Most of us really enjoy desserts, all kinds of cakes and muffins, sweets and chocolate, but we are all aware of the fact that sugar is seriously harmful to our health.
It consumption leads to weight gain, obesity, energy crashes, wrinkles, and even more severe health issues, such as:
- Diabetes
- Weak immune system
- Increased serotonin levels
- Ulcers
- Heart issues
- Arthritis
- Poor vision
- Gallstones
- Adrenal fatigue
- Eczema
- Hypoglycemia
- Lower mineral levels in the body
- Premature aging
What’s more, sugar is highly addictive, which is shown in numerous studies and can even lead to similar effects on the brain as some street drugs. Alan Greene, M.D., a children’s health and wellness expert and the author of books like “Raising Baby Green” and “Feeding Baby Green, claims:
“Addiction is a strong word. In medicine, we use ‘addiction’ to describe a tragic situation where someone’s brain chemistry has been altered to compel them to repeat a substance or activity despite harmful consequences.
This is very different than the casual use of ‘addiction’ (‘I’m addicted to “Game of Thrones!”’).”So, I’m serious when I say that evidence is mounting that too much added sugar could lead to true addiction. ”
Additionally, Cassie Bjork, R.D., L.D., founder of Healthy Simple Life, says:
“Research shows that sugar can be even more addicting than cocaine. Sugar activates the opiate receptors in our brain and affects the reward center, which leads to compulsive behavior, despite the negative consequences like weight gain, headaches, hormone imbalances, and more.
Studies suggest that every time we eat sweets we are reinforcing those neuropathways, causing the brain to become increasingly hardwired to crave sugar, building up a tolerance like any other drug.”
The following 7-day sugar detox will help you reverse the negative effects of the consumption of sugar and lose excess weight:
7-Day Sugar Detox Menu
1st Day
- Breakfast: Baked eggs and spinach with cheese
- Morning Snack: Tamari almonds
- Lunch: cheesy sweet peppers with low carbs and green salad
- Dinner: baked stuffed chicken, spinach, and cucumber salad with feta cheese and tomatoes
- Snack: ricotta cheese with low fat, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ cup part skim, and several drops vanilla stevia
2nd Day
- Breakfast: Frittata with sun-dried tomato
- Morning Snack: Tamari almonds
- Lunch: spinach and pepper peppers and chicken
- Afternoon Snack: raw vegetables and spinach dip
- Dinner: sautéed spinach, mushrooms, peppers, and turkey lettuce cups
- Snack: cheese stick
3rd Day
- Breakfast: Peanut Butter Protein Smoothie
- Morning Snack: the whites of 3 boiled eggs
- Lunch: salad with cucumber, tomatoes, sweet peppers, vinegar, and extra virgin Olive oil
- Afternoon Snack: Frittata with Feta
- Dinner: light veggie soup and grilled chicken with some fresh herbs
- Snack: Vanilla chia pudding –sugar and dairy free
4th Day
- Breakfast: Sante Fe Frittata’s
- Morning Snack: Cheese stick
- Lunch: cilantro chicken salad made from grilled chicken
- Afternoon Snack: celery with peanut butter – sugar-free
- Dinner: Crockpot chicken, mini Zucchini cheese bites and bean stew
- Snack: ½ cup cottage cheese –low fat with cucumber pieces
5th Day
- Breakfast: Sante Fe Frittata’s
- Morning Snack: raw vegetables in a spicy Mediterranean feta dip
- Lunch: soup, and a green salad with tomatoes, cucumber, sweet peppers, vinegar, and extra virgin olive oil
- Afternoon Snack: Salad with feta cheese, tomatoes, and cucumber
- Dinner: Cheesy breadsticks – low carbs and Italian green bean salad
- Snack: Vanilla chia pudding –sugar and dairy free
6th Day
- Breakfast: egg muffin without the crust
- Morning Snack: raw vegetables in a spicy Mediterranean feta dip
- Lunch: Cheesy breadsticks – low carbs and Italian green bean salad
- Afternoon Snack: Spicy Mediterranean feta dip with raw vegetables
- Snack: Zucchini noodles and chicken drumsticks with lemon and garlic
- Dinner: the whites of 3 boiled eggs
7th Day
- Breakfast: sautéed spinach, mushrooms, and scrambled eggs
- Morning Snack: ½ cup cottage cheese
- Lunch: zucchini noodles and light veggie soup
- Afternoon Snack: Tamari almonds
- Snack: chicken drumsticks and leftover green bean salad and
- Dinner: Vanilla chia pudding –sugar and dairy free
Source: thehealthy-food.com
