Developed in response to Americans' over-consumption of sugar, The Sugar Solution aims to teach people how to eat a more balanced diet in order to keep blood sugar levels stable. The Sugar Solution is both a book and an online diet plan that offers coaching, meal plans and exercise recommendations. Overall, the program offers worthwhile strategies for people to deal with their addiction to sugar.
Theory
The editors of "Prevention" magazine published the book, "The Sugar Solution," and sponsor the online program. The diet aims to balance your blood sugar---which, when even slightly high, can cause you to hold onto excess weight, and is responsible for mood swings, fatigue and even depression. Those with slightly elevated blood sugar may not currently be diagnosed with any chronic condition, but over time tend to develop heart disease and diabetes.
Features
Healthy eating, exercise and stress reduction form the crux of the diet. The Web-based program offers customized food lists, access to experts, journals and exercise programs. The diet involves eating regularly to keep energy and blood sugar levels even--a balanced breakfast, lunch and dinner, and three snacks. The authors base their food recommendations on the glycemic index---a classification system for carbohydrates that tells you which are most likely to adversely spike blood sugar. The diet helps participants learn how to select the best, healthiest foods and to eat sweets in moderation. Supplements are also recommended as part of the program.
Sample Foods
As the diet is based on low glycemic foods, you can look forward to fruits like apples and blueberries, vegetables such as spinach and broccoli, and proteins like chicken, seafood and skim milk. Carbohydrates in the form of whole grains, pasta and oats are also included. Monounsaturated fats, such as olive oil and cashew butter, round out the diet. Multiple recipes for dinners, such as pesto chicken, chili lime snapper and mustard crusted steak, are available once you sign up for the program. The three small snacks usually consist of high-fiber carbohydrates like popcorn, or fruits such as oranges and grapes.
Expert Insight
Americans definitely eat too much sugar. Recent recommendations from the American Heart Association (AHA) ask Americans to cut back on sugar, specifically limit sugar to 9 added teaspoons a day for men and 6 added teaspoons a day for women. As of 2009, Americans eat around 22.5 added teaspoons of sugar a day---or an extra 355 calories. The Sugar Solution diet offers a way to come closer to the AHA recommendations.
Considerations
The Sugar Solution diet provides a balanced, manageable plan to help you stabilize blood sugar levels and ultimately lose weight. The Sugar Solution diet's online aspect makes it accessible to many people at a reasonable cost. Unlike many diets that give you a plan and then, once its complete, leave you to repeat past mistakes and regain weight, The Sugar Solution diet offers real strategies that can be employed for the rest of your life.
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