Sugar contains a whole bunch of calories with NO essential nutrients such as proteins, essential fats, vitamins or minerals… just pure energy. For this reason, they are called “empty” calories. Eating sugar makes your crave more sugar. Processed sugar (the kind you find in sweets) is, in many ways, just like a drug. Your body doesn’t need it. It’s not good for you, and the more you eat it, the more you want it. Over time, your body craves larger doses of sugar. Sugar increases the level of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is the chemical messenger that produces feelings of pleasure and excitement; it is released in the brain in response to a rewarding experience (e.g., eating delicious food). Dopamine is believed to be a teaching signal that helps the brain learn to repeat behaviors that are rewarding. Sugar creates an addictive cycle of hunger, fatigue and moodiness. It initially spikes blood sugar, causing us to feel energized and happy. But since it's devoid of real nutrition, blood sugar quickly plummets, leaving us tired, hungry and moody. So we reach for more sugar. Sugar causes excess storage of fat: It triggers the body to produce insulin, which tells fat cells to store more. Sugar causes inflammation. This causes pain and is seen as a precursor to heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

It takes only five days to dramatically reduce the body’s dependence on sugar, by eliminating refined sugar from your diet. Most processed foods such as condiments, candy, baked goods and sweetened beverages (including those with artificial sweeteners) contain loads of added sugar. Certain foods can reduce sugar cravings and balance the body, getting you to detox from sugar. High protein, fat and fiber foods are highly satisfying and keep the body full for longer. Aim for about 25% of every meal to come from protein with good fats (e.g. eggs, nuts, avocados, olive oil, hummus, salmon). Eat green leafy vegetables instead of bread, pasta and refined carbohydrates. Bread is quickly converted to sugar, creating the same cycle, but vegetables are complex carbohydrates, which keep you satiated for hours. They take longer to digest – expect to feel full 30 minutes after eating a salad (e.g., arugula and kale). Eat sour foods like sauerkraut or kimchi because they knock out sugar cravings. Drink more water because this makes you feel full and flushes excess sugar out of the body, thus reducing the craving.

Read food labels to spot hidden sugars in food. All of the following terms ending in “ose” are forms of sugar: dextrose, fructose, glucose, lactose, maltose, and sucrose. Opt for natural sugars such as molasses, honey and maple syrup which are packed with antioxidants that protect your body from cancer.