Are you addicted to sugar? It is no secret that excess sugar is not good for your body or your mind. Getting too much puts you at risk for all kinds of health problems like diabetes, heart disease, tooth decay, and obesity. It can also put you through the wringer emotionally, causing mood swings and brain fog. If you are here because you’re ready to quit getting so jacked up on the white stuff, good for you! Sure, you likely know by now that phasing out the sweet stuff is a good idea, but the prospect of making such a massive dietary change is enough to freak, anyone, out It’s a smart choice, but not necessarily a painless one. We’ll break down When You Stop Eating Sugar: What Happen to Your Body?
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After an Hour
Expect withdrawals, even after a few hours. “Sugar is addictive and activates a dopamine response in the reward center of the brain, like a drug,” says Wolfe. Depending on the amount of sugar you consume daily, you might experience varying drops in blood sugar levels, sweating, shaking, irritable moodiness, hunger, and sadness. Gottfried suggests fighting through these symptoms by consuming fresh vegetables with fiber, anti-inflammatory protein sources, and healthy fats.
One Month After You Quit
The one-month mark is when you’ll find yourself completely out of the woods. Your desire for dessert will have disappeared, and you may even find yourself strangely craving protein and leafy greens, instead.
One Year After You Quit
Once you’ve stuck to a sugar-free life for a full year, your health will likely have improved. Your body is now adjusted to functioning on essential nutrients, and because it no longer has sugar to store as fat, you’ll have probably lost weight.
It’s also worth noting that at this point, you can afford yourself a sugary splurge every once in a while, if the occasion inspires it. Naturopathic physician Suneil Jain, MD, of Rejuvena Health & Aesthetics recommends following the 80/20 rule. “Aim to eat healthy 80 percent of the time,” she says. If once or twice a week, you make a sugary exception, it likely won’t derail you. You’ll likely be so blissed out on a no-sugar lifestyle, you couldn’t imagine going back.
Things will happen to your body When You Stop Eating Sugar
Help lose excess weight and inches
Once you cut down on the sugar, the cravings reduce too thereby decreasing your overall calorie intake. Moreover, it’s not news in anyway that sugar in itself contains a huge amount of calories. On average, most people consume about 20 teaspoons of added sugar a day, either directly in food and beverages or through added sugar in packaged foods. Cutting down on this added sugar can easily help you shed that unwanted fat, lose those good 2-3 kgs, and also shrink a couple of inches. Now wouldn’t that be nice!
Lowers the risk of diabetes
Eating high-calorie, sugary foods is known to increase the buildup of fat in your body which in turn affects the level of insulin in your body. Insulin resistance in your body affects the functioning of the liver and pancreas and in turn, leads to type 2 diabetes. Quitting sugar gives your body’s natural detox systems a chance to do their job. It’s simply not worth risking your health for a few moments of indulgence so it’s about time you cut that sugar out for good.
Helps overcome mood swings
We all get cranky sometimes but an instant sugar rush is not a solution to the problem. In fact, it only adds to the problem by conditioning your body into this bad habit. Studies show that people who eat a diet high in added sugars and refined grains are more likely to experience anxiety, irritability, and mood swings. Once you cut back the sugar, it might take a while to overcome these withdrawal symptoms, but eventually, you’ll be much better for it.
You’ll sleep when you’re supposed to
The crash from a sugar high leaves you with mid-day sluggishness and an itching need for a nap. Also, added sugar triggers the release of the hormone cortisol, which interferes with slumber, Lustig says. Give up added sugar, and you should be more awake and alert during the day, and also better prepared to catch some z’s come bedtime.
