The term "sugar-sensitive" applies to a wide range of responses to refined carbohydrates like table sugar. Some people report feeling grouchy, tired, depressed or suffering headaches because of sugar consumption. Most research about sugar and diet is related to diabetes and other metabolic disorders. If you think you have diabetes, consult your doctor immediately. For most healthy people, cutting back on refined sugars makes sense whether or not you consider yourself sugar-sensitive.
Research
In 2009, British researcher Malcolm Peet published a study indicating a link between high sugar consumption and the risk of depression and schizophrenia. As a result, clinical researcher Dr. Stephen Ilardi started recommending that his depressed patients cut back their sugar consumption. In a "Psychology Today" article, Ilardi wrote that these patients had experienced remarkable improvements. Although Ilardi's article was not a detailed study, it does suggest that sugar affects more than just the waistline.
Diet
A sugar-sensitivity diet involves the same general principles as a diet to maintain a healthy weight, reduce stress on the heart and minimize risks of certain cancers.
First, cut back on or eliminate obvious sugar sources like cookies, cake and ice cream. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend eating a variety of low-fat foods and reducing the number of calories you eat per day.
Carbohydrates
Simple, refined, good, bad: Carbohydrates can be confusing. The American Dietetic Association makes this recommendation for understanding this food group: Go colorful. Look for a range of different-colored fruits and vegetables. Try non-starchy veggies like spinach, kale, broccoli and green beans. When thinking about colors, don't forget brown, as in brown rice, wheat bread, oatmeal and whole-wheat pasta.
Drinks
If your daily beverages include sugary sodas, coffee with sugar, fruit punch and fruit juice, it might be time to revise your liquids. The ADA recommends water and sugar-free sodas. If you worry about the safety of artificial sweeteners, go unsweetened. Drink plain water and slowly cut back on the sugar you use in coffee and tea.
Protein
Cutting back on refined sugar opens up more space in your diet for quality lean proteins like lean chicken, pork tenderloin and skinless turkey. If you get tired of trying to find new ways to cook chicken, rediscover the bean population of the world. Lentils, pintos, black-eyed peas and all their legume cousins can add variety and dimension to your diet. Beans can also help stretch your grocery dollar.
Dairy products supply both protein and calcium --- just take time to read labels on treats like yogurt, which can be just as sugary as a dessert.
Labels
Read the nutrition labels on all the packaged foods you buy. Ingredients are listed from biggest component to smallest. If sugar is among the first few ingredients, put it back. Also look for sugar's code phrases, which typically involve the word "syrup" or words ending in "-ose." If a product contains several sugar code words, it is probably a bad choice.
References
- "Psychology Today" magazine; The Depression Cure; Stephen Ilardi, Ph.D.; July 23, 2009
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Blood Sugar and Fears
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: 2003 National Diabetes Fact Sheet
- National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse: Hypoglycemia
- American Diabetes Association: Making Healthy Food Choices
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