{"id":41588,"date":"2022-01-21T02:15:08","date_gmt":"2022-01-21T07:15:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=41588"},"modified":"2026-07-06T14:23:18","modified_gmt":"2026-07-06T18:23:18","slug":"sugar-detox-diet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/health\/sugar-detox-diet\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Do a Sugar Detox Without Going Crazy"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

If you eat dinner solely for the chance to chase it with dessert, we hate to break it to you, but it might be time to try a sugar detox. We\u2019re not talking about a five-day fad cleanse<\/a>, either. \u201cThe ultimate goal is to really downplay sugar in the diet and have that be a permanent lifestyle change,\u201d says Bethany Doerfler, RD, LDN, and a clinical research dietician at Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>Detoxing for Beach Season? Here\u2019s Your 5-Day Plan<\/a><\/p>\n

Your love for sugary stuff may seem benign, but the truth is that most people are eating way more of it than they need. \u201cAmericans currently consume 22 teaspoons<\/a> of sugar per day,\u201d Doerfler says. That\u2019s more than three times as much as what\u2019s recommended<\/a> by the American Heart Association.<\/p>\n

Plus, research shows<\/a> that not-so-innocent sweet tooth could be doing serious damage to your health, leading to weight gain, high blood pressure and cholesterol<\/a> levels and an increased risk for diabetes. In fact, Dr. Joel Fuhrman, author of The End of Dieting<\/em><\/a>, says eating too much sugar should be considered just as dangerous as smoking cigarettes. \u201cA diet with sugar and high glycemic index foods promotes all the leading causes of death in America,\u201d he says. \u201cI don\u2019t see value in cutting out sugar for a few days and then going back to eating it, but I do see value in cutting it out permanently.\u201d<\/p>\n

Why It\u2019s Hard to Quit Sugar (But Worth It)<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Sugar addiction<\/a> is no joke. Once you\u2019re hooked, cravings can be hard to resist, leading you down a slippery slope towards obesity and other health problems. \u201cStudies are showing that in some people and animals, the brain can react to sugar very much like it can to drugs and alcohol,\u201d Doerfler says. That\u2019s why when you initially cut added sugars from your diet, you might feel deprived<\/a> for a few days. \u201cWhen your body is overloaded with waste, you feel more uncomfortable when not eating that food,\u201d Fuhrman says. \u201cIt\u2019s like stopping coffee.\u201d<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> Are You Exceeding Your Daily Sugar Intake in Just One Meal?<\/a><\/p>\n

Your efforts to cut back on sugar will pay off though. \u201cIn the short term, people will notice their energy levels<\/a> improve right away and after a short period of time they will notice cravings and fatigue diminishes,\u201d Doerfler says.<\/p>\n

Plus, the long-term benefits of cutting back on added sugar in your diet are impossible to ignore. One study published in the journal Circulation<\/a><\/em> showed that sugar-sweetened drinks directly cause the cardiovascular disease and diabetes that kill about 184,000 people worldwide every year.<\/p>\n

Your Sugar Detox, Made Simple<\/strong><\/h3>\n

There\u2019s more than one way to do a sugar detox. \u201cSome patients feel that taking a moderate approach doesn\u2019t really work for them and they need to go cold turkey,\u201d Doerfler says. \u201cBut for most people, I recommend cleaning up one meal at a time<\/a> and then progressing onto the next meal the following day.\u201d<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 12 Fast Food Drinks That Aren\u2019t Worth the Calories<\/a><\/p>\n

Regardless of the route you go, your number one goal should be to cut added sugars<\/a> from your diet. That includes most desserts, sugar-sweetened beverages and many processed foods<\/a> or snacks. In general, men should consume no more than nine teaspoons, or about 36 grams of sugar per day, while women should eat no more than six teaspoons, or about 25 grams, of added sugars per day, according to the American Heart Association. In other words, it\u2019s time to start reading nutrition labels.<\/p>\n

You should also be armed with a plan for when cravings hit<\/a>.\u00a0Expect to struggle the most in the afternoon and after dinner when you\u2019re watching TV, Doerfler says. \u201cOften when people are trying to avoid sugar, they go too far and try to take fruit out of their diet and there\u2019s no reason to do that,\u201d Doerfler says. \u201cA better option is to substitute processed sugars like cake, cookies and sweetened coffees for natural sugars, like fresh fruit<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> Are You Eating Too Much Fruit?<\/a><\/p>\n

Ready to detox? Here\u2019s a basic meal plan<\/a> to get you started:<\/p>\n

Your Sugar Detox Guidelines<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Breakfast: Cereal or oatmeal with fruit on top<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/strong>Your bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios might be a secret sugar bomb<\/a>. Try picking unsweetened oatmeal, or shredded wheat cereal options, instead. \u201cFor sweetness, I like people to add their own fruit, rather than letting the cereal company add sugar,\u201d Doerfler says.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 9 Easy Overnight Oats Recipes<\/a><\/p>\n

Lunch: Grilled chicken, fish or tofu with a veggie salad<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/strong>Your goal at lunch is to fuel your body and fend off that inevitable afternoon crash for as long as possible. \u201cI think having veggies and a protein at lunch is great way to give people a midday boost,\u201d Doerfler says.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 7 Healthy Lunch Ideas Your Friends Will Want to Steal<\/a><\/p>\n

3 p.m. snack: Nuts or veggies with hummus<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/strong>Welcome to the danger zone. \u201cAt about 3 p.m. our circadian rhythm<\/a> starts to drop and that\u2019s a time of fatigue for everybody,\u201d Doerfler says. \u201cExpect that you\u2019re going to get the munchies and have a game plan in place.\u201d For easy, portable ideas, check out this list of low-calorie foods<\/a> that will actually fill you up.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 15 Quick and Portable High-Protein Snacks<\/a><\/p>\n

Dinner: Whole-wheat pasta with chicken and vegetables<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/strong>You might be avoiding sugar, but whole-wheat carbs are still totally OK. \u201cDinner is when I like people to add another whole-grain in \u2014\u00a0whole-wheat pasta<\/a>, couscous, or sweet potatoes,\u201d Doerfler says. One cup of cooked pasta is considered a good serving size \u2014\u00a0take your pick and fill up.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong>\u00a030-Minute Quick, Healthy Dinner Ideas<\/a><\/p>\n

Dessert:<\/strong> Fresh fruit<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/strong>It\u2019s time to redefine dessert. \u201cFruit is probably the lowest sugar snack option available and it\u2019s loaded with antioxidants and fiber, which helps people lose weight and feel full,\u201d Doerfler says. If you truly can\u2019t live without a little dark chocolate<\/a> before bed (we feel you), Doerfler says you can indulge\u00a0\u2014\u00a0as long as you limit your treat to a single portion size.<\/p>\n\n\n

Not a Daily Burn member? Sign up at dailyburn.com<\/a> and start your money-back guarantee today.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Originally published on February 8, 2016. Updated on January 21, 2022<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

All images via Shutterstock <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Your guide to doing a sugar detox right. Here\u2019s how to fight cravings, resist the urge to splurge and why you\u2019ll be glad you stuck with it. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":53,"featured_media":70140,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,7,18],"tags":[41,51,341,388,285],"class_list":["post-41588","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-diet-nutrition","category-health","category-weight-loss","tag-diets","tag-food-choices","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2nutrition","tag-weight-loss"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41588","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/53"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41588"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41588\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/70140"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41588"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41588"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41588"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}