Sugar Busters Diet Plan

The Sugar Busters diet plan is a low-carb diet that is less restrictive than some of the other plans out there because it focuses on sugar.

The Idea Behind Sugar Busters

Sugar Busters is often called a low-carb diet in disguise, because while there is a focus on cutting some carbohydrates, the diet plan involves about 40 percent of calories coming from high-fiber, low glycemic index carbohydrates.

The rationale behind the Sugar Busters diet plan is that people are getting way too much refined sugar in the form of sweeteners and refined carbohydrates like white bread and baked goods.

All that sugar causes spikes in the body's insulin levels, and high levels of insulin have been shown to limit the breakdown of fat in the body. So this diet posits that if you stop eating all that sugar and replace it with more complex carbohydrates and lean protein, insulin levels will stay consistent, helping people lose weight.

The plan was devised by Leighton Steward, a CEO for a Fortune 500 company, with the help of an endocrinologist, a cardiologist and a gastroenterologist.

About the Sugar Busters Diet Plan

As mentioned above, Sugar Busters limits carbs, but not all carbs are treated equally. It is thought that people should eat around 40 percent of their calories from carbs, while 30 percent comes from protein and 30 percent from fat—the more unsaturated fat the better, of course.

The carbs that aren't recommended, as you can imagine from the name of the diet, are sugar and products with added sugar such as jams and jellies. The diet also forbids simple carbohydrates like white bread, white flour and white rice. Some fruits that are high in sugar, such as bananas and pineapple, as well as starches like potatoes and beets, are also off the list of acceptable foods.

Complex carbohydrates that don't cause the blood sugar spikes of simple carbs, such as brown rice, whole wheat bread and flour, legumes and the vast majority of fruits and vegetables are allowed on the diet.

Low-fat meats are allowed, as well as whole eggs for protein. All kinds of seafood are allowed, as long as they are not breaded. And while unsaturated fats are emphasized, there is no outright ban on saturated fats such as butter.

Alcohol is also allowed, but dry red wine is the most recommended beverage. Caffeine is allowed with a maximum of two or three servings a day. Meals should be eaten regularly through the day, but may be broken up into as few as three or as many as six meals daily. Meals should not be skipped since that will cause a fall in blood sugar. The diet plan also says people should not eat after 8 p.m.

Success with Sugar Busters

Sugar is the enemy in the Sugar Busters diet.

If you want to try the Sugar Busters diet plan, know that you will still need to make your own judgments about portion sizes. The Sugar Busters plan says only that servings should be reasonable, not too large.

Paying attention to serving sizes will help lose weight on the plan if that is part of your goal. It is also a good idea to add exercise to your routine, which is not really mentioned in the Sugar Busters literature.

No matter what diet plan you choose, it is important to look at how the diet fits in with the rest of your life and how all the pieces fit together to give you a healthier lifestyle.

The Sugar Busters diet is really simple and easy to follow once you understand the restrictions. There are no phases or lengthy food lists to remember, and it's pretty easy to avoid sugar once you know what you're looking for.

Given the diet's emphasis on complex carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables and lean meats, it actually ends up giving followers a pretty healthy diet, though some say it may be a little low in calcium. Using Sugar Busters can help you lose a little weight or simply get you off the sugar bandwagon and into a healthier way of eating.