Sugar detox = brain fog?

Options
2»

Replies

  • Bettyanne77
    Bettyanne77 Posts: 42
    Options
    Oh, I wasn't trying to say that you should eliminate all sugars. Finding out what works for us as individuals is the key and it wont be the same thing for everyone. I just meant that I've experienced that brain fog also and went away fairly quickly! Good luck with this!

    Thank you :)

    You know reading these forums its clear that lots of people have some strong opinions about what the right diet is and it varies from paleo to raw vegan and I think that different people do better on some diets than others it really is all about finding something to suit you as an individual!
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
    Options
    I think what people are alluding to, but haven't outright said is that 'natural' sugars and added sugars of similar types aren't metabolized any differently. So, if you give up 100 g of added sugars and replace that with fruit that contains 100g of 'natural' sugars, you haven't actually changed anything as far as sugar goes. If you want to reduce your overall sugar intake, you need to keep track of both ...

    Also, I just wanted to add that you might want to keep an eye on your dietary fats level and make sure that doesn't inadvertently drop too low while you're changing other things. Going low fat can make you feel seedy as well - and fats ARE necessary.
  • Bettyanne77
    Bettyanne77 Posts: 42
    Options
    I think what people are alluding to, but haven't outright said is that 'natural' sugars and added sugars of similar types aren't metabolized any differently. So, if you give up 100 g of added sugars and replace that with fruit that contains 100g of 'natural' sugars, you haven't actually changed anything as far as sugar goes. If you want to reduce your overall sugar intake, you need to keep track of both ...

    Also, I just wanted to add that you might want to keep an eye on your dietary fats level and make sure that doesn't inadvertently drop too low while you're changing other things. Going low fat can make you feel seedy as well - and fats ARE necessary.

    I think I am taking in fat but I will check it is where it should be.

    I do understand about "fruit sugars" but I have decided that I'm not going to worry about them so much if at all. I am a vegetarian and there is so much sugar in fruit and veg that I am always going to be taking in more than if I ate meat, that just how it is. At least if that sugar is from fruit and veg it will be getting consumed along with other good nutrients, antioxidents and health fats rather than in the form of a cookie or plain white sugar. I know some people are for reducing all sugar consumption from any source but it is just not realistic for me to for example try and eat the sugar levels deemed ok by someone who follows a paleo diet. Of course I'll keep an eye on my over all sugar intake but I'm not going to restrict fruit and veg.
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
    Options
    Gotcha - it just seemed like everyone kind of danced around the issue without just being clear.

    I don't advocate cutting out sugars, but do try to hit balanced macros so they are under indirect control through carbs. That said, if someone did want to cut out all sugars, that's their business.
  • husseycd
    husseycd Posts: 814 Member
    Options
    This happened to me when I eliminated grains (90 % of the time) from my diet in May 2014. I was groggy for two weeks. It went away and now I feel great. The only time I feel groggy now is if I eat a heavy bread meal, like pizza.

    As far as carbs feeding the brain, I get mine now from vegetables and fruit. I'm an engineer by trade. My brain is fine without bread or pasta or sugar.
  • ashenriver
    ashenriver Posts: 498 Member
    Options
    This is quite interesting, I never would have realized cutting out 'junk' sugar would cause brain fog.


    Sounds like you are doing great.
  • phillyb2013
    phillyb2013 Posts: 271 Member
    Options
    I just read this old post, but it really helped me, so I am also going to add....coconut oil, coconut milk is also helpful with brainfog.
  • judiness101
    judiness101 Posts: 119 Member
    Options
    I eat less than 20 grams of carbs 6 days out of 7. The first weeks gave me flu like symptoms, but after you feel so much better and much less hungry.

    Hang in there.

    Edit: I just see this is an old post, but it applies for new people experiencing the same problem.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,714 Member
    Options
    Oh, and all this about how your body NEEDS sugar is bull.
    Untrue. Body needs glycogen for energy. Glycogen in it's simplest form is sugar.

    gly·co·gen
    noun \ˈglī-kə-jən\
    : a white amorphous tasteless polysaccharide (C6H10O5)x that constitutes the principal form in which glucose is stored in animal tissues, occurs especially in the liver and in muscle and also in fungi and yeasts, and resembles starch in molecular structure and in the formation of only glucose on complete hydrolysis—called also animal starch

    poly·sac·cha·ride
    noun \-ˈsak-ə-ˌrīd\
    Definition of POLYSACCHARIDE
    : a carbohydrate that can be decomposed by hydrolysis into two or more molecules of monosaccharides; especially : one (as cellulose, starch, or glycogen) containing many monosaccharide units and marked by complexity—called also glycan

    mono·sac·cha·ride
    noun \ˌmän-ə-ˈsak-ə-ˌrīd\
    Definition of MONOSACCHARIDE
    : a sugar not decomposable to simpler sugars by hydrolysis—called also simple sugar

    Science don't lie.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Categories