10 steps to help detoxify sugar from your body

Controlling sugar intake can nip several health problems in the bud. Read on to know more on how to develop a healthy lifestyle.

The truth is we are eating way more sugar than we need and there are a lot of hidden added sugars in our diets we are unaware of.
Our sweet tooth could be doing serious damage to our health, leading to weight gain, high blood pressure and cholesterol levels and an increased risk for diabetes type 2 (insulin independent), high triglyceride and cholesterol levels, depression, migraine and gout. These are just a few of the harmful effects for sugar.
According to the American Diet Association daily intake of sugar should not be more than 7 per cent of daily caloric intake, that's equivalent to six teaspoons for woman and about nine teaspoons for man.
Sugar in excess can be harmful and cause a lot of problems, such as cravings, binge eating, weight gain and heart diseases.
Eating too much sugar triggers release of insulin, a hormone that gives a good jolt of energy but over time makes the metabolism inefficient and you begin to ?feel sluggish.
Here are some tips to help you detox sugar from your body:

Don't go cold turkey: Reduce the sugar added to your diet and make sure it's done gradually to give your buds time to adjust.
Eat real food: Indulge in complex carbohydrates, including fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains like brown rice and legumes. 
Don't use sugar: Add some flavours and not sweetness to your hot and cold drinks, such as cinnamon ?and vanilla.
Eliminate foods containing sugar: These include all types of sodas, fruit drinks that aren't 100 per cent juice, desserts, processed foods, candy and condiments.
Increase protein intake: It is important to strike a balance between the carbohydrates and protein. Add more protein to your food, to help feel full for longer time, stabilise blood sugar levels, and prevent cravings.
Do not skip meals: It's ideal to eat small frequent meals during the day to help your body balance your sugar levels. Make sure you are having at least five meals a day.
Stick to low GI foods: Glycaemic Index (GI) is a relatively new way of analysing foods, and is a measurement carried out on carbohydrate-containing foods and its impact on blood sugar. Therefore, plan your meals to include snack options that include fruits and vegetables.
Avoid low fat and diet foods: Most diet foods contain hidden sugars; also avoid artificial sweeteners.
Read food labels: Sugar, in its various forms, hides in many of the foods that we eat every day. Read the labels and make a judicious choice.
Make a pledge: Don't delay and start feeling your best. The ultimate goal is to have a permanent ?lifestyle change.
Once you start cutting added sugars from your diet you will experience change at multiple levels: better energy levels, gradual weight-loss, better sleep, and better skin. Controlled intake of sugar also reduces bad cholesterol, tames cravings, diminishes fatigue and makes you feel better.
Glycaemic Index (GI)
According to American Diabetic association, the Glycaemic index, or GI, measures how a carbohydrate-containing food raises blood glucose. Foods are ranked based on how they compare to a reference food - either glucose or white bread. A food with a high GI raises blood glucose more than a food with a medium or low GI.
Food labels: Terms that indicate sugar has been added to the product in one form or another:

.    Grape juice concentrate
.    Honey
.    Invert sugar
.    Lactose
.    Malt
.    Maltodextrain
.    Maltose
.    Maple syrup
.    Molasses
.    Raw sugar
.    Refiner's syrup
.    Sorghum syrup
.    Sucanat
.    Sucrose
.    Sugar
.    Turbinado sugar
.    Yellow sugar