According to a serious nutrition study, it reports that a low-sugar diet is more conducive to weight loss than a low-fat diet. How is this possible? The answer here.

How does sugar make you fat?

Last year, a study on this issue was published in the scientific journal Annals of Internal Medicine. It showed that eating more sugar maximises the body’s storage of fat, most of which tends to be stored in the stomach.

When sugar is not converted into energy by the body, it causes a spike in insulin, which keeps glucose in the cells; this phenomenon is, in part, responsible for the increase in fat mass.

Do you have to go completely without sugar to lose weight?

Absolutely not. In fact, your muscles and brain need carbohydrates to function properly. Going without 20% of sugar per meal will already allow you to lose a few kilos per month.

However, if you leave out carbohydrates and slow sugars entirely, you risk slowing down your weight loss due to the disruption of your basal metabolism.

When planning your menu, choose low glycemic index carbohydrates, as they will be digested more slowly.

Choose brown rice, semolina, oats, potatoes (in reasonable amounts) and whole grain pasta for good low to medium GI foods. As far as possible, avoid white pasta, bread, rusks and white rice (except basmati).

Can sugar be replaced?

The ketogenic diet is one of the slimming approaches based on low carbohydrate consumption. It consists of replacing sugars with good fats (extra virgin olive oil, rapeseed, avocado, nuts, etc.) and consuming a healthy source of protein at each meal.

During this diet, you should not exceed 50g of carbohydrates per day, but you can eat green and coloured vegetables and lean meat until you are full. In fact, any food with less than 2g of carbohydrates per 100g can be included in this menu. Wondering how to eat on a ketogenic diet?

Here is a typical day on this low-sugar menu:

Breakfast: ham omelette (2 eggs, 2 slices of white ham), 50g of goat’s or sheep’s cheese, a sugar-free tea or coffee (a little cream on occasion).

Lunch: Cod with lemon butter, broccoli and asparagus, steamed. Drizzle with olive oil, basil or turmeric+ginger.

Snack: roasted pumpkin seeds and an apple.

Dinner: 2 turkey cutlets, fresh spinach, some cashew nuts and a splash of fresh orange juice. Fry it all in a wok and you’re done!

Note: Keep yourself well hydrated every day. Drinking plenty of water helps flush out toxins, ensures good bowel movement and significantly reduces sugar cravings!

Useful tip: When cooking wholemeal pasta, make sure you don’t cook it too long, as this will increase the sugar content.