Is cutting sugar from the diet actually beneficial? Skin specialist Haylee Reynolds set herself the task of cutting the sweet stuff from her diet three days a week.
Ever wonder what would happen if you cut out sugar from your diet?*
Scrolling along Instagram reels, a video popped up on my feed featuring a doctor recommending that viewers cut out sugar for a month. This so-called doctor (not everyone on the internet is who they claim to be, after all) claimed that the benefits of cutting out sugar included better skin health, aided weight management, and boosted energy levels.
Following up with some more reputable sources, I found that the HSE does not recommend cutting sugar out completely, but they do suggest limiting "foods and drinks high in fat, sugar, and salt to once or twice a week" as foods with little nutritional value "may cause obesity which can lead to heart disease, type two diabetes, and some cancers".
Personally, as a skin health specialist, I wanted to try this sugar-free plan in the hopes of bettering my complexion and having a better understanding of sugar's effects on my skin.
Kicking off this experiment at the beginning of March, I tried to cut out sugar entirely on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
Sugar has always been a very addictive part of my life. As someone who wakes up with cravings for something sweet, I was stunned to find that this sucrose substance can also be found in foods such as white bread, milk, condiments, cereals - the list goes on.
Even the healthiest of foods can contain sugar, and upon my cut-back challenge, I found that there are two types to be aware of: ‘natural sugars’ (like the sugar in fruits) and ‘added sugars’ (like the additive sugar in processed foods).
To properly see the effects of cutting sugar from my diet, I decided to go the whole hog on my sugar-free days and cut back on everything, meaning that I waved goodbye to a variety of breads, milks, pastries, fizzy drinks, and even fruit.
It should be noted here that the HSE does not recommend cutting back on fruit and, in fact, recommends eating five to seven servings of fruit and veg every day.
Three days seemed to suit me best as I felt just two days a week wouldn't give me my desired results, but I needed the challenge to be manageable as I tend to eat chocolate and bread every day.
I knew Mondays would be the easiest day to cut back as I would be ready to start a new healthy buzz following a slightly more relaxed weekend.
Then, on Tuesdays, I could eat what I liked but would still try to be conscious of my intake and reduce the chance of a sugar spike.
I found Wednesdays to be manageable sugar-free days, but by lunchtime on Thursdays, my cravings finally began to kick in.
By my second week, however, I noticed a major change in my energy as well as noticeably less bloating from the reduction of bread, pastries, and fizzy drinks.
Despite the positives, by the third week, I found it very hard to stay on track. I began to struggle by Wednesday morning, and although my cravings for chocolate had definitely subsided, instead of reaching for a healthier option, I found myself avoiding food at all until later in the evening - not a habit I wanted to keep up.
I continued the diet for three weeks, which was the most I could sustain without falling into unhealthy habits that I didn't want, and while I did notice a significant change in the puffiness of my skin in the mornings, there wasn't much difference when it came to the look of my skin.
Decidedly unsure if cutting back on sugar was better or worse for my body at this point, I spoke with nutritionist and health coach Orla Swan of @TheHealthHun to get her views on the subject.
When asked if it's necessary for someone to cut sugar from their diet for the betterment of their health (as the Instagram reels 'doctor' claimed), Swan stated that "cutting out any food group from your diet isn’t the correct approach, nor is it necessary".
Swan encourages a less restrictive attitude towards cutting out any particular food group and recommends a balanced approach to maintaining eating healthily all around:
"Rather than remove it completely, we want to try to improve our relationship with it. This means striking that balance and not feeling the guilt when falling ‘off track’. We can do this by neutralising our language so that there are no ‘good’ or ‘bad’ foods when it comes to nutrition. It also means we don’t have to deprive ourselves when it comes to birthdays and social occasions".
This made a lot of sense to someone who went 'off track' within their third week of trying.
Like most things, Orla says that sugar consumption must be taken in moderation:
"Excessive sugar can contribute to imbalanced blood sugars, hormonal issues, insulin resistance, and weight gain if in a calorie surplus, so it is important that we consume in moderation".
Personally, adding zinc and magnesium supplements to my morning routine, switching to no sugar in coffees and teas, and cutting out snacking on biscuits when possible has helped regulate my own sugar cravings.
Orla also agrees that Magnesium Citrate or Magnesium Bisglycinate can be a great addition for balancing blood sugars.
When asked how we can implement a healthier outlook when it comes to consuming sugar, the nutritionist recommends that people "adopt an inclusive mindset" rather than focusing on fighting cravings and restricting diets.
"Include more foods that support balancing the blood sugars such as protein, fibre, and fruits and veg. The likelihood of overeating or ‘picking’ on the likes of sugar is much lower when we go back to the basics of eating three main meals a day also."
Orla speaks about this topic and more on her podcast The Health Hun on Spotify. Find out more here: https://thehealthhun.com.
*If you are considering any changes to your diet, contact your GP. If you have been affected by issues raised in this story, please visit www.rte.ie/helplines.
