You don't need sugar. You're sweet enough already!
I know, I know, you love sugar. I love sugar, too. But, we’ll get back to that later. First, let’s talk about a sugar detox plan. Why should you do a sugar detox? Because it’s good for not only your body’s health, but your mind’s health too! Plus, we’ve made it super easy to do. This sugar detox plan is only 14 days long! That’s just two weeks out of your life to improve your life, AND we’ve even provided you with a guide to going grocery shopping!
How could you say no?
Okay, okay, so I promised we’d get back to our love for sugar. Well, I love the GOOD kind of sugar–the natural sugar that’s found in fruit. Why do I choose this sugar over the processed sugar that’s in your beloved Girl Scout cookies and Tasty Kakes? Well, simply put, I choose natural sugar because it doesn’t eat up my energy or aid in weight gain like processed sugar does.
There are so many health benefits to saying “goodbye” to processed sugar and “hello” to natural sugar. I can tell you that over and over again. I can tell you how cutting processed sugar out of my life and detoxing has helped me over and over again, too.
Me telling you these things over and over again might help you realize how great doing a sugar detox is, but why don’t you just find out for yourself? You’ll be surprised to see that you don’t need added sugars to eat deliciously!
Benefits?
As I said above, there are tons and tons of benefits to doing a sugar detox. Some of these benefits include:
- Clearer skin
- Improved mood
- Better sleep
- Weight loss
- More energy
- Boost metabolism
- Improve digestion
- Satiety
The list can really go on and on, if you ask me (which is just more of a reason to give a 14-day sugar detox a try)! Although I find everything on this list to be important, I actually saved the one that I find to be the most important and beneficial to tell you now: lack of cravings.
Yup. In my own personal experience, sugar detoxing over a two week period has helped me to not only feel great and look better than I did before the detox. It’s also helped me to stop craving sugar-filled foods like those beloved Girl Scout cookies and Tasty Kakes. I rarely even crave ice cream anymore (and that’s a big deal for me).
And, thanks to sugar detoxing, I know that if I do crave ice cream, that craving can be satisfied through healthier, less sugar-filled options like banana “nice cream”.
We have great recipes for such ice cream like our Banana Cream: A Healthy Ice Cream, Blackberry-Banana Ice Cream, and Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream.
Why is sugar addictive?
I am being completely honest with you when I say that the sugar detox is worth it. But, I’d like to stay completely honest with you. So, if I’m being honest, I can’t say that it will be easy–at least not at first.
Cutting anything out of your diet that you consume on a regular basis isn’t easy, but sugar…sugar is particularly difficult. It’s addictive. I think that’s something we can all agree on.
Something that you might not know, though, is that it’s addictive not necessarily because of its taste, but because of the boost it gives you. This boost, unfortunately, results in a lack of satiety for you and your body. It’s also addictive because it actually affects the brain in a similar way that highly addictive drugs like cocaine and heroine affect the brain.
If you ask me, that in and of itself is a good enough reason to go on a 14-day sugar detox.
What is the plan?
Now that you’re probably realizing how great of an idea it is to do this 14-Day Sugar Detox Plan, let’s get into the plan itself.
The first few days are going to be the hardest. This, I know from experience. But, I also know from experience that once you get past the first four days, you’re golden! You might be wondering what these first four days entail…well, they can entail anything other than added sweeteners! Yup, and this does include those artificial sweetener packets you pour into your coffee in the morning.
Nutrition expert, Brooke Alpert, suggests that on top of cutting out added sugars for these first few days of the sugar detox plan, you should also cut out dairy, fruit, starchy vegetables, and alcohol. I know, I know, it sounds difficult. To be honest, it’s not easy…but, then again, amazing things don’t usually come easily. They come with hard work, determination, and commitment.
Plus, you just have to remember that after the fourth day, things will get easier. After the fourth day, Brooke Alpert advises to start incorporating an apple, some starchy vegetables, and even a dairy product back into your daily meals. It sounds so simple and irrelevant, but as someone who loves fruit and cheese, the fifth day is both amazing and rewarding!
According to Alpert, the second week of the detox can be accompanied by berries and even an extra dairy product. You better believe I use these additions to enjoy our Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bowl! Although I think being able to eat this delicious bowl for breakfast is utterly amazing, it’s actually not even as amazing as you’ll feel once getting into this second week of the detox! When I got to this point, my energy levels increased drastically and I honestly just felt better all around.
Follow these rules of eliminating added sugars, and cutting back on fruit, dairy, and starchy vegetables for the entirety of the second week–allowing yourself to eat one apple, one serving of berries, two dairy products, and some starchy vegetables a day. It’s also important to include some great sources of protein into your meals to keep you satiated throughout the remainder of the detox.
Once you’ve finished all 14 days of the sugar detox plan and are feeling fantastic, you can start to ease more starchy vegetables, fruits, and healthy dairy products back into your diet. If you ask me, though, it’s best to stay away from those added sugars–especially the artificial sweetener packets you pour into your coffee in the morning!
What are some tips?
Since it’s going to be difficult to fight the addiction to sugar, it’s important to keep a few tips in mind.
Tip #1: When you feel like your sugar cravings are getting the best of you, grab some fruit.
The sugar in fruit, as I said earlier, is natural and is great for curbing your cravings. Believe me, I have a major sweet tooth. With that being said, I am definitely a dessert girl. So, instead of harming my body with processed sugars every night, I eat fruit for dessert. My body and mind always thank me for it!
Tip #2: Exercise.
Whenever you start to feel any withdrawal symptoms (yes, these occur with sugar), try to move your body. Not only is it a great way to get your mind off of things, but it’s also a great way to get your body thinking about other things. It will make you feel better after, trust me.
Tip #3: Drink more water.
I know, I know, you hear this fifteen times a day. But, you hear it for good reasons! Water is so beneficial and necessary for your body to function properly.
It’s also necessary to curb those cravings. Your mind and body are less likely to think that you’re hungry when you’re consuming water, and they’re also less likely to think about eating sugar, specifically.
Tip #4: Rid your home of any foods with processed sugars in them.
Throw it all out. You don’t need it, and neither does anyone else in your house. If your kid or your spouse feels that they absolutelyneed those Oreos, ask them to hide them from you.
If you don’t have access to sugary foods, you can’t eat them even when you want to.
Tip #5: EAT.
Just because you’re cutting out sugar, doesn’t mean you have to cut out food. Fuel your body with nutrient-dense, whole foods that will keep you full and satisfied.
You’ll discover that foods that lack processed, unnatural sugar don’t taste any better than the good stuff: the real, whole foods that are full of nutrients your body needs. You’ll also discover that in keeping yourself full on healthy foods, you’ll be less likely to want sugary foods.
What do I buy?
With the idea of eating in mind, let’s talk grocery shopping.
Actually, first, let’s talk recipes so you have options and can base your shopping on some yummy recipes. We might as well go in the order of the day. So, here are some of my favorite low-sugar breakfast recipes:
- Overnight Slow Cooker Pumpkin Pie Steel Cut Oats: No Sugar Added
- 5-Berry Sugar-Free Jam (this jam of ours is AMAZING on a slice of whole grain toast)
- Easy 2-Ingredient Sweet Potato Pancakes
It’s amazing how sweet things can taste without any added sugar! And the deliciousness doesn’t stop with breakfast. Here are some low-sugar lunch recipes that are bursting with flavor:
- No-Mayo Chicken Salad
- Healthy Chicken Burrito Wraps
- Simple Chickpea Salad with Tomato
You can get everyone in the house eating healthier with these dinner recipes that are perfect for a 14-day sugar detox:
- Broccoli and Mushroom Stir-Fry (Vegan)
- One-Pack Shrimp Bake
- Chicken Breasts with Quinoa and Kale
So, back to grocery shopping…when grocery shopping, be sure to look for ingredients to these recipes (and others on our site that are free of added sugars). On top of shopping for those ingredients, I buy other naturally sweetened foods such as fruits, natural nut butters, plain Greek yogurt, hummus, and vegetables.
Something to keep in mind when in the grocery store, though, is to read food labels! You might be surprised by some of the brands that add in sugars.
Although it’s important to stick to no sugar added foods with this detox, in the future, you might choose to add in healthier sugar alternatives. If and when that day comes, check out our 5 Healthy Sugar Substitutes so you can continue to stay away from that dreaded, addictive processed sugar.
There’s no reason to go back to it! You’ve got all the information you need here to succeed in a 14-day sugar detox, which means you’ve got all the information you need here to succeed in ending your addiction to sugar!
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