Photo: Angela Roma

How long does it take to clean your body of sugar?

If you are wondering how long a sugar detox takes, the answer tends to range from a few days to one week. In terms of getting it out of your system, the answer is two to three hours to return to a normal blood sugar level, provided you are not diabetic. If you are, it will take three to four hours.

smileyspoints.com - How Long Does it Take to Detox from Sugar – 8 Pro Tips - Smiley's Points

What's healthier pizza or salad?

Tip: A salad beats both pizza and pasta because you fill up on veggies, not white flour. (Note: at CPK, even the salads have around 1,000 calories,...

Last updated Mar 31, 2022

What are the 4 types of drinker?

There are four types of drinker – which one are you? Social drinking. To date, nearly all the research on drinking motives has been done on teens...

Last updated Jan 3, 2020

Traditional “juice” activates 24/7 fat-burning

A potent powdered supplement blended right into water or your favored beverage to be appreciated as a scrumptious morning smoothy.

Learn More »

Promotion

Americans consume, on average, 20 teaspoons of sugar daily. This is well over the recommended nine teaspoons for men and six teaspoons for women. As a treatment for overindulging in sugar or for a true sugar addiction, many people turn to sugar detoxes to rid their bodies of the excess and return to healthy eating. But how long does it take to detox from sugar?

It’s important to note that not all sugars are bad for you. Sugar occurs naturally in vegetables, grains, dairy, and fruits. Health problems arise when we consume added sugars found in foods such as cakes, cookies, bread condiments, and plant-based milk.

Drinks Containing Sugar

.

Sugar is one of those things that can easily sneak into a diet. Often, we are completely unaware of how much we are consuming until we take a close look. The leading source of sugar when it comes to drinks are:

Pop/soda: 25%

Fruit beverages: 11%

Energy/sport drinks: 3%

Tea/coffee: 7%

When it comes to food, sweets and snacks are the largest contributors to sugar intake at 31%. So, how do our bodies react?

Bodily Reactions to Excess Sugar Intake

While it is tempting to use alternative sugars, you can find sugar in hidden places. Items comprised of honey, coconut sugar, maple syrup, turbinado sugar, high fructose corn syrup, dextrose, and corn syrup are the hidden causes of increased sugar intake. That’s why reading labels is so important. The higher it is on the list, the higher the amount in your food. This is true of baby formula as well. The determining factor is how fast the sugars are absorbed by your body. Natural sugar absorbs slower since it contains fiber, causing a longer digestion time. Soda sugar is absorbed immediately like one big sugar bomb. The body quickly converts the excess sugar to calories. The best option containing no calories is plant-based stevia or monk fruit. They are completely safe and have been reviewed by the FDA.

What Is Sugar Withdrawal?

Eliminating sugar is more difficult than we realize. Within a few days of getting rid of sugar in your diet, some people will experience withdrawal symptoms and sugar cravings, which may be equated to the withdrawal cycles seen when someone quits smoking. Sugar releases opioids and dopamine into the brain. Both have addictive potential. Brain receptors become rewired to compensate for the release of the extra neurotransmitters. So, it is possible when reducing sugar intake for your brain to crave dopamine and opioids, creating withdrawal symptoms.

What foods melt liver fat?

These 8 foods can help in curing fatty liver naturally! Fish. Omega 3 found in fish like salmon, tuna and sardines are very important in improving...

Last updated Jul 24, 2020

Is it OK to drink 2 cups of green tea a day?

Drinking three to five cups of green tea per day seems to be optimal to reap the most health benefits. Very high doses may be problematic for some,...

Last updated Jun 6, 2020

Strange purple cocktail removes 2.7lbs every 4 days

This effective juice jolts the metabolism, boosts energy and burns fat all day.

Learn More »

Promotion

Common symptoms may include:

Irritability

Dizziness

Headaches

Lethargy

Muscle aches

Bloating

Nausea

Depression

Stomach cramps

This type of withdrawal may last for a few days to one week. They tend to be mild and temporary. However, you can take steps to mitigate the discomfort. How Long Does It Take to Detox from Sugar – 8 Pro Tips If you find eliminating sugar challenging or can’t handle the withdrawal symptoms, there are a variety of ways that you can safely curb the need for something sweet. Adding certain foods can curb cravings and make its elimination less burdensome.

Begin Small

Eliminating sugar may prove to be extremely difficult. For some, it tends to shock the body and feels like your energy is being sapped. To combat this, gradually reduce your sugar intake before eliminating it from your diet. Adding a few teaspoons daily will not harm you, providing you stop there.

Eat Breakfast

Consuming a breakfast loaded with complex carbohydrates, proteins, foods rich in fiber, and healthy fats will balance blood sugar. It will also prevent sugar cravings that crop up throughout the day. By increasing protein, you will remain fuller for longer. It will also subsequently reduce your food cravings. In 2017, a small study on individuals with type two diabetes discovered that a diet containing low carbohydrates, proteins, and high fiber increased fullness while reducing the need for sugar.

Consume Healthy Fats

Healthy fats are found in fatty fish and nuts. They reduce sugar cravings. Adding things like nut butter or avocado to your lunch will help your body reduce the need for sugar.

Change Drinks

As mentioned above, fruit drinks and energy drinks can be hidden sources of sugar. To quit sugar, replace lemonades and sodas with club soda, water, or unsweetened tea.

Stay Hydrated

Dehydration makes sugar cravings worse. Ensure you drink a minimum of 3.7 liters daily for men and 2.7 liters for women. As previously mentioned, reading labels is key to cutting down sugar intake. Condiments and many foods are high in sugar. Most of us don’t realize it since we would never associate these types of food with sugar. Be sure to check out the labels on barbecue sauces, salad dressings, marinara sauce, and oatmeal packets as they are a hidden source of sugar.

How do I starve my gut bacteria?

Ditch the Western diet A diet that's high in animal protein, sugar, and fat, and low in fiber — like the diets full of processed foods that are...

Last updated Mar 8, 2020

What are the disadvantages of smoothies?

Nutritional downsides Drinking a fruit smoothie doesn't fill you up the same way that eating whole fruit does. Liquid meals empty from the stomach...

Last updated Dec 14, 2020

Tasty juice “eats through” 54lbs of thick flab

This effective juice jolts the metabolism, boosts energy and burns fat all day.

Learn More »

Promotion

Also, not every label will list the word “sugar”. Sugar is also called the following names:

Sucrose

High fructose corn syrup (HFCS)

Agave nectar/syrup (contains 10-30% glucose and 70-90% fructose)

Rethink Dessert

Most of us turn to cookies, cakes, chocolate, or other sweets for dessert. If you are craving something sweet to finish off your meal, first determine if you are truly hungry. You may legitimately be hungry or may be simply eating out of habit. If you are hungry, find something high in protein or healthy fat, like macadamia nuts, unsweetened coconut, or Greek yogurt with berries.

Final Thoughts

In the end, you may have to focus on your entire diet if you're quitting sugar. By optimizing the nutrient density, you can improve your overall health and eliminate added sugar. Focus on consuming unprocessed, whole foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, seeks, eggs, poultry, and seafood to curb cravings. If you are wondering how long a sugar detox takes, the answer tends to range from a few days to one week. In terms of getting it out of your system, the answer is two to three hours to return to a normal blood sugar level, provided you are not diabetic. If you are, it will take three to four hours. Apps like Noom and Healthi can help you reduce your sugar intake safely. They will instruct you on what foods to avoid. Plus, the color-coded system will inform you if you are eating too much sugar.

smileyspoints.com - How Long Does it Take to Detox from Sugar – 8 Pro Tips - Smiley's Points

Can aspirin lower blood pressure?

The important thing to remember is that aspirin does not lower blood pressure on its own. However, its ability to thin out the blood can benefit...

Last updated May 25, 2022

When should I drink water to lose weight?

As for when you should drink water to maximize weight loss, prior to meals may help decrease your appetite and prevent overeating. And, because...

Last updated Dec 20, 2019

Traditional “juice” activates 24/7 fat-burning

A potent powdered supplement blended right into water or your favored beverage to be appreciated as a scrumptious morning smoothy.

Learn More »

Promotion

Do you need to drink more water when taking fiber?

You should always drink an 8 oz. glass of water with fiber supplements. It is also important to drink at least 6 to 8 full glasses of water...

Last updated Oct 17, 2022

Fizzy juice “chews through” 63lbs of fat

This effective juice jolts the metabolism, boosts energy and burns fat all day.

Learn More »

Promotion

What causes pimples on face?

Acne develops when sebum — an oily substance that lubricates your hair and skin — and dead skin cells plug hair follicles. Bacteria can trigger...

Last updated Jul 31, 2018