Did you plan to give up sugar? Whether to give up sugar means skipping dessert or giving up on some fruits, it seems that one of the best health decisions nowadays is to give up sugar. It appears that there are good reasons for this: sugar is one of the most harmful foods you can eat. A person consumes, on average, 300 calories daily of added sugar in food, without taking into account the teaspoons of sugar used for sweetening tea or coffee. A US study shows that over 20% of people consume over 700 calories a day from sugar, which is the equivalent of a full cup.
We consume so much sugar because they are found in many foods, including some that we’re not aware it contains it. We already know that sweets and juices are full of sugar, but you may be surprised to find it in products that are sold as healthy foods: tomato sauce for pasta, yogurt, or salad dressing to name a few examples.
To give up sugar does not mean that you will have to resign yourself to bitter coffee and tasteless tea, or to take away tasty desserts from your life. It is enough to replace it with agave syrup, a natural and healthy product, which you can use to prepare any dessert, but also to sweeten your favorite drinks. When you remove sugar from your diet, you will notice the effects from the first days, and in the long term, you’ll have numerous health advantages.
What happens in your body when you give up sugar
One of the hidden dangers of sugar is that over time it gives you addiction. This is why we feel the acute need to eat something sweet so often. But once your body gets used with the lack of it, you will fully feel the benefits of giving up sugar.
1. Get rid of skin problems
Sugar has an inflammatory effect on the skin, and inflammation is one of the factors that influence the appearance of acne. A study published by the American Journal of Nutrition found that when people who do not regularly drink carbonated drinks, when they start drinking a box of juice daily for three weeks, the level of tissue inflammation increases by 87%. Quitting sweetened juices can be the first step to cleanse your body and see results that encourage you to give up sugar permanently.
2. You improve your health and avoid serious illnesses
The risk of cardiovascular disease will be three times lower once you remove the sugar from the diet. Sugar helps to increase the level of insulin in your body, which activates the nerve cells of the sympathetic nervous system, which leads to increased blood pressure and pulse. When you go on a sugar-free diet, just in the first weeks, the level of “bad” cholesterol in the blood drops by 10%, and the triglyceride level is reduced by 20-30%.
On the other hand, sugar promotes fat deposits around the liver, which makes you insulin resistant and decreases pancreatic activity. A study in 175 countries shows that people who eat 150 calories a day are 11 times more likely to have type II diabetes.
3. You will fall asleep easier, and the quality of your sleep will be better
Eating sugar gives you a boost of energy for a short time, but then you may feel tired and drained of energy. Because sugar stimulates the secretion of cortisone, you will fall asleep harder, and your sleep will be restless and interrupted. Giving up sugar helps you be more energetic during the day and then fall asleep faster in the evening, thus your sleep quality will be significantly improved.
4. You will improve your memory
Sugar affects your memory and may be responsible for some lapses. Those who eat sugar learn harder and remember hard because their communication system is affected at the neuronal level.
5. You will lose weight quickly
Sugar contains “empty” calories and loses its nutrients by processing. When you stop consuming it, you reduce the number of calories consumed daily, and even if you replace them with other foods, you will still notice that you are starting to lose weight. Thus, you can lose up to 5 kilos in 5-6 months, without any other change in your diet.
6. You will get rid of sudden mood changes
As with any addiction, giving up sugar will also come with a withdrawal period, in which it is possible to be more easily irritable and tense. But once you get over this hop, you will start to be happier and happier. A study by Columbia University, found that people who consume sugar are more prone to anxiety, irritability, and sudden mood swings.
7. You will look younger
Sugar sticks to collagen in the skin – this causes inflammation that reduces the beneficial effect of collagen and elastin, the proteins that help our skin stay smooth and young. Research has shown that people with diabetes, whose blood sugar levels are elevated over a long period, look older. Sugar slows down the metabolism of the body, which favors the fattening and loss of hair, but also the appearance of digestive problems or even depression.
If you have decided to give up sugar, you need to know that it only takes ten days for the body to detoxify and eliminate the need to eat sweets. In the long run, you have undeniable benefits both on the general state of health, but also on the physical appearance and mood, so you have every reason to eliminate this harmful food forever.