Sugar Detox: How to Reduce Sugar in Your Diet
Key takeaways:
“Sugar detox” is a catchy phrase for removing added sugar from your diet.
Small, gradual diet adjustments can make cutting back on sugar easier.
Before embarking on a limited-time “detox,” consider a more long-term, sustainable approach.
Adults in the U.S. consume an average of 17 tsp (nearly 80 g) of sugar per day, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). This is over twice the recommended amount.
So it may not come as a surprise that, among the many dietary fads that have gained a following, sugar detoxes have become more and more popular.
What is a sugar detox?
A “sugar detox” is a catchy phrase for cutting out sugar from your diet — usually for a specific period, such as 30 days.
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Most sugar detoxes recommend abstaining from foods that contain added sugar. A sugar detox doesn’t usually apply to natural sugars found in fruits and other whole foods.
Added sugar is found mainly in ultra-processed foods, such as cakes, candy, and soda. Examples of added sugar include:
Cane sugar
Agave nectar
Brown rice syrup
Brown sugar
High-fructose corn syrup
Honey
Maple syrup
Molasses
Fruit juice from concentrate
Other sugar detoxes are more strict, and recommend avoiding all forms of sugar. But it’s important to remember that not all sugar has harmful health effects. For example, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and dairy products all contain naturally occurring sugars, and they also provide health-promoting nutrients like fiber. Eliminating these whole-food sources of sugar is often unnecessary, and can take important vitamins and minerals off your plate.
Should you try a sugar detox?
You don’t need to cut sugar from your diet completely. But cutting back on added sugar can be good for your health. The AHA recommends no more than 6 tsp of sugar per day for women and no more than 9 tsp for men.
For some people, a sugar detox can help kick-start a low-sugar diet. But a short-term sugar detox — without any long-term change — is likely to cause more harm than good. Approaching a sugar detox in a healthy and sustainable way is essential.
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What are the reported benefits of a sugar detox?
Sugar is linked to inflammation and a wide range of health conditions. So it’s no surprise that eating less of it can provide significant health benefits over time. Specifically, a diet low in sugar can reduce your risk of:
Type 2 diabetes
Obesity
Heart disease
High blood pressure
High cholesterol
Kidney disease
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD)
Dementia
Tooth decay
Certain types of cancers
And reducing sugar in your diet has some health benefits that you may see right away, such as:
Resetting your tastebuds: When you consume a lot of sugar, your taste buds get used to the sweetness, and you may crave sugary foods more often. By cutting down on sugar, you can reduce these cravings.
Improved energy levels: It’s common to feel sluggish after eating foods high in sugar and other refined carbohydrates. This is likely related to the insulin your body releases to bring blood sugar levels back down to normal. So cutting back on sugary foods — and focusing instead on foods that help stabilize your blood sugar — can improve your energy levels.
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What symptoms can you expect from a sugar detox?
Everybody responds differently to removing added sugar from their diet. Some reported symptoms of sugar “withdrawal” may include:
Sugar cravings
Fatigue
Difficulty concentrating
Headache
Low motivation
As your body adapts to eating less sugar, symptoms will improve. A nutrient-dense diet rich in protein, fiber, and healthy fats can ease the transition from sugary foods.
Tips for cutting back on sugar
Here are six tips that can help you tame your sweet tooth in a healthy and nourishing way.
1. Start your day by eating a protein-rich breakfast
Starting the day with a protein-rich meal helps stabilize blood sugar and reduce sugar cravings. Try a veggie-packed omelet, or oatmeal with ground flaxseeds, nut butter, and berries. If you're not hungry in the morning, don’t force yourself to eat a big meal. Instead, choose something light, like a handful of nuts or a protein smoothie.
2. Opt for regular, well-balanced meals
The foundation of each meal should be a balanced combination of whole-food carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Fill half your plate with colorful, nonstarchy vegetables, a quarter with protein, and a quarter with starch. For example, half of your plate might be filled with a leafy green salad topped with peppers and onions. One quarter of the plate might contain grilled chicken breast, while the other quarter contains mashed potatoes.
3. Drink more water
Swap soda, energy drinks, sports drinks, and fruit juices for water. If you want to add variety, try infusing plain water with fruit slices, or herbs like fresh basil or mint. Avoiding sweet drinks is an easy way to cut back on sugar.
4. Eat colorful vegetables
Aim for 2 to 3 cups of veggies per day. And try to switch up the types of vegetables you eat so that you get a variety of vitamins and minerals. Vegetables are high in fiber and can help keep you full for longer than low-fiber foods. To find healthful, flavorful, and potentially cost-effective vegetables, shop for in-season produce at your local farmers market. And buy long-lasting veggies so they don’t spoil before you can use them.
5. Snack wisely
Keep mealtime basics in mind at snack time. Choose whole-food snacks made of carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Think Greek yogurt topped with walnuts and strawberries, or an apple paired with cheese slices.
6. Read food labels
Paying close attention to food labels is important. Sugar is a “sneaky” ingredient because it’s in many foods where you wouldn’t expect to find it. Examples of foods that often contain hidden sugars include pasta sauces, condiments like salad dressing and ketchup, crackers, and bread. Even foods that are marketed as “healthy” products, like granola bars and protein bars, often contain lots of added sugar.
Frequently asked questions
It’s hard to say how long a “sugar detox” takes, given it’s not a true detoxification. Your body still needs sugar on a daily basis to survive. But people will have varied experiences with how long it takes to adjust to having less sugar.
Small, gradual diet adjustments can make cutting back on sugar easier. And eating a nutrient-rich diet and staying hydrated can help your body adjust to eating fewer sugary foods.
If you’ve had too much sugar, it helps to stay hydrated by drinking water. Taking a walk is also a good idea since it helps improve blood sugar levels. And when you’re ready for your next meal, try to eat one with a good balance of healthy fat, protein, and vegetables with a low glycemic index.
Common signs you’re eating too much sugar include weight gain, fatigue, and digestive issues like bloating or constipation. Most sugary treats lack fiber, healthy fats, and protein. So, while sugar tastes good, it isn’t satiating, meaning it doesn’t fill you up. So you may also notice that you get hungry shortly after a meal.
Sugar also commonly causes:
Energy crash
Fatigue or trouble concentrating
Craving for more sweets
Irritability
It’s important to note that the symptoms above can happen when your diet is high in sugar. But this is different from symptoms of high blood sugar, which could be a sign of diabetes. If you have any concern that your blood sugar is too high, please see a healthcare professional right away.
The bottom line
Cutting back on added sugar is great for improving long-term health. But before embarking on a limited-time sugar “detox,” consider a more long-term, sustainable shift in the way you eat. It may be more realistic to slowly reduce added sugar over time instead of cutting it out completely for only 30 days. Focus on a balanced, whole-food diet that favors protein and nutrients, and start to reap the benefits of a low-sugar lifestyle.
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References
American Heart Association. (2024). How much sugar is too much?
American Heart Association. (2024). Sugar.
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Bartolotto, C. (2015). Does consuming sugar and artificial sweeteners change taste preferences? The Permanente Journal.
Dimitriadis, G. D., et al. (2021). Regulation of postabsorptive and postprandial glucose metabolism by insulin-dependent and insulin-independent mechanisms: An integrative approach. Nutrients.
Fuhrman, J., et al. (2010). Changing perceptions of hunger on a high nutrient density diet. Nutrition Journal.
Hoertel, H. A., et al. (2014). A randomized crossover, pilot study examining the effects of a normal protein vs. high protein breakfast on food cravings and reward signals in overweight/obese “breakfast skipping,” late-adolescent girls. Nutrition Journal.
Hu, D., et al. (2019). Sugar-sweetened beverages consumption and the risk of depression: A meta-analysis of observational studies. Journal of Affective Disorders.
Maki, K. C., et al. (2016). The effects of breakfast consumption and composition on metabolic wellness with a focus on carbohydrate metabolism. Advances in Nutrition.
