Among the different weight-loss methods, several focus on the reduction of carbohydrates, more specifically sugars.
The term “sugar-free” refers, from a nutritional point of view, to no added or processed sugars and carbohydrates in moderate amounts.
Don’t worry, you don’t have to cut everything out. On the contrary, it’s very important to provide calories for energy and overall well-being, preferably in the form of quality proteins and fats.
Discover my tips for following a 1-week sugar-free plan to lose weight, using tasty menus. And the potential benefits to the body of such a diet.
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How to properly plan your sugar-free menus
We consume too much sugar
Sugar, particularly added sugar, is omnipresent in our modern diet.
According to the WHO (World Health Organization), consumption of added sugars should not exceed 10% of total daily caloric intake (between 25–50 g).
In France, it would be around 90 g per day.
How to choose the right foods
Regardless of the sugar-free method you choose (low carb, ketogenic, LCHF, low GI…), the foods to prioritize should be rich in:
- fiber: vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds
- animal proteins : lean meats, white fish (and fatty fish twice a week), eggs (Category A and organic)
- plant proteins: legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, soy and derivatives
- protein powders if you are an athlete: whey isolate or vegan
- healthy fats : avocado, nuts, seeds and vegetable oils such as olive oil or canola oil, fatty fish (twice a week)
And low in sugar. Prefer natural foods, fresh or frozen, and unprocessed. Avoid those containing added sugars.
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How to read labels properly
Indeed, sugar can hide under different names:
- glucose
- fructose
- sucrose
- glucose syrup, glucose-fructose syrup, corn syrup
- dextrose
- maltose
If you see them on the ingredient list, distinguish them from the natural sugars in foods. And avoid them.
Also beware of reduced-sugar products, which are often higher in fat or made with appetite-stimulating sweeteners.
5 to 10 g of carbohydrates per serving is considered reasonable. Beyond that, the product is too sweet and I recommend reserving it as an occasional treat.
Foods to avoid during your sugar-free week
To reach your sugar-free weight loss goal, here are the ingredients you should set aside:
- sweetened beverages: fruit juices, sodas and alcoholic beverages
- ultra-processed foods savory: pizzas, savory snacks, sauces, ready-to-eat meals, and sweet: breakfast cereals, cookies, viennoiseries, industrial pastries
- refined sugars: white flour, pasta/rice/semolina (quick-cooking), table sugar
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My week of sugar-free menus, healthy and tasty
Monday
- Breakfast : Shake with almond milk with 1 scoop of plant protein powder, 1 banana and 1 tablespoon of blanched almond butter.
- Lunch: Buddha bowl with quinoa, roasted chickpeas, avocado, grilled vegetables (zucchini, bell peppers), and tahini sauce.
- Snack: a handful of nuts and raw vegetable sticks with coconut dip.
- Dinner : steamed broccoli with a lemon sauce and grilled tofu, cherry tomatoes to snack on.
Tuesday
- Breakfast : oat porridge with flax seeds, nuts, and blueberries, and unsweetened green tea.
- Lunch : lettuce wraps with grilled shrimp, diced mango, vegetables sautéed in olive oil, and lime.
- Snack : apple slices, peanut butter.
- Dinner : homemade vegetable soup and quinoa, spinach, and feta cubes.
Wednesday small healthy treats
- Breakfast : coconut flour pancakes, two squares of 75-90% dark chocolate, an almond milk yogurt, and unsweetened coffee.
- Lunch : homemade ratatouille with brown rice.
- Snack: a handful of hazelnuts and a banana.
- Dinner : a fennel salad with orange and walnut oil vinaigrette, sweet potato fries, and homemade hummus.
Thursday
- Breakfast : omelette with mushrooms, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes, fresh mint-infused water.
- Lunch : baked white fish with an herb crust, served with roasted cauliflower and green beans.
- Dinner : kale salad with nuts and a mustard vinaigrette, stuffed eggplants with quinoa and vegetables.
Friday
- Breakfast : mango chia pudding
- Lunch : grilled salmon and a small vegetable flan
- Dinner : zucchini ribbons and cashews in a salad, red lentil curry with bell peppers
Saturday
- Brunch : avocado toast, banana omelette, unsweetened herbal tea
- Dinner : whole-grain pasta with homemade tomato sauce, mushrooms, and spinach, grated Parmesan
Sunday
- Weekly meal of your choice
- Snack: recipe for cookies with no added sugar
Ingredients for 6-8 cookies:
- 50 g buckwheat flour
- 10 g hazelnut powder
- 1 banana mashed with a fork
- 1 pinch of baking soda
- 1 pinch of fleur de sel
- 20 g of unsweetened applesauce
- 30 g of hazelnut purée
- A few 75% dark chocolate chips
- A few hazelnuts
Preparation:
- Mix all the dry ingredients, then add the applesauce, the hazelnut purée, and the banana purée.
- Form small balls between your hands. Decorate with a few hazelnuts and chocolate chips.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes at 180°C, then let cool for a few minutes before enjoying. They keep for 3–5 days in an airtight container.
The benefits of a low-carbohydrate diet
Rapid weight loss
According to this study, reducing sugar appears to be more effective for rapid weight loss due to the elimination of excess body water and, in the long term, compared with a low-fat diet.
Improved insulin sensitivity and lipid profile
Fewer carbohydrates means less sugar for the body to process, which allows insulin to act more effectively, but that’s not all.
This study conducted in obese children demonstrated the improvement in fasting blood glucose, cholesterol and blood pressure after only 10 days.
Improved satiety
Less daily sugar helps you better regulate appetite hormones: leptin and ghrelin, beneficial for more stable emotional hunger.
Increased energy
In the long term, you train the body to draw on fat stores to provide energy and thus increase your physical and cognitive performance.
In the journal Nutrients, the ketogenic diet appears to prevent energy fluctuations often associated with high-carbohydrate diets.
To ease this nutritional transition to sugar-free, I advise you to take good care of your mood by supplying enough calories, magnesium and omega-3s.
Sources and scientific studies
Samaha, F. F., Iqbal, N., Seshadri, P., et al. A low-carbohydrate as compared with a low-fat diet in severe obesity – NEJ. of Medicine, 2003
Feinman, R. D., Pogozelski, W. K., Astrup, A., et al. – Dietary carbohydrate restriction as the first approach in diabetes management: Critical review and evidence base – Nutrition, 2015
Lustig, R. , Mulligan, K., Noworolski & Schwarz, J. M. – Isocaloric Fructose Restriction and Metabolic Improvement in Children with Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome – Obesity, 2015
Weigle, D. S., Breen, P. A., Matthys, C. C., et al. – A high-protein diet induces sustained reductions in appetite, ad libitum caloric intake, and body weight despite compensatory changes in diurnal plasma leptin and ghrelin concentrations. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition – 2005
Paoli, A., Rubini, A., Volek, J. S., et al. – Beyond weight loss: A review of the therapeutic uses of very-low-carbohydrate (ketogenic) diets, Nutrients, 2013
