Benefits of Quitting Sugar
Sugar is widely used as a common sweet ingredient in most of the food preparations. Consuming large quantities of sugar directly or indirectly in bread, cakes, cookies, sodas and as hidden sugars in processed and packaged foods has become a daily practice in today’s ‘instant’ world. Sweet as its name suggests, sugars are delicious and mouth watering. It is now customary to include sweets in every moment of happiness and also dealing with depression seems easier with a sugar indulgence. Sugars are known to cause many health problems related to the heart and brain and it’s a major cause of obesity. Too much sugar in the regular diet can cause heart diseases, increase body weight, cause anxiety and depression, cognitive disabilities and can even lead to cancer.
It is when you start lowering sugar intake, you observe radical changes in your health, feel more energized and positive. Here is a list of amazing health benefits that happen when you quit sugar.
1. Healthy Happy Heart: Sugars have been linked to increased risk of cardiac diseases in several studies. Sugary drinks like sodas and other food items containing added sugars primarily increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases. These added sugars readily increase insulin levels affecting heart rate and blood pressure. Cutting down sugars reduce Low-density Lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels to a great extent and improves overall heart health. It also helps maintain optimum blood pressure and lower triglycerides up to 30% within few weeks. Quitting sugar helps improve heart health and maintain good cholesterol levels. Ensure that you not only quit visible sugars but also those hidden ones in processed and fatty foods.
2. Diabetes at Arm’s Length: Sugars enhance fat deposition in the liver that hamper functioning of the pancreas resulting in impaired insulin production. Now that you have pledged to restrict sugars in the diet, your body will now start functioning better. Insulin production will now be regulated and balanced. Calories from sugars are more likely to cause type 2 diabetes than from any other sources like proteins and fats.
Quitting sugars is a sure shot remedy to improve insulin production and make you healthier. People at higher risk of getting diabetes such as overweight individuals, having a family history of diabetes and those with other chronic illnesses must watch their sugar intake to keep out of diabetes.
3. Younger Looking Skin: Acne and pimples can be irritating for anyone. We always long for a blemish free younger looking skin. If you looking to achieve supple and soft skin, then start checking your sugar intake. Those yummy doughnuts and sweetened drinks could possibly be the culprits. The science behind developing acne is systemic inflammation and sugars are known to cause inflammation. Sugars, from a process called glycation result in inflammation that affects skin proteins collagen and elastin cells of skin making it wrinkle prone and age early. This process can be slowed down by quitting sugar in your diet. Cut down your sugar, and get visibly clearer looking young skin.
4. Visible Weight Loss: A bulky body is an invitation to various physical diseases and disorders. Sugar is the main content of many processed foods which add bulk around face and abdomen. It increases fat deposition in the body and slows down metabolism resulting in obesity.
Quitting sugar helps avoid excess calories, which in turn prevents weight gain. Consuming meals with less sugar will help control increase in weight.
5. Feel Energetic: Sugars are instant energy boosters, however it is a lesser known fact that sugars drain energy as quickly as they build it up. Sugars are digested quickly increasing blood sugar levels that stop the production of orexin, a neuropeptide responsible for alert and it makes you feel sluggish. Most energy acquired by the body is through breakdown of sugars and not fats and this is the reason for a quick energy drain.
Quitting high-sugared food and beverages like cupcakes and soda and opting for healthier alternatives, like fruit salad and nuts can make you more alert and active.
6. Decreased Risk of Chronic Illness: Various chronic illnesses have been associated with increased blood sugar levels. Obesity is the front runner in those names leading to other chronic diseases like diabetes, kidney disease, liver disease and cancers like prostate and breast cancer. Quitting sugar lessens the risk of developing chronic illnesses and keeps the body healthy.
7. Kicks Out Depression: Anxiety and depression could make us feel energy drained and many of us turn to unhealthy sugary foods to overcome cranky feelings. This could be helpful to some extent, but dependency on sugary drinks and foods could lead to increased anxiety and depression. Several studies have found an association between sugar intake and depression. People with more sugar intake in their lifetime are found to be at higher risk of cognitive disabilities at a later age.
Cutting on sugar intake calms your mind and also improves cognitive abilities making brain sharp and active.
8. Better Sleep: Sleep rejuvenates the body and prepares it for a new day. High blood sugar results in high kidney functioning to excrete toxins and getting up in the middle of the night to urinate leads to sleep disturbance. Avoiding foods with high sugar content can help attain undisturbed and sound sleep.
9. Healthy Smile: Sugar-rich foods are a direct cause of dental decay and teeth cavities. It is commonly seen in children and even adults, where too much sugar can lead to several oral health problems. Increased blood sugar levels can also cause bad breath. Refined, table sugars or added sugars in sodas and confectionary cause tooth decay making them loose, tear enamel and make teeth cavity prone.
10. Less Food Cravings: Eating sugary sweets signals the brain to release dopamine which makes us feel good. Increased craving for sugar leads to eating processed and high sugar meals, which affect healthy dopamine signaling and the need to consume more sugar. Several studies have concluded that addiction to sugars is equivalent to cocaine addiction.
These sugar cravings stop once sugar is restricted in the diet and you start feeling better within 10 days of sugar detox.
