Happy Valentines 2023!
I thought it fitting to share my response to a patient question I received today. . .
It’s a sweet day to discuss “sugar detox”, no?
Question:
“are dates, dried fruits, maple syrup, coconut sugar – all in limits – okay to consume IF I NEEDED SOMETHING in a recipe?”
She also mentions she would not do stevia again..and that using stevia for >30 years and not seeing any positive results has been enough for her.
“How much sugar from above list would be okay? Per day? Per …. muffin? Coated chicken?”
My Response:
“You ideally want to save any sugars for the moments and times when you really need that sugar fix as opposed to a part of your regular daily diet. I’m referring to the sweeteners you’ve listed. Because if you have these daily, even in small doses, you’re still triggering the sugar receptors and getting the hormonal response going. The ideal detox doesn’t have anything that tastes sweet to the mouth. See this article: https://www.cnn.com/2017/06/
So if you can do the 3 day total detox, and then go on a low sugar diet, then you’d probably more easily be able to limit the sugar down to 1 serving a day max (you want your sugary thing to be a treat – like a semi-sweet muffin, as opposed to a main dish that’s got sugar/natural sweetener. So aim for breakfasts, lunches and dinners that are savory in flavour and don’t require sweetening (use spices to add the flavouring – eg. Cajun chicken, or curry/thai spices, etc.). And so I’d say once a day of something sweet going forward and 10-15 grams of sugar in that serving max. I don’t know why your mushroom coffee would have sugar – is it from a sweetener or is it simply the carbohydrates? If it’s got added sugar, I’d opt for an unflavoured one that has no additional sweetness other than the carbohydrates naturally present in mushrooms.”
I personally don’t like the idea of a “sugar detox” as it’s got a bit of a fad-diet feel to it. It is however sometimes essential to simply go cold turkey on ‘sweet tasting’ foods simply to re-calibrate your taste receptors in order to help you succeed with your health goals.
I should also mention, this was the general dietary recommendation she was given (she loves Cherries and pineapples hence the specific recommendation regarding those 2 fruits):
- Aim for free-range grass fed animal products – less inflammatory than grain-fed eggs/meat.
- Must soak beans overnight before consumption – to reduce anti-nutrients that will impair gut function and reduce nutrient absorption.
- Total grams of Carbohydrates per day: 40-60 grams a day
- Consider cutting out all sugars and sweeteners – white sugar, artificial and natural sweeteners, honey/molasses/maple syrup, etc.
- Limit fruits to berries and cherries – 1.5-2 cups total per day
- Limit pineapples to small serving sizes – 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of chunks.
- Limit starchy veggies – 2 servings a day max (1 sweet potato is equal to 2 servings)
- Grains -max 1 serving per day (80-100calories from carbs) = 1 slice regular toast, or half a regular bagel, 1/2 cup cooked rice/pasta/oats/quinoa & most other whole grains.
- Limit dairy and dairy alternatives to 0-1x/a day (80-100 calories per serving)
I’m rooting for your success! Please reach out if you need help in reaching your goals. If your sugar cravings are becoming unmanageable, you may need further support than simply a ‘sugar detox’ as cravings can sometimes indicate nutritional deficiencies and hormonal imbalances.
Yours in Health,
Dr. Negin