Sugar Detox

Studies show that the average American eats about 19 teaspoons of sugar a day. But, the American Heart Association reports that a healthy level of sugar intake amounts to no more than 6 teaspoons a day for women, and 9 teaspoons a day for men. Breaking a sugar habit can be a very difficult thing to do. Why is this? Is it actually an addiction? What's the best way to really cut down on the amount of sugar we consume? I'll be discussing all of these things, as well as some MOBU products that can help, in the rest of this post! 😊  

Sugar Addiction – 

I think sugar habit is a better term, as there aren't actually the 'withdrawals' typically associated with addiction. You may not be eating a whole lot of sugar intentionally, in fact, you might not even realize how much sugar you're really consuming. But, if you find yourself craving sugar and eating more than you planned, you may need to look closer at your sugar intake. 

Sugar fuels your brain cells. Your brain also recognizes sugar as a reward, making you want more and more of it. Eating a lot of sugar reinforces that reward, making it very difficult to break the habit. Sugar highs and energy rushes happen when you eat a candy bar, syrup, soda, candy and add sugar to things. These sources have sugar in the form of simple carbohydrates, which are quickly converted into glucose in the bloodstream. This causes your blood sugar levels to spike. There are also simple carbs in dairy, fruit and vegetables - however, these also have fibers and proteins that slow the process down. After consuming your sweet snack, your body then needs to move the glucose out of the bloodstream and into cells for energy. For this process, your body makes the hormone insulin. Following the conversion to energy, your blood sugar levels can drop rapidly (the 'crash' after the high) and can cause you to feel shaky and wiped out, making you want more sugar to regain the positive feelings from the sugar high. This is not a good cycle! Inadvertently, you may be continually feeding the cycle and making it harder and harder for yourself to eat healthily. 

Starchy foods can have similar effects. If you don't necessarily crave sugar, but instead find yourself wanting bagels, chips, french fries, or pasta, it's basically the same thing, even if you don't realize it. When consumed without other foods that slow the process, these things are complex carbohydrates which break down into simple sugars, which cause the same high and crash feelings as regular sugar. White rice and flour also work in similar ways. 

Ways to break a sugar habit – 

Many of the sugar detox plans out there tell you to avoid all sweets, or, anything with the simple sugars. This would include all fruit, dairy, and refined grains, as well as the obvious things such as soda or candy. Their idea is that you need to purge your body of all sugar. But is this really the best way? WebMD states that changes like this are too drastic to keep up, and can really only be done for the short term, causing you to fall back into your old habits quickly. 

A much better option is to try and teach your taste buds to enjoy other things that may be healthier for you. You can do this by slowly decreasing the amount of sugar you consume. For example, try cutting out one sugary thing from your diet every week, like your dessert after dinner, or putting less sugar in your coffee. Over time, you will lose your craving for the sweet tastes. 

You don't have to give up everything that tastes sweet either! Just do your best to get it from sources with other nutritional value as well, such as fruits or low-fat milk or yogurt. These have other benefits as well as tasting sweet, and can help you kick the sugar-habit. As you slowly start to decrease your overall sugar intake, you'll also find yourself enjoying them more and more as your need for the overly sweet flavor (that can be found in sodas or candy bars) decreases. 

By taking baby steps and cutting out one thing at a time, or slowly reducing your sugar intake, you can make long-term changes in your diet that will really help your overall health in the long run. Eating more fruits and vegetables and drinking extra water are also excellent habits to pick up, to replace your sweet cravings.

Proteins can also help curb sugar cravings. High protein foods such as eggs, nuts, and beans digest slowly and help keep you feeling full for longer, without providing the sugar high and crash of the simple sugars and refined carbs. 

Fibers can also help keep you feeling full longer, as well as give you energy. With this kind of energy, however, there is no crash afterward because they don't raise your blood sugar levels. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains can help with this. For a good fiber and protein combination, try eating fruits or vegetables with some peanut butter. 

Many artificial sweeteners are also on the market to replace sugar. However, these generally do more harm than good, as they can have many other chemicals in them that can be detrimental over time. They also don't help break a sugar habit, because they can actually leave you craving more sugar and continuing the high/crash cycle.  Honey, brown sugar and cane juice may be slightly higher in nutrients than regular sugars, but should still be used only in moderation as they can cause your blood sugar to rise just as regular sugars do. 

MOBU Herbals products that can help fight sugar habits: 

The slim stick is great for appetite and sugar craving assistance on the go! It is a simple lip balm that helps to reduce sugar cravings and regulate blood sugar. The slim stick has a green tea flavor for a quick pick me up that also helps curb your appetite, as well as the Gymnema herb which makes sugar taste bland, helping to control your sugar cravings. 

  

Slim lotion (not to be confused with the Slim Wrap lotion) is another great product for helping combat sugar habits. The lotion should be applied 30 minutes before meals, or whenever you're experiencing sugar cravings. This lotion also has the Gymnema herb combined with green tea, as well as kelp and other herbs that help with overeating. It helps curb your sugar cravings by supporting healthy blood sugar levels, as well as easing the jittery feeling resulting from low-calorie intakes.