SUGAR-FREE ZONE — THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU LIVE WITHOUT SUGAR FOR A MONTH

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Would you be able to go without sugar for a month? Why can't we apparently live without sugar? Find out about the benefits for your health here!

Welcome to the sugar free zone!

Nutrition without (industrialized) sugar for a whole month - would you be able to do that? Could you live without the chocolate chip cookies in the afternoon, or the spoonful of sugar in your morning coffee? Why add sugar to coffee or tea at all? Or have you ever questioned how much unnecessary (industrialized) sugar is in your daily meals?

When it comes to nutrition, typical industrialized sugar is our No. 1 nemesis and leads to obesity, bad teeth and hyperactivity in children. But if you abstain from this unhealthy form of sugar for a month, you can enjoy the many benefits of a healthy lifestyle. But that is not so easy. Many nutrition experts now agree: sugar is addictive, downright addictive.

We therefore first took a closer look at the areas where you will notice the biggest positive changes during your challenging 30-day challenge.

THE SUGAR-FREE ZONE week by week

Week 1 - Abrupt sugar withdrawal from one day to the next
Industrialized sugar is in many more things than you could ever imagine. It will therefore be difficult at first to find the optimal meals for a sugar-free diet. David Leonhardt, a columnist for the New York Times, Has abstained from sugar for a month from one day to the next and talked about the difficulties he had to face in the beginning. ”My breakfast consisted of cornflakes and instant muesli, which almost always contain sugar. Now I'm eating a combination of eggs, nuts, fruits, plain yogurt, and well-seasoned vegetables.”

As a result of this large but necessary change in diet, you are constantly in the mood for chocolate or sugary corn flakes to raise blood sugar levels. It is actually already our own type of addictive behavior that we simply get used to while growing up without questioning — but this desire for sweets soon disappears. To put it in Leonhardt's words”The unpleasant part of the sugar-free month is not long-lasting and tolerable. And some of the positive effects of this can be enjoyed long after the end of the month.”

So hold on even if you have a craving for sweets!

Week 2 - A life without an afternoon nap
If you live without industrialized sugar, you'll quickly realize that you no longer need that famous afternoon nap. If you eat sugar in the morning, or treat yourself to a sugary snack after lunch, then you're more likely to feel tired and want to take a nap to be fit again for later. Robert Lustig, MD, author of Fat Chance: Beating the Odds Against Sugar, Processed Food, Obesity, and Disease, means that sugar interferes with our sleep at night because sweetness releases the hormone cortisol and disrupts our sleep rhythm.

By avoiding sugar, you can stop the onset of tiredness in the afternoon, making us more mindful and alert and able to fall asleep in the evening without effort. Doesn't that sound tempting?

Week 3 - The skin glows
No one wants a face full of pimples, everyone wants clean and smooth skin. For this reason alone, you should prefer a diet without sugar. After just one month, your skin is clear and free of pimples. Sugar, also responsible for systemic inflammatory diseases, can quickly cause pimples and acne, especially when eaten in large quantities. One study found that people who regularly consumed sugary drinks were 87% more likely to develop acne than those who did not. Drink pure tap water and sugar-free drinks for a month - your skin will look fresh, soft and healthy.

Week 4 - Losing weight without training
Another very obvious advantage: Living sugar-free can have a very positive effect on your weight, depending on your lifestyle. Sugar is a carbohydrate that is converted to fat and is unfortunately found in almost all prepared meals and various prepared, processed foods these days. There is therefore a risk of unconsciously consuming far too much sugar and so on gaining weight. But that's not the only bad effect: sugar influences your insulin resistance, which causes blood sugar levels to skyrocket and leads to hunger. I'm sure you've experienced the well-known cravings before?

TV presenter Davina McCall underwent her own 5-week sugar-free diet and soon noticed the difference:”I suddenly had the feeling of freedom, and I didn't expect it at all. All of a sudden, I no longer had to necessarily go to the refrigerator and look for sweets in it. It took me a while to get to that point but the wait paid off.“Avoid sweets and you'll finally get rid of the need for them.

Many facts speak for it — Not eating too much sugary food has many benefits. But be careful — avoiding sugar alone is not a panacea! A generally healthy lifestyle with sufficient exercise, sport and a varied diet will lead you to long-term success.

Posted on sustenance