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How do I Stop Eating Sugar?
Many people decide to stop eating sugar for weight loss or health reasons; it can be a beneficial decision, but it is not easy, because some people actually experience feelings of addiction to sugar, which can be very hard to break. The best way to stop eating sugar is to begin by getting it out of the house so you will not be tempted to eat it, and by purchasing a few days' worth of carefully selected food at the grocery store so you don't have to go back where you might be tempted to purchase more sweet foods. Taking some time to identify any triggers you have for eating sugar might be a good idea as well.
Once you make the decision to stop eating sugar, the first and best place to start is eliminating it from your life. If you have snacks in your desk at work or sweet items in your cupboard at home, finish eating them, or simply get rid of them. You may not need to throw them away; chances are, someone else in your life will be happy to take these items off your hands. Be sure that all foods that contain sugar are gone from your home, as well as actual sugar that you might stir into coffee or tea, for example.
The next step when you are trying to stop eating sugar is to go grocery shopping and purchase enough food to last a few days; this will prevent you from going back to the grocery store to buy items that contain sugar. Focus on purchasing healthy items, such as vegetables and whole grains, and purchase some nutritious snack items to replace any sugary snacks, such as crackers, carrots or hummus. When you are shopping, you might also choose to look for sugar-free items or products that have chemical alternatives instead of sugar, but these items may not help you break an addiction since the same taste is simply replaced with something else. Remember to also reduce your simple carbohydrate intake too, as these types of foods are converted into sugar by the body.
Managing your lifestyle by drinking enough water and getting enough sleep is also important when you are trying to stop eating sugar. In addition, identify triggers or times of the day when you are more prone to eating something sweet. For instance, some people get tired in the afternoon at work, and have a sweet snack or soda as a pick-me-up; instead, try having a snack that includes vegetables and some protein for an energy boost without the sugar.
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By: anjelagrWhite rice, which contains little fiber, can have a negative effect on blood sugar. -
![Stocking up on healthy foods may help when an individual is trying to stop eating sugar.]()
By: Barbara HelgasonStocking up on healthy foods may help when an individual is trying to stop eating sugar.
Discussion Comments
I don't think we need to cut out sugar from our diet altogether, unless there is a health reason requiring it. But it does need to be limited according to my mom who is a dietitian. People go to her for nutrition plans and one of the major issues for most people is sugar cravings.
My mom says that table sugar doesn't have nutrients so it's empty calories. She's taught me a few tips to avoid table sugar when I'm craving sweets. One thing I learned from her is to cook sliced apples with some cinnamon, no water and lid closed on low heat on the stove. This makes the apples taste really sweet as if sugar was added. Then I eat this as is, or with some sugar-free whip cream or on a slice of toast with walnuts on top.
When I want to bake, I use either all-natural sugar substitutes like stevia or I use fructose syrup which is fruit sugar. At least this way, I avoid too much sugar and know that I'm not getting too many calories.
@simrin-- That's probably true because eating sugar is a vicious circle. Sugar causes a huge spike in blood sugar and it's followed by a fall because it has a high glycemic index. So after about two hours of having sugar, you feel really hungry and crave sugar again. If you follow your cravings, you'll never get out of the cycle.
The best way to stop eating sugar in my opinion is to eat more filling healthy foods. If you crave sweets all the time, you're probably not getting enough nutrients, especially protein and complex carbohydrates.
I make sure to have a really filling breakfast and lunch with carbohydrate, protein and vegetables. I also take a daily multivitamin. My sweet cravings go down significantly when I do this. If I still crave a sweet by evening, I prefer whole fruits with fiber. Fiber slows down glucose from entering the blood stream so it won't cause a spike and feed my food cravings.
It was easy for me to stop eating sugar because I had no choice! I've been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and sugar is not allowed. The only type of sugar I can have is 1-2 portions of fruit per day as an in-between snack.
I used to love sweets and eat them every day before I was diagnosed. It was a lot easier than expected to throw these foods out of my life because I'm taking diabetes medication. Since taking the medication, I haven't felt the need for sugar at all! All my sugar cravings have disappeared!
I guess I was craving a lot of sweets because I have diabetes. So treatment has been a great way to stop eating sugar and better care for my health. Not to mention that I've lost weight!
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