Your food choices can really make or break your efforts to quit sugar.
You can either choose foods that satiate and suppress cravings, or foods that make your withdrawal symptoms even worse!
Here’s what to stock up on and what to avoid. (Or join us on our I Quit Sugar: 8-Week Program and get your Meal Plans already made!)
The best foods to eat…
1. Cinnamon: This sweet spice may actually lower blood sugar. Sprinkle it over porridge, buttered toast or roast sweet potatoes when you have a sugar craving.
2. Probiotics: A poor diet can cause an imbalance of gut bacteria, so it’s important to rebuild the good bugs with probiotics. Supplement your diet with plain yoghurt, sauerkraut and, our personal favourite, kombucha (it’s a little sweet, too).
3. Nuts: A handful of nuts gives your body a shot of protein and healthy fats, to stamp out hunger and sugar cravings. Nuts are also great sources of vitamins and minerals to support your body through the detox.
4. Bitter greens: Speaking of detoxing, bitter foods (such as dandelion) have been shown to heal the liver. The liver is great at detoxing your body, but sometimes it needs a little love!
5. Halloumi: Honestly, a slice of grilled halloumi is the best cure for a raging craving. It’s something about the salty, fatty goodness – try it and see for yourself.
The worst foods to eat…
1. Honey/agave/dates/maple syrup: The so-called “healthy” sugars? They all contain moderate to high levels of fructose, the addictive, liver-straining sugar we’re trying to quit. In fact, agave can contain up to 90 per cent fructose.
2. Artificial sweeteners: Eating a bunch of artificial sweeteners while quitting sugar will not help you retrain your taste buds. Besides, artificial sweeteners have been shown to affect insulin levels and weight gain.
3. Fake fats: We’re talking about those “vegetable oils” and margarines which are highly refined, bleached, deodorised, coloured and flavoured. They’re inflammatory, taste bad and won’t keep you satisfied.
4. Pre-made sauces: Don’t get caught out by sauces and marinades – they’re often laden with sugar (we found one BBQ sauce with 3⅓ teaspoons of sugar per 30ml). Instead, make your own.
5. Sugar. It seems obvious, but try and resist the temptation to have “just a little bit” during the recalibration period. Fructose activates the brain’s reward system so that once you eat some, you’ll definitely want more!
But don’t worry – if you do fall off the wagon, healthy satiating food (and a little support from IQS) will get you through.
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