Excessive sugar consumption is associated with the increase in obesity in France. The problem with sugary foods starts with eating or drinking too much of them.
Reducing added sugar consumption is therefore a healthy idea for most people. The sugar-free diet has grown in popularity as people continue to look for effective ways to live a healthy lifestyle or lose weight.
What is the sugar-free diet?
A sugar-free diet restricts added sugars. This restriction applies to obvious sugary foods like candy, soda, and juice, but added sugar can also lurk in foods like pasta sauce.
More extreme versions of a sugar-free diet may also limit foods that naturally contain sugar, such as fruits and vegetables, but this is generally not recommended as part of a healthy, balanced diet.
When diet and nutrition experts talk about "sweet" foods, they are most often referring to foods that contain a lot of added sugar, which is any type of caloric sweetener added to foods. Sugar provides energy but does not offer added nutritional value, which is why calories from sugar are often referred to as "empty calories."
What foods are suitable for a sugar-free diet?
It is recommended to follow a balanced diet including fruits, cereals, legumes, whole grains, fresh vegetables, proteins and dairy products. Additionally, it is advisable to limit added sugar to no more than 10% of daily calories.
It's important to include whole foods in your diet to get all the essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Vegetables and foods such as meats, fish, eggs, cheeses, avocados are sugar-free.
Here is a short list of sugar-free foods that can be included in your diet:
- avocado, coconut, olive oils
- butter
- beef, chicken, pork
- eggplant
- fish
- green beans
- kelp noodles
- zucchini noodles
- mushrooms
- spinach
- cress
- radish
- kale
- celery
- broccoli
- bell pepper
- cucumber
- asparagus
- tomato
- mustard
- salsa
- coffee
- tea
- watermelon
- lemons/limes
- whole milk
- berries
Drinks: Pure water, tea or coffee without added sugar
Additional snacks: raw vegetables, larabars, nuts/seeds, fruit or dark chocolate.
Sugar-free diet snacks
It is not necessary to starve yourself to lose weight, you can snack during the day to get the feeling of satiety. Choose products high in protein and/or fiber and taste to help you feel full and satisfied. Here is a list of healthy snacks:
- nut
- oatmeal
- pop corn
- cheese
- plain Greek yogurt
- eggs
- Peanut Butter
- vegetables
- cereals with milk
- tuna
- Humus
- lawyer
By choosing the foods that are right for you, you can reduce your insulin resistance and help control your blood sugar levels.
What foods should you avoid?
Following a sugar-free diet doesn't mean you have to adhere to a formal weekly eating plan. So there is no advice on meal times or snacks at home, or even on the composition of your recipes. However, if you are starting to cut out added sugars, it is best to go gradually for your well-being.
If you're still experiencing sugar cravings, drink water and eat foods (including non-sweet, nutritious ones) regularly so you don't add extreme hunger to your sugar craving. Healthy fats are particularly helpful in combating sugar cravings.
To start, try to limit your added sugar intake to 100 to 200 calories per day (a tablespoon of honey has about 60 calories and a tablespoon of sugar has about 50).
The EFSA 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines suggest that everyone should limit their dose of added sugar to 10% of daily calories or less (so 200 if you consume around 2,000 calories per day).
If you see any of these products on an ingredient list, the food contains added sugars:
- Brown sugar
- corn sugar
- Corn syrup
- Fructose
- Glucose
- High Fructose Corn Syrup
- Honey (although it is a natural sugar, honey is considered an added sugar)
- Raw sugar
- Sucrose
- White sugar
- Syrup
- Turbinado sugar
Artificial sweeteners can offer an alternative to sugar since they contain few or no calories, but sugar substitutes are the subject of much controversy.
Many health and nutrition experts question whether artificial sweeteners are healthy and safe, and whether they are effective for losing weight and staying in shape. Indeed, some also claim that sugar substitutes are so sweet that they stimulate the taste buds for sweet foods and drinks.
On the other hand, some advocates say artificial sweeteners can help people move away from added sugars and eliminate them for good.
Although there are no "official" sugar-free diets, nutrition experts generally agree that research evidence for the healthiest version of these dietary options eliminates added sugars by focusing on whole foods rather than simply replacing sugar with zero-calorie sweeteners.
Generally speaking, choose whole foods whenever you can from a balanced menu. So processed foods tend to contain added sugar (like juice), salt and/or fat.
Likewise, simple carbohydrates (such as white flour, white rice, and pasta) do not contain added sugar, but they break down quickly into sugar in the body. So opt more often for complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains.
Many low-carb diets also limit sugar and bread, and a vegetarian or vegan diet can easily be a sugar-free diet as well.
What you eat while on a sugar-free diet may depend on your health or your specific weight loss goals.
For example, people following low-carb diets, such as the keto diet , can avoid most fruits and complex carbohydrates, which can still be included in other variations of a sugar-free diet.
What are the benefits of a sugar-free diet?
Besides the health and weight loss benefits, it's important to know that there are other good reasons to reduce the amount of added sugars in your diet.
Practical and realistic
A sugar-free, whole-food diet teaches healthy lifestyle habits because by cutting out added sugar, you also eliminate many packaged and processed foods. It is a practical lifestyle to adopt not only to lose weight, but also to manage it long term and be healthy.
Simple to follow
A sugar-free diet has no timetable, guidelines, rules, or restrictions (aside from cutting out added sugars). all you have to do is avoid added sugars by eating whole, unprocessed foods whenever possible, making this an easy diet to follow. Ideal for keeping in shape.
Flexible and adaptable
Since there are no strict rules on sugar-free diets, what you eat depends on your personal preferences and budget, and the diet can be tailored to your lifestyle.
Plus, as you slowly wean yourself off sugar and your body begins to naturally crave more nutritious foods, a sugar-free diet can encourage mindful, intuitive eating. Over time, adhering to the sugar-free lifestyle can become second nature rather than a temporary fix or short-term diet.
Long-term sustainability
It's healthy and safe to eat this way indefinitely, and sweet cravings should fade over time. As long as you stick to whole foods and read labels carefully, you'll find it easy to stick to this diet for the long term.
Following a sugar-free diet (or even a low-sugar diet) should provide health benefits, including weight loss and less fatigue. But it can be difficult to completely remove added sugar from your diet.
Summary
While consuming a little sugar poses no problem, eating a lot leads to weight gain and chronic diseases. People who follow a sugar-free diet accompanied by physical exercise (sport in general) avoid added sugars to promote weight loss and better health.
