If you had been eating a large amount of sugar, in the form of bread or pasta, or high amounts of fruit and want a plan for re-introducing sugar then please follow this guide.

You made it through the 7 Day Intensive Detox and did something most people wouldn’t dream of doing: going 7 days without your favourite sugary snacks and sweet treats. So, what’s next for you?

Although I know it feels like heaven to have the allowance to consume added sugar once again, be prepared for a “sweet shock.” That’s because during these past 7 days, when you omitted all sources of “added sugar” from your diet, you also created a new baseline for our taste-buds.

Things like cake, soda, fruit juice, and even ketchup, which used to taste normal, will now taste very sweet. So, instead of diving back into sugar, how should you carefully select what to consume? First, consider that one of the missions of the detox was to open your eyes to the high amount of sugar that you were actually consuming on a daily basis (some foods may have been obvious, others perhaps surprising). So, of course you will reintroduce your favourite foods. But this is the time to get super-selective over 4 weeks.

WEEK 1:

Add one apple or one dairy food each day (once you have established that dairy does not cause any sensitivity for you). Dairy, such as yogurt or cheese, should be full-fat and unsweetened. You can also add some higher-sugar vegetables such as carrots and snow peas. Three glasses of red wine in that first week can be added too.

WEEK 2:

During week two you can add a handful of antioxidant-rich berries. You can also add back starchy vegetables such as sweet potatoes and squash.

WEEK 3:

For week three you can add grains such as barley, quinoa and oatmeal, and some more fruit including grapes and clementines. You can also have another glass of red wine during the week and an ounce of dark chocolate every other day.

WEEK 4:

Week four defines the maintenance part of the plan, though intentional indulgences are allowed, such as ice cream or a piece of cake at a party. Because the addictive behaviour is gone, having ice cream once or twice should not send you back to square one. Additionally, no fruit is off- limits once you’ve completed the 31 days.

Monitor your Progress

The key principle to remember is that it is added sugar that can cause problems: cakes, pastries, chocolate bars, fruit juice, cereal can all destabilise blood sugar levels and cause energy crashes.

  • If you find that you are low on energy mid morning or mid afternoon, then cut back on the added carbohydrates and increase beneficial fats and green vegetables.

  • Your carbohydrate intake should come mainly from fruits and vegetables, and should be able to have 3 meals a day without snacking.

Monitoring your carbohydrate intake and energy levels should lead you to finding your sugar sweet spot where added sugar is pleasurable to eat without unbalancing blood sugar levels and becoming addictive.