The sugar detox: how to get rid of your cravings

During the month of December, you probably allowed yourself a few extras. That delicious homemade apple pie from your aunt during Christmas Eve, some of the stollen during Christmas breakfast and maybe you enjoyed some cheatmeals in the days between Christmas and New Year's Eve. Nothing wrong with that, of course, because without balance no life, but if the above sounds recognizable, chances are it will be hard to pick up the healthy thread in January. And that makes sense, because unfortunately: sugar is addictive.

Eliminating sugar completely from our diet is not desirable, because our brain needs it to function. However, it is important to make the right choices. Sugar is addictive, so the more cookies, chocolate and sweets we eat, the more likely we are to crave sweets more, and less for a nice salad.

When we eat sugar, it causes a big spike in our blood sugar, and then immediately a big drop (also called a crash). This can make your body feel tired and lifeless. This is completely in contrast to a healthy diet where constant energy is available throughout the day without peaks and dips.

Fortunately, there is a solution for sugar addiction as well, a sugar detox that is. Here are two examples of how to do a sugar detox:

Gradual reduction: In this approach, you gradually reduce your sugar intake over a period of time. Start by cutting out obvious sources of added sugar, such as soda and candy, and then gradually reduce the amount of sugar you add to your coffee, cereal and other foods. You can also try replacing sugary foods with healthier options, such as fruit or unsweetened yogurt.

Complete withdrawal: If you want to go all in, you can try cutting out all sources of added sugar at once. This can be more challenging, but it can be easier to stick to a sugar detox if you eliminate all sources of added sugar from your diet at once. This approach may involve a lot of label reading and meal planning, as you have to watch for hidden sugar sources in foods such as bread, pasta sauce and salad dressings.