The Sugar Busters Diet concentrates on dramatically reducing our sugar intake. Excess sugar in the body promotes the production of insulin. This extra insulin converts the sugar into fat for use later. Unfortunately this fat does not usually get used by the body later and so adds unwanted weight.
The Sugar Busters diet will introduce a healthy eating plan backed by nutritional science and they also recommend exercise to keep the weight off. Natural sources of sugar are encouraged, like fruit or grains and if you have to, Splenda as a sugar substitute. Sugar from cakes and candy is strictly forbidden.
What You Eat
You will consume a diet rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean protein and large quantities of water. This diet plan will reduce your sugar intake and also increase your fibre, which will be good for your digestion. Saturated and Trans fats are strictly limited. Three meals a day are encouraged with limited snacking allowed. Portion control is critical so that you maintain the full feeling. Absolutely no snacking before bed as this promotes insulin production.
The recommended daily caloric intake is split into a 40/30/30 ratio. This ratio represents 40% fat, 30% lean protein and 30% carbohydrates. While you don’t have to count calories on this diet you should do your best to maintain this ratio.
The Sugar Busters diet also tries to limit foods that are high in the Glycemic Index. This index is a rating of all foods in relation to how they affect the body’s insulin levels. Food such as potatoes, certain vegetables and pasta have a high score on the Glycemic Index and are therefore excluded on this diet. Poultry, meat, fish, dairy, fruit and (the right kind) vegetables are all encouraged by the Sugar Busters Diet.
Pros
- Encourage active lifestyle with at least 4 times per week of heart pumping exercise.
- Lots of water consumed.
Cons
- Eliminates too many healthy foods such as some vegetables and bread. This cuts out valuable sources of vitamins and nutrients that our bodies need.
- The founders of this diet claim that sugar is actually toxic to the body. This is clearly false.
- This diet has high levels of protein which may be a cause for concern for some people.
The Journal of American College of Nutrition states that Sugar Busters encourages “…almost double the recommended daily allowance” of protein. This can lead to kidney difficulties.
Conclusion
Many dieters who have tried this diet plan have reported that it was easy to follow and it worked for short periods of time, facilitating weight loss. However, it was difficult to maintain and was time intensive of dieter’s efforts in discovering hidden sources of sugar in day to day foods. For those who suffer from food allergies this diet may be appropriate since it recommends the elimination of starchy, carbohydrate infused foods. Sugar Busters also proposes the consumption of eggs, nuts and fish which are some of the most popular allergy foods. Be sure to consult with your physician before beginning this diet.
No related posts.