in our brains. This blocking effect simply primes our appetite for more sugar.
Continuing to eat sugary foods can increase our tolerance to the way they affect our reward centre to such an extent that we find it hard to resist scrounging for more. So sugar effectively creates an appetite for itself . . . and the addiction begins.
hidden sugars
The big problem with refined sugar is that it is EVERYWHERE. Not just in ice cream, biscuits and cupcakes.
Among the worst offenders are the hidden sugars that are found lurking in so-called ‘healthy foods’, where sugar may be added to mask the lack of flavour in low-fat products. You think you are being good when you choose these, but in reality they can make you more inclined to
binge later. Hidden sugars are found in:
• soft drinks, especially sports drinks (just 500ml of many popular fizzy drinks contains the equivalent of 17 cubes of sugar)
• low-fat and diet products
• most breads and bread products (rye and sourdough are low sugar and my Quinoa Bread, see
here
, is sugar free)
• most commercial soups
• almost all processed foods
• many breakfast cereals (swap for my Raw Berry Buckwheat Porridge or Simple Overnight Bircher,
here
and
here
)
• condiments such as mustard, BBQ sauce, ketchup and chilli jam.
what about fruit?
It’s true that fruit contains sugar. However this sugar is metabolised very differently from white table sugar. Fruits contain fibre (which slows down the digestion of the sugar), phytonutrients (which improve metabolic function) and heaps of vitamins (these fill you up, so you don’t consume as much). Aim to eat no more than one to two portions of fruit a day, and stick to low-sugar fruits such as berries, kiwi, grapefruit and green apples. High-sugar fruits, such as mango, pineapple, bananas and dried fruit can be consumed a few times per week.
what benefits will i see?
So now you know why you should ditch the junk and where it lurks, it’s time to find out about all the lovely rewards you will reap.
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Your skin will glow:
Sugar reacts with proteins in our bodies, causing them to form advanced glycation end-products, which age the skin. Sugar causes a breakdown of collagen in the skin, so when you quit the sweet stuff your skin will become radiant and resilient.
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Your food addiction will diminish:
Obsessing about food all day long? Sugar makes you hungry all the time. Say goodbye to this once you quit.
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Weight will fall off:
You’ll lose pounds and you’ll be proud of your leaner, healthier physique.
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You will feel happier:
When you quit sugar your energy becomes more stable, and so does your mood. Time and time again clients tell me they feel less anxious/irritated/grumpy.
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You will learn to love your kitchen:
Quitting sugar means no more processed foods, which means more home-cooked meals from scratch! This is an easy way to make your plate more nutritious and delicious.
the break-up
One of the things that makes quitting sugar so hard is our emotional relationship with it. On the whole, when things go wrong we turn to the sweet stuff, and – hey presto – when birthdays and other celebrations come around, there’s cake again too.
The easiest way to get over this is to replace sugar as a reward with something else: like one of my Raw Superfood Balls (see
here
), a herbal tea, paint your nails, go for a walk or treat yourself to a little pampering!
I promise you – once you get off the sweet stuff, it’s amazing how little you will crave it.
I’m not saying this is going to be easy and, yes, you can get withdrawal symptoms. These may show up as headaches, the grumps, irritability or energy slumps.
But push through! When you emerge on the other side you will be greeted with boundless energy, glowing skin and big smiles all round.
take action now
This week is all about making simple changes to your diet by quitting all added sugar. Remember, that’s no:
• white sugar, brown sugar or cane sugar
• sugary drinks like canned fizzy drinks, tonic water, fruit juices, squash, etc. Swap for sparkling water and a slice of lime or lemon, coconut water or herbal tea
• cakes, biscuits, ice cream or sugary treats. Keep healthy snacks on hand: a handful of nuts, a pot of natural yoghurt, a boiled egg, a slice of smoked salmon or some fresh berries
• processed foods with sugar in the ingredients
• diet/low-fat foods
• jams and sweet spreads. Use avocado or a soft-boiled egg instead
I do hate the word ‘no’, and I am sorry for saying it so many times, but you have to be strict with yourself to get the most out of this experience.
sweeter alternatives?
OK, so we’ve learned that the sweet stuff isn’t doing us any favours. But what if, like me, you love the taste of something sweet? Thankfully, there are healthier ways to satisfy your sweet tooth. Here are the sugars to miss and the ones to enjoy. It’s simple: just switch bad for good.
Sugars to avoid:
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Agave
: This is the new ‘healthy’ sugar everyone is pouring into their green smoothies. However, on the whole it
is highly processed and contains 80% fructose sugar. Most agave doesn’t resemble the original agave plant in the slightest (switch this one for honey).
•
High-fructose corn syrup:
The nastiest of them all, this one is super-processed and can be highly addictive (switch for coconut sugar).
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Aspartame:
Found in diet drinks, sweets and chewing gum; this stuff could be toxic and is something you need to ditch (switch for stevia).
• Others to watch out for:
sweeteners, dextrose, glycerol, fruit juice concentrate, sorbitol, sucanet, grape syrup
and, of course,
standard table sugar
.
Better substitutes:
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Honey:
A great sweetener that you will see in many of my healthy desserts. Bursting-full of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, this delight also has healing properties for the digestive tract. Aim to buy quality raw or manuka honey where you can.
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Stevia:
This is a super-sweet herb that originates from the South American stevia plant. It is tremendously sweet (300 times sweeter than sugar), so don’t start putting whole cubes of it in your cuppa.
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Coconut sugar:
This is a simple substitute for sugar in cake recipes. It doesn’t actually taste of coconut (in fact, it has more of a caramel taste). It is a very sustainable sugar and abundant in vitamin C and amino acids.
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Dates:
Loaded with fibre and B vitamins, they also act as a great binder in many of my raw desserts.
• Others to use in moderation:
xylitol, brown rice syrup, maple syrup
.
Although these are healthier sugars, try and go easy on them. You want your palate to adapt to less sweetness, and you’ll find it easier to make the transition if you use the alternatives sparingly. Let’s aim for once or twice a week.
top tips to make sugar-free easy:
• Try to start from scratch by making your meals at home.
• Clean out your cupboards, read the food labels, and throw out anything that contains added sugar. With these out of the house you are less likely to cave in at a weak moment.
• Start moving that booty! Exercise is a great helper – it takes your mind off food.
• Try liquorice and peppermint tea (it tastes super-sweet and aids digestion).
•
Try adding some cinnamon to your breakfast – this can help stabilise your blood sugar levels and make the rollercoaster journey a little smoother.
• Start every day with warm water and lemon – this is really cleansing for the system, it helps rehydrate the cells and get the digestive juices fired up ready for a sugar-free brekkie.
• Up your protein intake – this really helps sugar cravings. Good sources of protein are fish, grass-fed meat, free-range eggs, nuts, seeds and quinoa.
• Think positive. You can do this! (More about this in Week 3.)
Now you’re prepped, ready to take charge of your food and all set to embark on a junk-free diet. To help you through this stage, I’ve compiled a list of questions that might pop up along the way.
Q&A
Q: What happens if I slip up?
A: Don’t beat yourself up! One treat won’t hurt you, but don’t make it into a bad week. The best thing is to start afresh with the next meal.
Q: I’m getting the worst headaches, help me!
A: Coming off sugar can be like a savage hangover if you’re used to having a lot of it. The body is detoxing, and it takes a couple of days to a week to get your system feeling normal. Drink lots of water to get through it.
I like to mix 2 teaspoons cider vinegar with warm water; it may be an old wives’ tale, but it works. Remember, it takes time to repair the damage, and this isn’t a race to the finish line. I’m building you with bricks, not sticks.
Q: My usual morning cereal has sugar in it. What are some breakfast alternatives?
A: Sugar lurks in most breakfast delights. Opt for plain oats, and add yoghurt, cinnamon and nuts to liven it up. Go for rye bread or my Quinoa Bread (see
here
) with nut butter, smoked salmon or eggs on top.
Or make a quick breakfast bowl with natural yoghurt, seeds, berries and toasted coconut flakes. I have so many easy and scrumptious breakfast recipes in the recipe section that you can start munching on now.
Q: What about alcohol?
A: Binge drinking definitely causes that belly bulge. When we drink excessively our body becomes toxic, our liver works harder to reduce the toxicity and weight piles on easily. Excessive alcohol makes our skin dry and our mood dreadful . . . at least the next day. Another issue with alcohol is that it makes us eat terribly; it throws the regime out the window and makes you crave like crazy.
I’d aim to give it up for the whole 6 weeks to give your body a break. However, if that’s not an option, stick to the ‘cleanest’ drinks such as red wine, tequila or spirits with soda water as your mixer. Aim to consume only three drinks per week, and sip them slowly. Avoid the following like the plague: cocktails, beer, tonic water (very sugary), and any spirit mixed with a fizzy drink (including so-called ‘diet’ or ‘no sugar’ fizzy drinks).
In social situations I find if you always have a drink in your hand – like a sparkling water and lime – people leave you alone; it passes off as something alcoholic and you don’t get pestered. If you’re empty-handed it’s pretty much guaranteed you will be bullied to the bar.