Expert advice: Do I really need a sugar detox?

Wondering if you need to cut sugar from your diet completely? Our nutrition expert, Clarissa Lenherr, answers your sugar detox questions and offers tips on how to reduce your sugar intake and handle sugar detox cravings.

How much sugar am I allowed per day?

What are the benefits of cutting out sugar?

Do I need to totally cut out sugar?

Tips for cutting back on sugar

Possible side effects of cutting down on sugar

Key points



Trendy, no-sugar diets promise to help you lose weight, feel energised, reduce your cravings and even prevent premature ageing. But do they actually work, and is a sugar detox healthy? Read on to learn the truth about low-sugar fruits, sugar substitutes, cravings and how to reduce your overall sugar intake.
## How much sugar am I allowed per day?
It’s recommended that we consume no more than 5% of our daily calories from free sugars. Free sugars include sugar added to food and drinks, as well as sugars found naturally in honey, maple syrup and juice. 

The recommendations are:

- adults: no more than 30g of free sugars per day
- children aged 7 to 10: no more than 24g of free sugars per day
- children aged 4 to 6: no more than 19g of free sugars per day

![Cup of coffee beside a bowl of sugar and saucer](//images.ctfassets.net/iqo3fk8od6t9/5x0idQUqqFfQyxnu2A20Mu/f61cb5395266e7dbf4f9ffa09968f28d/Cup_of_coffee.jpg)

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## What are the benefits of cutting out sugar?

There are a whole host of possible benefits of reducing or cutting your sugar intake, including:

- better dental health
- healthy weight maintenance
- lower risk of type 2 diabetes
- improved symptoms of anxiety and depression
- healthier skin (high-sugar diets are linked to acne and skin ageing) 


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## Do I need to totally cut out sugar?

Many sugar detox diets advise cutting out all added sugar from your regime. While giving your body a reset can be beneficial, your focus should be on making a more sustainable change – in other words, reducing your overall intake of added sugar for life.

### Is it even possible to do a ‘no-sugar’ diet?

Perhaps, but it would be very difficult and unsustainable. 

A no-sugar diet is one that restricts all added sugars. This includes the obvious culprits – fizzy drinks, sweets, pastries, chocolate bars and desserts. It also includes sugars found in savoury foods such as crackers, crisps, pasta sauces and even bread. This means skipping the odd slice of birthday cake or eating out at many restaurants. 

More extreme versions of sugar-free or no-sugar diets cut out naturally occurring sugars found in fruits and vegetables. It would be fairly impossible to remove these and this isn’t recommended as part of a healthy diet.

Instead try and cut down on your sugar intake. 

![Restaurant meal with caprese salad, bread basket and cocktails](//images.ctfassets.net/iqo3fk8od6t9/2oN0Z5MfARKV1X5LI7lh4R/587fd0a45713ab48f045c1d522326b5b/meal.jpg)

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## Tips for cutting back on sugar

Try these tips to lower your sugar intake.  
### Eat regularly 
Eat 3 meals a day, and if needed, 1 or 2 snacks. For many people, not eating regularly can cause blood sugar levels to drop. This may trigger sugar cravings.

### Focus on a balanced plate
Make sure each plate of food you eat has a balance of protein, healthy fats and lots of colourful vegetables. These nutrients can help you feel full and energised and may help to offset sugar cravings.

### Read labels
Reading product labels can help you identify hidden sugars, particularly those found in processed foods. Sugar has many different names – some of the common added sugars to look out for include barley malt, rice syrup, honey, maple syrup and fruit concentrate. 

### Choose low-sugar fruits

Although fruit is a great source of nutrients, some fruits are higher in natural sugars than others. Ever wondered how much sugar is in a banana? This popular snack is high in fibre, potassium and vitamin B6, but it’s also high in sugar, at 12g. 

Opt for lower-sugar fruits like berries, citrus fruits and kiwis when you’re craving something sweet.
![Hand holding bowl of strawberries](//images.ctfassets.net/iqo3fk8od6t9/4dZDB64VEbYFY8ZszMNtPI/cab99941c1b9dbc5625b77480372f9dc/bowl_of_strawberries.jpg)
### Add spices
Swapping sugar for spice can be a good way to keep your taste buds satisfied. For natural sweetness, add cinnamon, vanilla, cardamom and nutmeg to your coffee, porridge, yoghurt and baked goods.

### Try getting more sleep
When we’re tired, our energy levels drop and our cravings for sugar increase. Aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night and avoid sugar late in the evening.

### Distract yourself
Next time a sugar craving strikes, go for a walk, call a friend or have a bath. Cravings usually last 10 to 20 minutes, so if you can distract yourself, they may well pass. 

### Be mindful of artificial sweeteners
Sugar substitutes are found in many food and beverage brands worldwide and health agencies are re-evaluating how safe they are.

It's a controversial topic with previous studies being divided on their safety, but they aren't regularly recommended by healthcare practitioners. This is because of their impact on gut health and their potential to trick the body into thinking it’s getting sugar.

There has also been conflicting evidence on their effect on heart health and a recent large French study has found an association between higher artificial sweetener intake and an increased risk of stroke. 

We don't know why they have this effect and there could be other factors involved, but researchers did suggest that sweeteners shouldn't be considered a safe alternative to sugar.


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## Possible side effects of cutting down on sugar

If you do cut down on sugar, you may experience side effects including:

- headaches
- cravings for energy-dense foods
- lack of energy
- nausea
- irritability
- anxiety
### Tips for managing the side effects of reducing sugar intake

It’s important to cut back on added sugars gradually. Your sugar withdrawal should pass within a few days if you follow these simple rules:

- drink plenty of water, ideally 1 to 2 litres of pure water per day
- take your time – you don’t need to detox from sugar in a day
- fill up on healthy fats that can help reduce cravings and keep hunger at bay – opt for nut butters, avocado and yoghurt

![Sliced avocado and spoon on chopping board](//images.ctfassets.net/iqo3fk8od6t9/4kpuE5nC6X5hcJA2NUqs8E/47cb86193766b0a76f9470d32277b23e/Avocado_and_spoon.jpg)

## Key points

- adults should have no more than 30g of added sugar per day
- reducing your added sugar consumption can help with weight management, improve dental health, reduce diabetes risk and improve mood
- you don’t need a complete sugar detox 
- low-sugar fruits can satisfy cravings and give you more nutrients
- artificial sweeteners are not a long-term solution for reducing sugar intake
- going slowly, drinking plenty of water and eating healthy fats can help with the side effects of cutting down on sugar


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References

Clarissa Lenherr

Lee-Anne Spurdens

Dr Ann Nainan

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