A no-sugar diet: effects and suitable foods

In the strictest sense, going sugar-free means cutting all types of sugar out of your diet – not just the usual suspects like table sugar (sucrose), but also natural sugars such as fructose in fruits and lactose in dairy products. In theory, you would actually have to eliminate all carbohydrates from your diet as well, since the body converts them into glucose. This includes foods such as bread, rice and pasta. If you cut out all types of sugar, you would be avoiding many foods that are part of a balanced diet. That’s why following a completely no-sugar diet is not recommended.

When we talk about “no-sugar” below, we mean a no-sugar diet with no added sugar, i.e. without the sugar found in processed foods such as fruit yoghurt and muesli.

There are various reasons why you might want to eliminate sugar from your diet. What happens to our bodies when we do, and what are the benefits of cutting out sugar?

• Skin: a no-sugar diet has an effect on the skin. When you eat sugary foods, your blood sugar level rises. This indirectly stimulates your body to produce more sebum, and skin blemishes are a possible consequence. That’s why a no-sugar diet is particularly advantageous for people with acne, neurodermatitis or psoriasis.
• Osteoarthritis: a no-sugar diet may help to reduce the inflammatory processes in the body that are typical of osteoarthritis.
• Gout: gout is caused by an increased concentration of uric acid in the body. Sugar-rich foods intensify this trigger, which is why a no-sugar diet can have a beneficial effect.
• Diabetes: you will also benefit from a no-sugar diet if you have diabetes. This is because foods with a lot of added sugar significantly increase blood sugar levels. Cutting out sugar and alcohol, or only consuming them in moderation, can have a positive effect. In fact, alcohol increases the risk of hypoglycaemia.
• Blood sugar level: when you eat foods without sugar, your blood sugar level stabilises. This may help you to concentrate and feel less tired.
• Obesity: cutting out sugar reduces the risk of obesity. If you want to lose weight, reducing your sugar intake is a great place to start. This is because foods that contain sugar are often high in calories and encourage cravings. By eliminating these from your diet, you’ll find it easier to lose weight and reach your ideal weight.
• Tooth decay: sugar causes tooth decay because it attacks the protective enamel on the teeth. So by cutting out sugar, you’re also promoting healthy teeth.

If you do decide to go sugar-free, you should discuss it with your doctor first. This is particularly important if you have an existing medical condition.

It’s worth noting that there are plenty of rumours out there when it comes to cutting out sugar. For example, a no-sugar diet can supposedly help ADHD sufferers alleviate their symptoms. However, this has not yet been adequately researched.

If you do decide to follow a no-sugar diet, it’s important to choose foods carefully. But which foods are best if you don’t want to eat any sugar? And which ones should you avoid?

Doing without sugar: what can I eat?

You can still enjoy a full, varied diet when cutting out sugar. For example, a no-sugar diet offers many options for vegans and vegetarians.

You can still eat fruit on a no-sugar diet. However, if you want to limit your fructose intake, the following are good choices:

Vegetables generally contain less sugar than fruit. The following are particularly low in sugar:

Note that these lists are not exhaustive.

Alongside fruits and vegetables, grain-based products are also suitable for a no-sugar diet. Bread, pasta, rice and other foods made from wholegrains only cause a gradual increase in blood sugar levels. The same applies to legumes such as chickpeas, lentils, beans and peas. However, they are not ideal for a diet without carbohydrates or sugar, as is the case with the low-carb diet. This is because they contain lots of complex carbohydrates.

Meat and fish are also suitable options if you don’t want to eat any sugar. However, you should always opt for fresh, unprocessed foods. Ready meals that contain meat or fish are often full of added sugar. The same applies to milk and dairy products in a no-sugar diet. Unprocessed varieties are your best bet here as well, including natural yoghurt, cream and soft cheese.

When you follow a no-sugar diet, you can only drink water, unsweetened tea or unsweetened coffee.

Remember, it’s not only our choice of foods that influences blood sugar levels, but also the way we consume them. For example, if you eat a whole orange – i.e. peel it and eat it piece by piece – the fructose it contains will be slow to enter your bloodstream. This is because the fructose is surrounded by fibre, and the body needs more time to digest it. This in turn has a positive effect on your blood sugar level. In contrast, a glass of orange juice – even with bits – causes a spike in blood sugar levels. The body is confronted with an excess of sugar and reacts accordingly.

Doing without sugar: what can’t I eat?

A no-sugar diet is all about eliminating added sugar. The following foods, for example, should definitely be avoided:

• Chocolate and sweets
• Sweet baked goods such as cakes and tarts
• Ready meals
• Sweetened dairy products such as fruit yoghurt and blancmange
• Dips and ready-made sauces such as ketchup
• Fast food
• Fruit syrup and fruit nectar
• Soft drinks such as lemonade and smoothies

If you also want to consume less fructose, cut down on the following fruits:

Good to know: dried fruit contains significantly more sugar. Dried bananas contain about 43.7 grams of sugar per 100 grams. Dried mango contains 59.9 grams of sugar per 100 grams.

If you do decide to try a no-sugar diet, it can often be difficult to get started. We’ve put together a few tips to help you:

• First, replace sweet drinks with unsweetened ones. If you still want to drink juice, dilute it with sparkling water.
• Think about how you can swap products with added sugar for products with no added sugar. Eat natural yoghurt with fresh fruit instead of fruit yoghurt. Instead of shop-bought muesli, opt for natural oats, ground nuts and fruit.
• Cook from scratch as much as possible. When cooking or baking using a recipe, try to reduce the amount of sugar you use as much as you can.
• Draw up a plan for your no-sugar diet. Think about what changes you could feasibly make on a day-to-day basis and decide when you will cook which meals.
• Pay close attention to the list of ingredients on food products when shopping. Watch out for anything that ends in “-ose” or mentions “extract” or “dextrin”. Syrup, honey, sweet whey powder and skimmed milk powder also contain hidden sugar.

The SSN generally recommends a balanced diet based on the food pyramide. Sweets and soft drinks are at the top of the pyramid. This means that, ideally, you should only consume these in small amounts – and not every day. However, it’s not necessary to cut out sugar altogether. But you should be mindful of how much sugar you incorporate into your diet. Your best bet is to stick to the amount recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), which is no more than 50 grams of sugar per day.

You may find that a no-sugar diet offers numerous benefits for you. With a few tips and by making careful choices about the food you consume, you can cut out sugar. However, always make sure your diet is varied, and don’t be too hard on yourself if it doesn’t work straight away.