In a previous article, we talked about what eating sugar can do to your body. Now let’s discuss what happens to your body if you stop eating sugar.
With so many companies adding processed sugars such as high fructose corn syrup to their foods, it can be hard to eliminate sugar. As a matter of fact, the American Heart Association reports that on average Americans eat 77 grams of sugar a day. With the recommended daily amount of 25 grams per day for women, this is well above average. But there are ways to lower your sugar intake such as eating more fruits, drinking water instead of sugary drinks and eating less processed foods. This could have a profound effect on your health.
1. You’ll Decrease Your Diabetes Risk
Studies have shown that sugars such as high fructose corn syrup are one of the driving forces for diabetes and other metabolic diseases. Eating too much sugar reduces your sensitivity to insulin and blood sugar control. Due to eating sugar, you gain weight, then your glucose levels rise, you become insulin resistant and gain more weight. As a result, you’re more at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Reducing your sugar intake, reduces your risk. In fact, studies have shown that people who replaced one sugary drink or fruit juice with water lowered their risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life by 10%. Just by drinking water or unsweetened drinks, you can maintain or begin losing weight. This can help stop the cycle that leads to diabetes and hormonal changes.
On another note, fatty liver disease is another condition that leads to type 2 diabetes. Your liver metabolizes sugar the same way it does alcohol. It converts dietary carbohydrates to fat accumulating over time. The fat accumulation can turn into fatty liver disease.
2. You Will Lose Weight
High sugar diets are the leading cause of weight gain and obesity. Foods high in sugar have dramatically more calories than foods without. They can also affect your blood sugar and hormones that control your appetite. By eating the same foods without the added sugars, you’ll lower your calorie intake. The decrease in calories could help you lose 2 to 3 pounds a month without exercise. Swap sugary snacks with more nutrient packed foods. Not only will it lower your sugar, you’ll take in more vitamins and minerals your body needs.
3. Your Mood Will Improve
Eating a high sugar diet has been linked to emotional disorders such as depression and anxiety. Researchers believe the higher glycemic index in sugar causes inflammation in the brain. This could have an adverse effect on your long-term psychological health. As well, studies show that the increase inflammation can lead to memory impairment and cognitive decline. Cutting down on sugar keeps your memory sharp, eases stress, reduces irritability and improves your mood.
4. Reduces Your Appetite, Hunger And Cravings
Sugar is the most addictive substance on the planet. The more you eat it, the more you want it later. In addition, it causes your body to produce less leptin. This is the hormone that regulates your appetite. Even more, you increase the amount of calories you consume and gain weight. Reducing the amount of sugar you consume reverses the process. It restores your leptin levels and helps to stop cravings.
But there is a downside. Just has after a sugar high, there’s a crash, you can experience withdrawals. The symptoms can include headaches, anxiety and intense sugar cravings. Fortunately, these side effects will decrease after a few days. The effects can also be minimized by cutting back your sugar gradually.
5. You’ll Feel Better
Inflammation in the body is increased due to sugar leading to cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, chronic, low-grade inflammation is linked to nearly every major disease of lifestyle and aging. It puts a strain on your immune system, raises your blood pressure and causes your liver to pump fat into your bloodstream. Lowering the amount of sugar you consume minimizes the existing inflammation as well as prevent new inflammation from forming. This improves your overall immune system and allows blood to flow more efficiently. Allowing your body to fight off pathogens and reduce your susceptibility to illness.
6. You’ll Have Less Cavities
You’ve heard a lot about what sugar can do to your body, but what about your teeth. Since we were kids, we’ve heard that eating to much sugar causes tooth decay. Many of us didn’t believe it, that is, until we went to the dentist.
When you eat sugary foods, bacteria coats your teeth with plaque. This allows your teeth to metabolize the sugar. Ultimately, an acid is produced that wears down the enamel and dentine, eventually creating a hole. By reducing the amount of sugar you eat, you reduce the buildup of plaque and slow the process of tooth decay. Evidence suggests that consuming less than 50 grams of added sugar daily, will give you far less cavities. If you eat under 25 grams the number drops dramatically.
These are just a few things of what happens to your body if you stop eating sugar. The common denominator is that it improves your overall health and wellbeing. Speak with a doctor or nutritionist to learn more about how to change your diet for long lasting benefits.
