Dropping the amount of added sugar in your diet is a great decision to make to make your lifestyle healthier. While doing this isn’t always easy, the benefits are well worth it. This is because added sugar has been shown to have negative effects on your body.
Research studies have connected a high added sugar intake with a number of different medical conditions. These include:
- Obesity,
- Diabetes,
- Heart disease, as well as
- Poor dental health.
Sugar may also decrease your energy levels. This leads to fatigue as well as reduced alertness during the day. Certain studies have even found that eating sugar may even be a factor in depression. Cutting added sugar from your diet could assist with protecting against chronic disease development and boosting your overall health.
It all looks quite grim, especially if you love sugar. However, you can prevent – and even immediately reverse – much of the harm, just by cutting sugar out. Or even only cutting it out some of the time. The long-term effects of replacing a diet that is full of sugar with nutrient-dense, heart-healthy foods are even more impressive.
The Immediate Effects Of Cutting Out Sugar
Not unlike alcohol, eating sugary foods just makes you want to eat more sugar. However, 20 minutes after your first sugar-free meal you’ll be more satisfied. In addition, you’ll be less likely to reach for second helpings or dessert.
An hour into your post-sugar life, you should still find yourself on an upswing. You should feel energised and be more productive. In addition, you’ll be less likely to have the urge to reach for a biscuit or a handful of processed snacks.
Things You Need To Watch Out For
A couple of days into your sugar-free diet, you may experience physical and mental symptoms. How your body reacts to giving up sugar is different for every person. The symptoms of giving up sugar — and their severity — will depend on the amount of added sugar that you were taking in through sweetened foods as well as beverages.
Some people report that their symptoms last from a few days to several weeks. As your body acclimatises to a low added sugar diet over a period of time – with your added sugar intake becoming less frequent – the less intense your symptoms and cravings for sugar are likely to be.
Giving up or lowering sugar may come with horrible symptoms. That said, decreasing added sugar consumption may have significant health benefits. There are several different ways to make reducing the amount of added sugar in your diet a lot simpler. Making fundamental changes to your diet, exercise, and sleep patterns can assist with beating cravings and creating a healthier lifestyle.
You may discover that your symptoms are worse at certain times of the day, such as between meals. Stress may also trigger cravings for sugar, so you may find that your symptoms feel worse during times of stress.
Contact Trifocus Fitness Academy
Having a good understanding of your nutrition is vital to good health and wellness. Check out our Specialised Nutrition Course to see what else you can learn about nutrition.
