21 No-Added-Sugar Recipes I Used During My 30-Day Detox (2024)

FAQs

What to eat on 30 days with no sugar? ›

Some examples are eggs, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, tofu, tempeh, quinoa, oats, brown rice, sweet potatoes, broccoli, spinach, kale, carrots, apples, bananas, berries, oranges, and almond milk. Drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated and flush out toxins.

Plus, 21 days is plenty of time to feel the fantastic effects of life with less sugar. By the end of the challenge, you'll feel more ener- gized and less dependant on sugar. You might also notice less bloating and some weight loss.

The rules for this challenge were simple: absolutely no added sugars. Natural sugars, like those found in dairy and fruit, were OK. Artificial sweeteners were also off-limits. Sugar is not a necessary nutrient, and we're all eating entirely too much of it.

Last, let's look for those nutrient dense starchy vegetables. Roasted sweet or white potatoes, baked potatoes, mashed (for level 1 and 2), and whole grains such as a ½ cup of steamed rice (for level 1). Fried rice is not a good option.

Foods to eat

Vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, carrots, asparagus, zucchini, sweet potatoes, etc. Fruits: apples, oranges, berries, grapes, cherries, grapefruit, etc. Proteins: chicken, fish, beef, tofu, eggs, etc. Healthy fat sources: egg yolks, avocados, nuts, seeds, olive oil, unsweetened yogurt, etc.

Your taste buds and palate can be “retrained” to adopt a less sugary lifestyle, and eventually you will not crave the same high-sugar foods as before. During this time, you can still eat foods with natural sugars, like fruit, as these are packed with nutrients and fiber.

Limit or completely avoid consumption of foods such as baked goods, potatoes, white rice, white bread, instant oatmeal, and corn/ corn flakes. These food are considered to be high glycemic carbohydrates, which means that your body rapidly breaks them down and causes a spike in blood glucose levels.

Many no-sugar diets also recommend that people avoid simple carbohydrates. Simple carbs include white flour, white pasta, and white rice. The body quickly breaks down the carbohydrates in these foods into sugar. This process causes a spike in blood sugar levels.

Drop your sugar intake at once. The Ohio University Medical Center determined that a sugar detox will take between 3-10 days. The more sugar you are normally taking in, the longer the detox will take. The good thing is, unlike other addictions, the intensity of the symptoms will decrease as you go on.

Here are the tell-tale signs on your face that sugar is the culprit aging your skin: The surface of your skin looks hard and shiny. Deep, crosshatch lines appear along your upper lip. Discoloration and hyperpigmentation mark your skin.

How long does it take to see the benefits of no sugar? ›

Try giving up sugar for 2 weeks to see just how much better you feel, and how much better you look. When you see positive results from short-term changes, you'll be motivated to make the long-term changes necessary for real transformation. Know that breaking the sugar habit is far from simple.

Some sources suggest that drinking water or eating a high protein snack can quickly lower your blood sugar levels, though there's not enough research to support this.

Starting with day four, you can add one apple and one dairy food each day. Dairy, such as yogurt or cheese, should be full-fat and unsweetened. You can also add some higher-sugar vegetables such as carrots and snow peas, as well as a daily serving of high-fiber crackers.

Eating Fruit on a Sugar Detox

Aside from packaged and processed foods and alcohol, also avoid eating too much fruit. Jackson says it can have adverse effects on the body and encourage more sugar cravings.

The Basics—What You Will Eat on the 21DSD. All levels of the program include meat, seafoods, eggs, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and limited fruits as well as a limited portion of starch flours per day. Level 3 includes the above and no additional food groups. Level 2 includes the above as well as full-fat dairy.

*Weight loss: Sugar is a major contributor to excess calorie intake. By eliminating it, you may experience weight loss, especially if you were consuming a significant amount of sugary foods and beverages. *Reduced cravings: Sugar can be addictive, and eliminating it from your diet can help reduce cravings over time.

Detoxing from sugar can help you lose weight quickly. “We had over 80 testers from all over the country, and they lost anywhere between 5 to 20 pounds during the 31 days, depending on their weight or sugar addiction,” Alpert said. “Many also noticed that a lot of the weight was lost from their midsection.