Menu
eMediHealth Logo
Subscribe
No Result
View All Result
eMediHealth Logo
Subscribe
No Result
View All Result

Home > Nutrition > Stop Eating Sugar: 7 Health Benefits of Sugar Detox

Stop Eating Sugar: 7 Health Benefits of Sugar Detox

October 17, 2022
9 min read
By Shiza Khan, M.Sc. – Clinical Nutrition & Dietetics | Dietitian/Nutritionist

In this article:

  • Effects of Quitting Sugar
  • Sugar Alternatives You Can Try
  • Most-Asked Questions About Quitting Sugar
  • Final Word

You must have heard, at least once in your lifetime, that sugar is your best dietary enemy. But it is extremely hard to not eat sugar because of how good it makes food taste, and all its mouthwatering dishes are almost impossible to forgo.

what happens to your body after quitting sugar

However, what you don’t realize is that your sweet tooth can be very dangerous and not so sweet for your health.

The small amount of sugar that is naturally found in fruits and vegetables is completely fine to consume. The issue arises when you consume foods and beverages that have artificially added sugar such as chemical sweeteners.

Even if packaged food does not have artificial sweeteners, they still have higher than the recommended sugar content. This added sugar is the main culprit of today’s unhealthy diet in the developed world.

Advertisements

This kind of sugar only added calories with no other nutritional value. It is found in almost everything you can buy at a grocery store, from colas and sodas to cookies and cakes.

Effects of Quitting Sugar

These are the things that will happen to your body when you completely give up sugar. (1)

1. Increases energy levels

Consuming very high amounts of sugar can make you feel less energized and lethargic most of the time. It can also make you feel easily exhausted with mood swings and irritability. These happen because consumption of high amounts of sugar causes an increase in tension.

Eating sugar does raise energy levels initially but later causes a sharp and drastic drop. (2) A recent study found a link between increased consumption of sugar and low physical activity. (3)

Sugar also gets broken down in the body very quickly, which causes your blood sugar levels to rise suddenly. A sugar-filled diet also has negative impacts on your brain, neurons, digestive system, and muscles. (4)

2. Can help in weight loss

quitting sugar can help you in your weight loss journey

A sugary diet only provides your body with empty calories that carry no nutritional value. This leads to quick weight gain.

Advertisements

The more sugar you eat, the more your body stores it as fat after converting a little amount into the energy required. As time passes, this stored fat starts appearing on your waistline, hips, and even face.

If you decide to quit sugar, you may be able to lose the extra weight, thereby preventing health issues that arise from obesity. (5)

3. Lowers the risk of diabetes

Eating a lot of sugar may lead to the deposition of fat around the liver, contributing to insulin resistance.

Insulin is a hormone that reduces glucose levels in the blood and increases cellular intake of glucose. If cells become resistant to insulin, glucose levels in the blood rise, paving a path to diabetes. (6)

Quitting sugar and having a well-balanced control diet will be helpful in avoiding the risk of developing diabetes. Those who are prediabetic or have a family history of diabetes should do their best in cutting out sugar in their diet. (7)

4. Improves oral health

As a kid, you have been told how candies and sweets are not good for your teeth. Sugar and oral health don’t go together. A very-high-sugar diet leads to unfortunate effects on your oral health. (8)

Advertisements

The mouth is home to thousands of bacteria that feed on sugar. Increased sugar intake provides them with more sugar to feed on, leading to the production of excessive acid. This acid can then destroy the enamel that is there to protect the teeth.

All these can further lead to cavities, dental caries, and, worst, tooth loss. (9)

Controlling your sugar intake can do wonders for your oral health. It is important for keeping your teeth healthy and strong.

5. Improves quality of sleep

lowering your sugar intake can help improve your sleep quality

Lowering your sugar intake leads to a healthy blood sugar level and increases the level of serotonin in your brain. Both these factors contribute to a good quality of sleep.

Moreover, orexin, which is a neurotransmitter in your body that is important for keeping you alert, awake, and focused during the day, is glucose sensitive. Its functioning is suppressed with increased blood glucose levels. (10)

Limiting sugar will promote better sleep with suppressed orexin activity at night. Thus, limiting your sugar intake is extremely important for a good quality of sleep.

Advertisements

Additionally, refined sugar decreases the degree of slow-wave sleep, which is restorative sleep. So, quitting sugar is important for keeping your memories intact and processing the information you had learned throughout the day. (11)(12)

6. Improves heart health

Ditching sugar helps lower your blood cholesterol levels and improves heart health. High sugar intake stimulates your flight and fight response as it activates your sympathetic nervous system. Such a response leads to increased blood pressure and heart rate. (13)

All these put added load on your heart, causing possible damage to your cardiovascular system and increasing your risk of heart problems such as heart attacks, strokes, and coronary artery disease.

Advertisements

Quitting sugar also causes a decrease in the levels of triglycerides and bad cholesterol, also known as low-density lipoprotein (LDL). (14)

7. Rejuvenates the skin

Quitting sugar is good for strengthening elastin and collagen. It also contributes to reducing the level of inflammation, which is necessary for healthy skin.

Consuming high amounts of sugar disrupts the repair of your skin’s collagen and also leads to reduced elasticity and premature signs of aging such as wrinkles. (15)(16)

Sugar Alternatives You Can Try

Fortunately, there are a lot of sugar alternatives you can choose from.

1. Honey

honey is a natural sugar alternative that you can try

Raw honey, derived organically, is the best alternative to sugar. It contains antioxidant properties and vitamins. Honey is known for its cholesterol-managing properties and for boosting your immunity. (17)

2. Jaggery

Jaggery is made from unrefined sugar and, like honey, is rich in antioxidants. It also contains minerals that have anti-aging properties. Moreover, jaggery prevents constipation and thereby is good for detoxification. (18)

3. Dates

Dates are a known superfood. They are wholesome in their nutritional value and contain dietary fibers. They are a great source of iron, calcium, zinc, and other minerals. (19)

4. Coconut sugar

Coconut sugar is made by treating the buds of coconut trees. It is known for its rich content of calcium, iron, and antioxidants. (20)

5. Maple syrup

Maple syrup is a concentrated syrup derived from the sap of maple trees. It also contains high amounts of antioxidants and is a great alternative to white sugar. (21)

ALSO READ: Lose Weight, Feel Better – Sugar Detox in Just 3 Weeks

Most-Asked Questions About Quitting Sugar

Why is it hard to quit sugar?

Sugar causes a release of the hormones serotonin and dopamine, which are known as feel-good or happy hormones. They are responsible for your body’s reward system.

So, it can be immensely hard to give up on sugar, especially when it is a famous ingredient in many enjoyable foods from soft drinks to desserts. (22)

What are the symptoms of sugar withdrawal?

signs and symptoms associated with sugar withdrawl

Sugar withdrawal is extremely difficult because of its various side effects, (23) which include:

  • Headache
  • Lethargy
  • Drowsiness
  • Muscle pain
  • Nausea
  • Sugar craving
  • Mood swings
  • Anxiety

How much sugar can I consume in a day that is healthy?

Studies show sugar intake should not account for more than 5% of your calorie intake. This can be somewhere around 100–150 kcals per day per person. (24)

Final Word

Sugar, although appetizing, is incredibly harmful to you if not eaten in moderation. Diets nowadays contain very high amounts of sugar and sometimes even dangerous artificial sweeteners.

It contributes to the growing risk of noncommunicable chronic diseases in the world such as diabetes, heart problems, and kidney issues. All of these can be prevented or at least their risk lowered by limiting sugar intake.

Try replacing your sugar with protein-packed food such as meat, fish, egg, pulses, and legumes. Consuming naturally occurring sugar present in food and vegetables is also a great way of fulfilling your sugar cravings without any harm to your body. (25)

It is hard to give up sweets, but it is also important for a healthy version of yourself.

References
  1. White JR. Sugar. Clinical diabetes: a publication of the American Diabetes Association. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5775006/. Published January 2018.
  2. RE; T. Energy, tiredness, and tension effects of a sugar snack versus moderate exercise. Journal of personality and social psychology. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3820066/.
  3. O’Reilly GA, Belcher BR, Davis JN, et al. Effects of high-sugar and high-fiber meals on physical activity behaviors in Latino and African American adolescents. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4551584/. Published September 2015.
  4. DiNicolantonio JJ, Berger A. Added sugars drive nutrient and energy deficit in obesity: A new paradigm. Open heart. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4975866/. Published August 2, 2016.
  5. Stanhope KL. Sugar consumption, metabolic disease and obesity: The state of the controversy. Critical reviews in clinical laboratory sciences. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4822166/. Published 2016.
  6. Macdonald IA. A review of recent evidence relating to sugars, insulin resistance and diabetes. European journal of nutrition. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5174139/. Published November 2016.
  7. Rippe JM, Angelopoulos TJ. Relationship between added sugars consumption and chronic disease risk factors: Current understanding. Nutrients. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5133084/. Published November 4, 2016.
  8. Feldens CA, Pinheiro LL, Cury JA, et al. Added sugar and oral health: A position paper of the Brazilian Academy of Dentistry. Frontiers in oral health. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9020561/. Published April 6, 2022.
  9. Moynihan P. Sugars and dental caries: Evidence for setting a recommended threshold for intake. Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4717883/. Published January 15, 2016.
  10. Liu L, Wang Q, Liu A, et al. Physiological implications of Orexins/hypocretins on energy metabolism and adipose tissue development. ACS omega. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6964296/. Published December 27, 2019.
  11. Alahmary SA, Alduhaylib SA, Alkawii HA, et al. Relationship between added sugar intake and sleep quality among university students: A cross-sectional study. American journal of lifestyle medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8848117/. Published August 23, 2019.
  12. Prather AA, Leung CW, Adler NE, Ritchie L, Laraia B, Epel ES. Short and sweet: Associations between self-reported sleep duration and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption among adults in the United States. Sleep health. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5380400/. Published December 2016.
  13. TJ; RJMA. Sugars, obesity, and cardiovascular disease: Results from recent Randomized Control Trials. European journal of nutrition. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27418186/.
  14. Yang Q; Zhang Z; Gregg EW; Flanders WD; Merritt R; Hu FB; Added sugar intake and cardiovascular diseases mortality among US adults. JAMA internal medicine. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24493081/.
  15. FW; D. Nutrition and aging skin: Sugar and glycation. Clinics in dermatology. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20620757/.
  16. R; NHPK. Sugar sag: Glycation and the role of Diet in aging skin. Skin therapy letter. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27224842/.
  17. Bobiş O, Dezmirean DS, Moise AR. Honey and diabetes: The importance of natural simple sugars in diet for preventing and treating different type of diabetes. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5817209/. Published February 4, 2018.
  18. Rao GP, Singh P. Value addition and fortification in non-centrifugal sugar (jaggery): A potential source of functional and Nutraceutical Foods. Sugar tech : an international journal of sugar crops & related industries. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8314846/. Published 2022.
  19. Gheisari HR, Heydari S, Basiri S. The effect of date versus sugar on sensory, physicochemical, and antioxidant properties of ice cream. Iranian journal of veterinary research. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7183376/. Published 2020.
  20. Saraiva A, Carrascosa C, Raheem D, Ramos F, Raposo A. Natural sweeteners: The relevance of food naturalness for consumers, food security aspects, sustainability and health impacts. International journal of environmental research and public health. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7504156/. Published August 28, 2020.
  21. Valle M, St-Pierre P, Pilon G, Marette A. Differential effects of chronic ingestion of refined sugars versus natural sweeteners on insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis in a rat model of diet-induced obesity. Nutrients. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7469035/. Published July 30, 2020.
  22. Avena NM, Rada P, Hoebel BG. Evidence for sugar addiction: Behavioral and neurochemical effects of intermittent, excessive sugar intake. Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2235907/. Published 2008.
  23. Westwater ML, Fletcher PC, Ziauddeen H. Sugar addiction: The state of the science. European journal of nutrition. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5174153/. Published November 2016.
  24. Rippe JM, Angelopoulos TJ. Relationship between added sugars consumption and chronic disease risk factors: Current understanding. Nutrients. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5133084/. Published November 4, 2016.
  25. CEL; E. Sugars and health: A review of current evidence and future policy. The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27916004/.
  • Was this article helpful?
  • YES, THANKS!NOT REALLY
Spread the Love❤️
Advertisements
Advertisements
Advertisements
Advertisements

Newsletter

Get our BEST updates delivered to your inbox:



This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Categories

  • Nutrition
  • Wellness
  • Oral Care
  • Eye Care
  • Heart Health
  • Skin & Beauty
  • Women’s Health
  • Ear, Nose & Throat
  • Respiratory Health

Links

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Cookie Policy
  • Editorial Policy
  • Advertising Policy
  • Subscribe to Newsletter
eMediHealth

This site provides content for informational purposes only. The information provided is not intended for use as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. In case of a medical concern or emergency, please consult your healthcare provider.

This website is certified by Health On the Net Foundation.

Our Network: Little Extra

© 2019 eMediHealth. All rights reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Nutrition
  • Skin & Beauty
  • Wellness
  • Yoga & Meditation
  • Women’s Health
  • Heart Health
  • Allergy & Immunology
  • Bones & Joints
  • Child Health
  • Digestive
  • Ear, Nose & Throat
  • Eye Care
  • Glands & Hormones
  • Health News
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Mental Health
  • Nervous System
  • Oral Care
  • Pain Management
  • Respiratory Health
  • Sleep Disorders
  • Urological Health

© 2019 eMediHealth. All rights reserved.