No, you don't need a sugar detox – here's what to do instead

If someone told you that by making one change to your diet, you could get glowing skin, better sleep, improved energy and weight loss, you'd be all ears, right?

That's the pitch behind many social media posts lately, as influencers claim to have gone sugar free.

There's no medical definition of a sugar detox, so how people do it varies. Some cut out obvious sugars in sweets, biscuits and cakes, while others claim to have eliminated all sugars, including those in fruit and other carbs.

But here's the thing: there's no need to go on a sugar detox. In fact, cutting out all sugars can make your diet worse, not better.

The word 'detox' implies that sugar is just a toxin, something poisonous that your body needs to get rid of. But in reality, it's just a carbohydrate. And carbs play an essential role in our health.

After eating them, they're broken down and turned into fuel – or stored for later use.

That said, we can have too much of some types of sugar. When it comes to sugar and health, most of the issues relate to free sugars.

These are the sugars added to foods like biscuits, some breakfast cereals and soft drinks, as well as those naturally present in honey, syrups and fruit juices and smoothies.

They're described as 'free' because they're not contained within the cell walls of the food.

Research, external shows that when free sugars make up a big part of our diet, the risk of tooth decay increases (caused by acids produced by bacteria in the mouth when they break down sugar) as does the risk of weight gain.

Over time, excess body fat raises the risk of conditions such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

By contrast, sugars naturally present in whole foods like fruit, vegetables, milk and plain yoghurt, known as intrinsic sugars, have not, external been associated with the same health risks, external and are treated differently in health guidance. That's because the foods that contain them provide important nutrients like fibre, vitamins and minerals.

In fact, higher fruit intake is linked with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, external in several studies, external.

UK healthy eating guidelines recommend free sugars make up no more than 5% of daily calories, external. That's around 125 calories, or 30g of sugar (roughly seven teaspoons) for an adult.

For context, a standard 330ml can of cola contains around 35g.

If you're eating a lot of foods high in free sugars, cutting down can improve your diet if they're replaced with more nutritious options.

But there's no evidence that 'detoxing' all sugars is beneficial – or necessary. In fact, the opposite can be true.

Cutting out fruit, starchy vegetables, milk and yoghurt removes valuable sources of fibre, vitamins, minerals and plant compounds linked to positive long-term health.

In my practice, I often see how strict rules around food backfire.

Over-restriction can increase preoccupation with what's 'allowed' and 'forbidden', which can make eating stressful and can lead to binge-restrict cycles.

The benefits of eating less free sugar depend on how much you're eating now, and what it's replaced with.

If someone was previously consuming large amounts – particularly from sugary drinks and snacks – reducing them is likely to improve how they feel, as these foods are low in fibre and beneficial nutrients, and don't keep you full for long.

Cutting out carbs to eliminate sugar can often cause reports of rapid weight loss – but most of this weight isn't body fat.

Because carbohydrates are stored in the body alongside water, when carb intake drops, those stores are used up and water is released, leading to short-term weight loss.

Skin health is more complex. There's some evidence, external linking diets high in foods that rapidly raise blood sugar (high glycaemic foods) with acne, but there isn't evidence that eliminating sugar will transform skin.

Overall dietary pattern, genetics, sleep and stress all play a role.

Rather than quitting sugar entirely and seeing it as an enemy, it's more helpful to look at your overall diet.

If you're eating a lot of free sugars, reducing them can be beneficial, but you don't need to worry about sugar in plain milk or yoghurt, whole fruit or whole vegetables.

Sugary drinks have some of the strongest evidence for harm, so they're a good place to start.

Next, biscuits, buns, cakes and pastries are the biggest contributors of free sugars. They're low in fibre and beneficial nutrients, so reducing how often they feature can make a meaningful difference.

That might mean cutting down the number you have each week, alternating with fruit, or swapping a biscuit for a cracker with peanut butter and chopped banana.

But removing a drizzle of honey from your porridge (and enjoying it less as a result) isn't going to make a meaningful difference to your health.

There's no reason to fear sugar in every form. Instead, be mindful of how much food and drink you're consuming that's high in free sugars, while keeping the nutrient-rich foods like fruit, vegetables and wholegrains in your diet.

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