Sugarless: A 7-Step Plan to Uncover Hidden Sugars, Curb Your Cravings, and Conquer Your Addiction

by Nicole Avena

For every serving of sugar-sweetened beverage per day, the risk of developing T2DM increases by 27 percent.

This is alarming because for every 10 percent incremental increase of ultra-processed food intake, there’s a 25 percent higher risk of developing T2DM.

one large study analyzing dietary information from over 100,000 participants found those with the highest total sugar intake had the highest risk of cancer.

In those with central adiposity (aka overweight in the midsection), higher sugary beverage intake is associated with almost a 60 percent higher risk of obesity-related cancers.

For men, across all races, who consume the highest amount of sugar from beverages, their risk of prostate cancer jumps to 21 percent.

Larger intakes of unhealthy foods high in added sugars are associated with smaller hippocampal volume as well as impaired memory and learning. The hippocampus is one of the brain regions that is essential for proper learning and memory—and studies suggest that sugar can shrink it. In addition, childhood sugar-sweetened beverage consumption is negatively associated with verbal intelligence at mid-childhood.

Like soda intake being associated with increased risk of depression (see next section), higher sweet beverage intake, including juice, is associated with preclinical signs of Alzheimer’s disease. Just two sugary drinks per day are equivalent to two years of brain aging when compared to abstaining from these drinks completely. One drink per day, including fruit juice, is also associated with less total brain volume, hippocampal volume, and poorer performance on episodic memory tests.

In fact, drinking two cups of soda per day—that’s just one small-size soda at a fast-food restaurant—may increase your risk for depression by 5 percent. If you think that’s bad, three cans per day might increase your risk by 25 percent.

After assigning people either a high or low glycemic load diet, researchers found that people who consumed the high glycemic load diet scored 40 percent higher on depression symptom assessments compared to those who were assigned to the low glycemic load diet.

One large analysis including over thirty-five studies found that every 250 ml increase in daily sugar-sweetened beverage intake increases your risk of mortality by 4 percent. To put that in perspective, that’s not even a full can of soda.

If you’re thinking that you can just swap in some artificially sweetened beverages to boost your life span, think again. Research shows that these types of beverages also contribute to reduced life expectancy.

Ultra-processed foods are so bad for our longevity that more than four servings per day is associated with a 62 percent increased hazard for all causes of death. If you think that’s bad, every additional serving tacks on another 18 percent hazard risk.

A diet where more than 20 percent of the calories comes from sugar increases the risk of dying by 30 percent. Keep in mind, the majority of Americans already eat a diet that contains at least 13 percent sugar-derived calories.

But here’s the catch: we don’t need added sugar to live. If anything, it’s the added sugar that is slowly killing us. When I talk about reducing sugar, I’m talking about reducing intake of added sugar. There is a very big difference between the impact that added sugar has on our brain and behavior and what happens when someone consumes other carbohydrates.

The same holds true for unrefined sugars like honey and agave—they are still sugar. And just because they come from nature doesn’t mean that they are magically better for you.

In 2004, a well-known obesity researcher named Dr. George Bray published a paper that raised some red flags about HFCS. He showed there was an interesting correlation between the rise in obesity rates over time and the amount of HFCS that was being consumed by Americans.

Shortly thereafter, my lab conducted some experiments looking at HFCS and sucrose. We found in our lab rats that those who were given HFCS to drink gained significantly more body weight than rats given equal access to a sucrose solution, even though they consumed the same number of total calories. We also looked at the long-term effects of HFCS on body weight and some parameters related to obesity and metabolic health. Over the course of six or seven months, both male and female rats with access to HFCS gained significantly more body weight than the control groups. This increase in body weight with HFCS was accompanied by an increase in adipose fat, notably in the abdominal region, as well as elevated circulating triglyceride levels.

When you see something that contains “fruit concentrate,” know that the only part of the fruit you are getting is the sugar.

Also, the primary reason why these alternative sugars are no better for you than actual sugar is because your brain doesn’t know the difference. The sweet taste is what’s driving your addiction.

If you’re starting to cut down on your sugar intake, alternative sweeteners like monk fruit, stevia, and others may help, but be sure to see the sections later in the chapter about how the goal is to ultimately un-sweeten your diet, including reducing the use of these alternative sweeteners, too.

Instead opt for Quaker Life® or Honey Bunches of Oats®, which each contain only 6 g of sugar per serving. Kashi® Cinnamon French Toast (6 g of sugar per serving) and Original Cheerios® (1 g of sugar per serving) are lower-sugar options as well.

A perfect example is the classic Chocolate Chip CLIF Bar®. This bar contains 17 g of added sugar (32 percent of the daily recommended amount). Instead opt for KIND® bars (their Dark Chocolate Nuts & Sea Salt flavor contains only 5 g of sugar). Another lower sugar option is RXBAR®. While these bars contain around 13 g of sugar, they are sweetened with dates and contain no added sugars. They also contain 12 g of protein to keep you full throughout the day!

Yoplait® Strawberry Greek Whips!® Yogurt contains 10 g of added sugar per serving. That’s equivalent to about 2 full teaspoons of sugar for one small cup of Greek yogurt. Instead opt for FAGE® Total 5% Whole Milk Greek Yogurt, which has zero added sugar and 14 g of protein.

Nature Valley® Oats and Honey Protein Granola contains 15 g of added sugar per ⅔ cup serving. Instead opt for Purely Elizabeth® Organic Original Ancient Grains Granola, which contains 7 g of sugar per serving. It also has 2 g of fiber and 3 g of protein per serving, so it’s filling while having fewer calories than many other brands. The Fit V’Nilla Almond granola by Bear Naked® is another great option that contains 4 g of sugar, 3 g of fiber, and 3 g of protein per serving.

DiGiorno® Rising Crust Frozen Pepperoni Pizza has 36 g of sugar per whole pizza, with over half of that coming from added sugars. Instead opt for Amy’s® Margherita Pizza with only 4 g of sugar per serving (12 g per whole pizza). California Pizza Kitchen® Thin Crust Margherita Pizza is another low-sugar option that also has only 4 g of sugar per serving (12 g per whole pizza).

Foods high in fiber and protein produce the highest level of satiety. High-protein foods such as meat, poultry, fish, and eggs are high-satiety foods. Foods rich in fiber, such as whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables are also high in satiety. These foods will keep you fuller for longer, prolonging the time between eating.

Clinical studies have shown that in humans, individuals who consume highly processed foods—containing high amounts of sugar—may also experience symptoms of withdrawal. When assessing withdrawal in individuals who are experiencing food addiction, withdrawal has been reported by almost 55 percent of individuals (interesting, this is also found among children and adolescents, 56 percent of whom report withdrawal-like craving when they try to cut down on highly processed foods). Also, individuals who cut back on foods high in refined carbohydrates (i.e., sugars) through dieting efforts report withdrawal symptoms, such as headaches or fatigue. Paralleling the course of drug withdrawal, symptoms assessed for highly processed food withdrawal have been reported as most intense between days two through five during an attempt to cut down.

When rats are allowed to choose between sweetened water or intravenous cocaine, 94 percent of the animals choose sweetened water instead of cocaine, suggesting that the taste of sweetness can surpass cocaine reward.

Our early studies of looking at the brains of sugar-addicted rats revealed some telling findings: their brains looked just like they were addicted to drugs, but the only drug they had access to was sugar. As I mentioned above, dopamine release in reward-related brain regions is a hallmark of drug use, whereas foods don’t typically release dopamine unless they are new. But when we looked at the brains of our rats that were hooked on sugar, they released dopamine every time they drank it. Even after multiple times drinking it. Just as if it was a drug. And not at all what we would have expected to see from a food. In fact, the control groups that were only having sugar once in a while didn’t show this repeated release of dopamine. Their brains treated the sugar like a normal food, and the dopamine release attenuated after the initial exposure once the sugar didn’t make the rats sick.

Pizza: Even the mom-and-pop places can hide sugar in their dough and sauce! As an alternative, find a restaurant that makes pizza with cauliflower crust topped with olive oil, veggies, and a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese. If you’re ordering with a group, you can cut back on added sugar by opting for white pizza, which has no tomato sauce.

One study found that maternal use of food as a reward for behavior was the only feeding practice significantly associated with children’s eating in the absence of hunger—meaning that when kids are given food as a reward, they are more likely to eat for reasons other than being hungry. These results are further supported by a study that found that children consumed more daily fat, carbohydrates, and total calories when parents used food to reward behavior than did children whose parents did not use food as a reward.

For example, if one drinks 200 calories before their meal, they must eat 200 fewer calories to consume the same number of calories and maintain their weight. However, studies have shown that people don’t compensate for the calories they drank in their other snacks and meals. Instead, they still eat and drink the same calories they would have if they hadn’t drunk the caloric beverage beforehand. Therefore, the caloric beverage leads to an excessive calorie intake, which causes weight gain.

If you value your health, you’ll skip the value meal. Fast-food restaurants often include drinks in their combo value meals to entice people to buy them because they are getting “a deal.” A study found that the default drinks included in a combo meal at McDonald’s® averaged about 52 g of sugar, 48 g at Burger King®, and 35 g at Wendy’s®.

Juice is often seen as a children’s drink, but it is not recommended for kids—or adults! In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has changed its stance on juice and now recommends that infants and toddlers not be given any juice, and even older kids should have a very limited amount, if any at all. The reason is because juice is highly processed and the fruit itself is stripped of nearly all its nutritional benefits. There is no longer fiber, and therefore it requires little to no mechanical digestion from the mouth (chewing). This makes it yet another high source of liquid sugar in our diets, and one that is easy to overconsume.

Speaking of fruit, one word of caution. Don’t try to “save” calories by just eating fruit alone for breakfast. Not only will this cause you to be hungry right away, but it will also cause your blood sugar levels to spike and fall more than they would if you had a balanced meal. If you’re going to have fruit for breakfast, be sure to pair it with some protein and fat.

Instant oats are processed in such a way that our body actually digests it quicker than steel-cut oats, so if you have the time, steel-cut oats are superior to instant ones. However, if you’re on a time crunch, instant oats are still a great option, providing 4 g of fiber (just make sure they’re plain). Throw in some walnuts or peanut butter, banana, and cinnamon to add some healthy fat, antioxidants, and of course flavor—because plain oats are pretty bland on their own. The addition of fat and protein from the nuts will help slow digestion and help satiate you for longer compared to eating oats on their own. This can help you ward off sugar cravings, too!

When constructing your dish, start with some sort of greens as the base—your salad can consist of spinach, kale, romaine, or even a spring mix. Vegetables such as carrots, peppers, onions, and broccoli are great additions. Also, crushed-up nuts or seeds are a great way to add some protein, healthy fats, and crunch.

I recommend starting off every dinner with a salad. No, you don’t need to only have salad for dinner, but you should get into the habit of starting with one.

Just a little olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper may be all you need if you’ve composed a nice salad with lots of goodies already. Or think about adding a spoonful of salsa or hummus to your salad instead of dressing.

Plus, you can easily turn boring chicken and vegetables into something exciting by using spices, which are a great way to customize and flavor your dinner without adding sugar. Also, you can use sugar-free condiments to jazz up just about any dish.

Like salad dressings, dips and sauces can be loaded with added sugar, and they can quickly turn your well-intentioned meal into a sugar-soaked one. When eating out and ordering an entrée, ask if it’s prepared in a sauce, and if so, ask for it on the side. That way, you can have some, but your meal doesn’t need to take a bath in it.

If you are coming out of your relationship with sugar, odds are you aren’t going to be super happy to swap your caramel popcorn for carrots and celery sticks. But think of it this way—snacks are meant to fuel you with nutrients and calories when you need them. They aren’t meant to be your source of happiness or joy. If you’re eating healthy snacks, you will get true joy from how you are treating and caring for your body. And many healthy snacks are satisfying to eat, but we often forget this when we’re comparing them to the typical junk food snacks.

Portioning nuts, fruits, or vegetables into reclosable bags or containers is a good idea. Pop some popcorn at home and add your own toppings (like salt or Old Bay® Seasoning), then portion it out into snack bags.

Protein bars, granola bars, or breakfast bars are commonly thought to be healthy snack options. They’re considered to be a healthy choice because they sound healthier than grabbing cookies. But the truth is, you’d be better off eating a cookie!

Research shows that humans who are addicted to refined foods report evidence of withdrawal when those foods are cut out. These withdrawal symptoms are often inevitable, and may include fatigue, irritability, sadness, lethargy, lack of interest in exercise, headaches, strong food cravings, and drowsiness. The good news is that withdrawal tends to be short-lived, and usually subsides within a week or two of changing your diet.

Think about this scenario: You are feeling lethargic. You think maybe your blood sugar is low and you grab a sugary granola bar to boost it back up. Guess what? You just got scammed by the sugar cycle. It is 99 percent likely that your blood sugar is just fine, and you are lethargic because it is part of the sugar withdrawal you are experiencing. Therefore, it’s important to be aware of the symptoms of withdrawal so that you can properly attribute them to your situation when you’re cutting back on added sugars.

A technique commonly used when breaking addiction is to create a list that contains goals for implementing your plan. For example, one of your long-term goals for giving up sugar might be to lose weight to reduce your risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, so keep that goal (and how accomplished you’ll feel when you reach it) in mind. Which would make you feel better: losing the weight you wanted, or having a pint of ice cream right now? The discomfort that comes from withdrawal is only temporary, and the key is not to lose sight of the long-term rewards that will come.

Most of us have been conditioned to associate highly processed foods that are high in sugar as a “reward.” This situation is commonly referred to as the displaced reward-punishment syndrome. Behavior like this is reinforced at an early age with our parents stating, “If you eat your broccoli, you can have a piece of cake.” From these early interactions, an idea is created that the healthy choice is a punishment and the unhealthy choice is a reward.

The twelve sweetest fruits (in order of sweetness) are grapes, cherries, mangos, bananas, apples, pears, kiwi, pineapple, plums, peaches, oranges, and apricots. Keep these on hand, and think about ways to incorporate them into your diet to help you manage your sugar cravings.

Berries contain a ton of fiber and are considered low GI. This in turn creates a low-level insulin spike compared to other fruits that contain high sugar content. Including berries in your meals and dishes can help curb a natural sweet tooth. Berries also have a high water content when compared to other fruits and can aid in hydration. Finally, berries contain polyphenols. Polyphenols have been linked to decreasing inflammation in the gut lining, which can be harmed through sugar addiction and keep people addicted. By decreasing this inflammation, you can overcome a sugar craving and, further down the line, a sugar addiction.