Most of us really enjoy desserts, all kinds of cakes and muffins, sweets and chocolate, but we are all aware of the fact that sugar is seriously harmful to our health.

It consumption leads to weight gain, obesity, energy crashes, wrinkles, and even more severe health issues, such as:

• Diabetes
• Weak immune system
• Increased serotonin levels
• Ulcers
• Heart issues
• Arthritis
• Poor vision
• Gallstones
• Adrenal fatigue
• Eczema
• Hypoglycemia
• Lower mineral levels in the body
• Premature aging

What’s more, sugar is highly addictive, which is shown in numerous studies and can even lead to similar effects on the brain as some street drugs. Alan Greene, M.D., a children’s health and wellness expert and the author of books like “Raising Baby Green” and “Feeding Baby Green, claims that ‘addiction’ is a strong term, used to describe a tragic situation where someone’s brain chemistry has been changed to compel them to repeat a substance or activity despite harmful consequences.

Yet, he adds that there is mounting evidence that too much added sugar could lead to true addiction.

Additionally, Cassie Bjork, R.D., L.D., founder of Healthy Simple Life, says that research has shown that sugar can be even more addicting than cocaine, as it activates the opiate receptors in the brain and affects the reward center, which causes compulsive behavior, despite the negative consequences such as weight gain, headaches, hormone imbalances, and more. 

Studies show that every time we eat sweets we are reinforcing those neuropathways, making the brain increasingly hardwired to crave sugar, building up a tolerance like any other drug.

The following 7-day sugar detox will help you reverse the negative effects of the consumption of sugar and lose excess weight:

1st Day

• Breakfast: Baked eggs and spinach with cheese
• Morning Snack: Tamari almonds
• Lunch: cheesy sweet peppers with low carbs and green salad
• Dinner:  baked stuffed chicken, spinach, and cucumber salad with feta cheese and tomatoes
• Snack: ricotta cheese with low fat, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ cup part skim, and several drops vanilla stevia

2nd Day

• Breakfast: Frittata with sun-dried tomato
• Morning Snack: Tamari almonds
• Lunch: spinach and pepper peppers and chicken
• Afternoon Snack: raw vegetables and spinach dip
• Dinner: sautéed spinach, mushrooms, peppers,  and turkey lettuce cups
• Snack: cheese stick

3rd Day

• Breakfast: Peanut Butter Protein Smoothie
• Morning Snack: the whites of 3 boiled eggs
• Lunch: salad with cucumber, tomatoes, sweet peppers, vinegar, and extra virgin Olive oil
• Afternoon Snack: Frittata with Feta
• Dinner: light veggie soup and grilled chicken with some fresh herbs
• Snack: Vanilla chia pudding –sugar and dairy free

4th Day

• Breakfast: Sante Fe Frittata’s
• Morning Snack: Cheese stick
• Lunch: cilantro chicken salad made from grilled chicken
• Afternoon Snack: celery with peanut butter – sugar-free
• Dinner: Crockpot chicken,  mini Zucchini cheese bites and bean stew
• Snack: ½ cup cottage cheese –low fat with cucumber pieces

5th Day

• Breakfast: Sante Fe Frittata’s
• Morning Snack: raw vegetables in a spicy Mediterranean feta dip
• Lunch: soup, and a green salad with tomatoes, cucumber, sweet peppers, vinegar, and extra virgin olive oil
• Afternoon Snack: Salad with feta cheese, tomatoes, and cucumber
• Dinner: Cheesy breadsticks – low carbs and Italian green bean salad
• Snack: Vanilla chia pudding –sugar and dairy free

6th Day

• Breakfast: egg muffin without the crust
• Morning Snack: raw vegetables in a spicy Mediterranean feta dip
• Lunch: Cheesy breadsticks – low carbs and Italian green bean salad
• Afternoon Snack: Spicy Mediterranean feta dip with raw vegetables
• Snack: Zucchini noodles and chicken drumsticks with lemon and garlic
• Dinner: the whites of 3 boiled eggs

7th Day

• Breakfast:  sautéed spinach, mushrooms, and scrambled eggs
• Morning Snack: ½ cup cottage cheese
• Lunch: zucchini noodles and light veggie soup
• Afternoon Snack: Tamari almonds
• Snack:  chicken drumsticks and leftover green bean salad and
• Dinner: Vanilla chia pudding –sugar and dairy free

Source: thehealthy-food.com