We all know that sugar can be as addictive as scrolling through TikTok videos, but kicking the habit can lead to some serious wins. Cutting back on the sweet stuff might seem tough at first but your taste buds will adjust, and your body will thank you.
Cutting sugar for good
Cutting sugar is a lifelong commitment, says Tantaswa Ndlelana, a health enthusiast from Nyanga in Cape Town. She says her late mother’s diabetes diagnosis motivated her to eliminate sugar from her diet.
“There were dietary changes she needed to make, and cutting out sugar was one of them. So, I decided to support her because she was struggling to do it alone. I realised I needed to make changes too.”
Tantaswa Ndlelana
Ndlelana highlights several positive changes since cutting sugar, including reduced fatigue, less sweating, improved mood, weight loss, and healthier-looking skin. For her, the benefits far outweigh the initial challenges, proving that saying goodbye to sugar is truly a game-changer.
However, as a runner, Ndlelana noticed her struggles intensifying when consuming added sugar, whether it was in beverages or added to vegetables.
Battling the cravings
Living with chronic illnesses has led Siphe Ntsabo from Parklands, Cape Town to make some big changes, including cutting sugar from her diet. Diagnosed with discoid lupus 13 years ago, she started her journey to a healthier lifestyle four years after her diagnosis.
“I’ve noticed that since changing the way I consume sugar, my health has improved for the better,” she shares.
“The first three weeks were tough, battling cravings for chocolates and sweets, plus headaches and mood swings.”
Siphe Ntsabo
“I feel lighter, have more energy, and don’t experience cravings like I used to. It’s great to indulge in guilt-free sugar-based foods.”
Ntsabo also mentions the positive impact on her mental health and energy levels, and how she no longer wakes up with sugar cravings. However, she admits that it’s challenging to resist sugar when out and about, so she opts for natural sugars found in fruits and vegetables instead.
Ntsabo believes that cutting out sugar has been the best gift she’s given her body. She adds that with consistency, anyone can do it too.
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Better off without sugar
Andiswa Ngqaka, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Association for Dietetics in South Africa (Adsa), stresses that sugar is not a requirement for health.
Though it may be used to manage low blood glucose levels, especially in those who require insulin, sugar is not crucial for our general health and well-being, she says.
“Simple sugars do not offer any health benefit because it cause a sugar spike. This sugar spike causes a crash afterwards.”
She highlights that sugar is naturally present in fruits, vegetables, starches, milk, and dairy products in a healthier form. Therefore, there’s genuinely no necessity for extra sugar since it provides energy and/or empty calories, leading to a sugar spike followed by a slump.
Dr Manduleli Bikitsha from Khayelitsha in Cape Town warns that excessive sugar consumption can be poisonous. He suggests that by avoiding the introduction of sugar to babies, people can prevent future issues with sugar.
Breastmilk is naturally bland and babies are not familiar with sugar. Once we expose them to sugary foods, it’s challenging to revert, he explains.
“If we start with vegetables and fruits as a baby’s first foods, they won’t develop a taste for added sugars, leading to a healthier life with fewer visits to the doctor.”
Dr Manduleli Bikitsha
Bikitsha emphasises that sugar is addictive and that the body doesn’t require added sugar to function.
What are the risks?”
Ngqaka warns that excessive sugar intake can result in conditions such as diabetes mellitus, obesity, and dental caries.
“Sugar should be avoided at all ages.”
Ngqaka highlights that people who are introduced to sugar at a young age often develop what they perceive as a “sweet tooth.”
However, it’s essential to understand that a preference for sweetness isn’t innate; rather, it is learned through exposure. Early exposure to sugar can lead to addiction, she cautions, potentially triggering diabetes in people with high sugar insensitivity gene expressions.
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