Excessive sugar consumption is linked to the rise in obesity in France. The problem with sugary foods begins with eating or drinking too much of it.
Reducing your intake of added sugar is therefore a healthy idea for most people. The sugar-free diet has gained popularity as people continue to look for effective ways to lead a healthy lifestyle or lose weight.
What is the sugar-free diet?
A sugar-free diet restricts added sugars. This restriction applies to obvious sugary foods like candy, soda, and juice, but added sugar can also be hidden in foods like pasta sauce.
More extreme versions of a sugar-free diet may also limit foods that naturally contain sugar, such as fruits and vegetables, but this is generally not recommended as part of a healthy, balanced diet.
When diet and nutrition experts talk about "sweet" foods, they're most often referring to foods that contain a lot of added sugar—any type of caloric sweetener added to foods. Sugar provides energy but offers no added nutritional value, which is why calories from sugar are often referred to as "empty calories."
What foods are suitable for a sugar-free diet?
It is recommended to follow a balanced diet that includes fruits, grains, legumes, whole grains, fresh vegetables, protein, and dairy products. Additionally, it is advisable to limit added sugar to no more than 10% of daily calories.
It's important to include whole foods in your diet to get all the essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. Vegetables and foods like meat, fish, eggs, cheese, and avocados are sugar-free.
Here is a short list of sugar-free foods that can be included in your diet:
- avocado, coconut, olive oils
- butter
- beef, chicken, pork
- eggplant
- fish
- green beans
- kelp noodles
- zucchini noodles
- mushrooms
- spinach
- cress
- radish
- kale
- celery
- broccoli
- bell pepper
- cucumber
- asparagus
- tomato
- mustard
- salsa
- coffee
- tea
- watermelon
- lemons/limes
- whole milk
- berries
Beverages: Pure water, tea or coffee without added sugar
Additional snacks: raw vegetables, larabars, nuts/seeds, fruit, or dark chocolate.
Sugar-free diet snacks
You don't have to starve yourself to lose weight; you can snack throughout the day to feel full. Choose foods rich in protein and/or fiber and flavor to help you feel full and satisfied. Here's a list of healthy snacks:
- nut
- oat flakes
- popcorn
- cheese
- plain Greek yogurt
- eggs
- peanut butter
- vegetables
- cereal with milk
- tuna
- hummus
- lawyer
By choosing the right foods for you, you can reduce your insulin resistance and help control your blood sugar levels.
What foods should you avoid?
Following a sugar-free diet doesn't mean you have to adhere to a formal weekly meal plan. There's no guidance on meal or snack times at home, or even what to include in your recipes. However, if you're starting to cut out added sugars, it's best to take it slowly for your own well-being.
If you're still experiencing sugar cravings, drink water and eat foods regularly (including unsweetened and nutritious ones) so you don't add extreme hunger to your sugar cravings. Healthy fats are especially helpful in combating sugar cravings.
To start, try limiting your added sugar intake to 100 to 200 calories per day (one tablespoon of honey contains about 60 calories and one tablespoon of sugar about 50).
The EFSA 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines suggest that everyone should limit their intake of added sugar to 10% of daily calories or less (so 200 if you consume around 2,000 calories a day).
If you see any of these products on an ingredient list, the food contains added sugars:
- Brown sugar
- corn sugar
- Corn syrup
- Fructose
- Glucose
- High fructose corn syrup
- Honey (although it is a natural sugar, honey is considered an added sugar)
- Raw sugar
- Sucrose
- White sugar
- Syrup
- Turbinado sugar
Artificial sweeteners can offer an alternative to sugar because they contain few or no calories, but sugar substitutes are the subject of much controversy.
Many health and nutrition experts debate whether artificial sweeteners are safe and healthy, and whether they're effective for weight loss and fitness. Indeed, some also claim that sugar substitutes are so sweet that they stimulate the taste buds for sweet foods and drinks.
On the other hand, some proponents claim that artificial sweeteners can help people move away from added sugars and eliminate them permanently.
While there is no such thing as an "official" sugar-free diet, nutrition experts generally agree that the research suggests the healthiest version of these meals eliminates added sugars by focusing on whole foods rather than simply replacing sugar with zero-calorie sweeteners.
Generally speaking, choose whole foods whenever possible in a balanced diet. Processed foods tend to contain added sugar (like juices), salt, and/or fats.
Similarly, simple carbohydrates (such as white flour, white rice, and pasta) don't contain added sugar, but they quickly break down into sugar in the body. So opt for complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, more often.
Many low-carb diets also limit sugar and bread, and a vegetarian or vegan diet can easily be a sugar-free diet as well.
What you eat while on a sugar-free diet may depend on your health or specific weight loss goals.
For example, people on low-carb diets, such as the keto diet , may avoid most fruits and complex carbohydrates, which can still be included in other variations of a sugar-free diet.
What are the benefits of a sugar-free diet?
Besides the health and weight loss benefits, it's important to know that there are other good reasons to reduce the amount of added sugars in your diet.
Practical and realistic
A sugar-free, whole-food diet teaches healthy lifestyle habits because by eliminating added sugar, you also eliminate many packaged and processed foods. It's a practical lifestyle choice not only for weight loss, but also for long-term weight management and good health.
Easy to follow
A sugar-free diet comes with no timeline, guidelines, rules, or restrictions (other than cutting out added sugars). All you have to do is avoid added sugars by eating whole, unprocessed foods whenever possible, making it an easy diet to follow. Ideal for staying fit.
Flexible and adaptable
Since there are no strict rules for sugar-free diets, what you eat depends on your personal preferences and budget, and the diet can be tailored to your lifestyle.
Additionally, as you slowly wean yourself off sugar and your body begins to naturally crave more nutritious foods, a sugar-free diet can encourage mindful, intuitive eating. Over time, adhering to the sugar-free lifestyle can become second nature rather than a temporary fix or short-term diet.
Long-term sustainability
It's healthy and safe to eat this way indefinitely, and sweet cravings should fade over time. As long as you stick to whole foods and read labels carefully, it'll be easy to stick to this diet long-term.
Following a sugar-free diet (or even a low-sugar diet) should provide health benefits, including weight loss and less fatigue. But it can be difficult to completely remove added sugar from your diet.
Summary
While consuming a little sugar isn't a problem, consuming too much of it leads to weight gain and chronic disease. People who follow a sugar-free diet and exercise routine (usually sports) avoid added sugars to promote weight loss and improve their health.
