‘Your body is literally addicted to this nonsense’: Masaba Gupta goes off refined sugar for 21 days

Masaba Gupta shares a note (Source: Masaba Gupta/Instagram Stories)

Now, more than 22 days in to her sugar-less regimen, the Masaba Masaba actor listed some reasons she swears by this dietary tweak:

Here are the things that have clearly changed for me in just 21 days — 

*Better brain function
*More focus at work
*More energy for workouts
*No skin breakouts
*No bloating
*Steady weight on the scale
*Lesser mood swings
*Dry, inflamed patch on my knee – gone
*Close to ‘0’ anxiety
*Day 22 today and I can easily go on…

“Of course, I miss cake but I don’t miss the s**t it put me through. Please try it”, said the 33-year-old.

Here’s some inspiration coming your way (Source: Masaba Gupta/Instagram Stories)

Experts stress that high sugar consumption can lead to numerous ailments like obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, poor dental health. “High sugar intake has also been linked to fatigue and lethargy, due to reduced energy levels in the body, along with decreased alertness. Also, researchers have linked sugar consumption with depression. So, cutting off sugar from the diet is a great strategy to prevent chronic diseases and to boost overall health,” Garima Goyal, a registered dietitian, told indianexpress.com.

Th expert added that the brain has a reward system, which sugar directly affects since it is “addictive”. Basically, food is a natural reward and anything that is sweet stimulates this reward system and makes a person eat more. This happens due to the release of ‘feel good hormone’ dopamine. “Sugar is as addictive as drugs because it alters the brain in a similar way. So, once you cut off sugar from your diet completely, you may experience certain unpleasant symptoms,” said Goyal.

How can one ditch sugar?

For reducing reliance on sugar, one must stop thinking about cookies, desserts, cakes, ice creams, breakfast cereals etc. completely. To begin with, try limiting sugar intake, and then slowly start reducing it; over time, exclude it entirely from the diet.

While that may sound easier said than done, Goyal listed some tips that can help.

Have water instead of sugary beverages – Water is a great healer and it quenches thirst. So, for all the reasons you order a soda can, fruit juices, energy drinks etc., replace it with water. If you need something flavourful, add mint leaves or lemon juice to your glass of water.

Have adequate water (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)

Never begin the day with something sweet – If you begin your day with breakfast cereals such as cornflakes or muesli or honey sweetened oatmeal, rethink your breakfast options as these packaged items have added sugar in them. “Once you eat sugar, it will signal your brain to have more, and sugar also is not that satiating. So, you will start craving something sweet right at the beginning of your day. As such, have a protein and fibre loaded breakfast — such as egg omelette with vegetables, and avocado or vegetable dalia with curd,” Goyal suggested.

Read the food package carefully – The thumb rule for cutting off sugar is to consume natural foods as much as possible, and even if you consume some form of packaged food, always read the food label properly. Sugar is added in various forms and is listed under various names on the packages such as sucrose, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), agave nectar, molasses, caramel, coconut sugar, icing sugar, maple syrup, dextrose, cane crystals etc. “Never be fooled into buying a product thinking that the word ‘sugar’ is not mentioned on the label. Usually, the things we purchase thinking to be healthy, have one or more of these ingredients — such as sugar free biscuits, and salad dressings like sweet onion, marinara sauce etc,” said Goyal.

Small and frequent meals – To avoid sugar cravings, keep your blood sugar levels in a balanced range. The key to do that is having small and frequent meals. By following such a pattern, there are no highs or lows in blood sugar levels. Avoid fasting as well as feasting.

Dealing with the dessert craving – If post dinner, you crave for a bowl of ice cream, as yourself again. “Are you really hungry or it is your brain asking for a sugary reward? Turn towards having a handful of nuts or a howl of unsweetened Greek yoghurt with fresh fruits or berries. Having natural form of sugar such as fruit sugar is not harmful.

Focus on your overall diet – Instead of just focusing on limiting your intake of sugar or its substitutes, rethink about your whole diet pattern. Go for a healthy dietary pattern including more of protein and fibre-rich foods in the diet such as fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, beans, legumes, egg, poultry etc

📣 For more lifestyle news, follow us on Instagram | Twitter | Facebook and don’t miss out on the latest updates!