You Lose Weight
Even within the short span of a week, avoiding sugar led to improvements in your body composition. By the end of the week, you will not only lose weight but also see a decrease in your body fat percentage. This is bound to happen because most foods that are high in sugar are also high in calories and fat. Cut these foods out, and you immediately cut out extra calories from your diet.
You Have More Energy
The best part about cutting out sugar is how much more energy you'll have! When you eat sugar, it’s absorbed very quickly into your bloodstream and your blood sugar spikes rapidly. This is why you feel a boost in energy when you eat a sugary snack. Sensing this rise, your body secretes insulin to clear the sugar out of your bloodstream and push it into your cells. However, because your blood sugar rises so quickly, insulin may overshoot and bring your blood sugar level down too low. This results in an energy crash.
You Will Feel Happier
The first few days on a sugar-free diet are rough and you may struggle with your mood. However, once you got over this initial hump, you'll have never felt better! Sugar is actually addictive and when you stop eating it, your body experiences withdrawal symptoms. This is why you feel so terrible initially. The blood sugar spikes and crashes that come with consuming sugar can do a number on your mood. One minute you’re feeling a rush of energy and the next you feel irritable and fatigued. Sugar also disrupts brain chemicals that can regulate moods such as dopamine and serotonin. This can increase the risk of depression, anxiety and low mood. So while consuming sugar may make you feel good at the moment, in the long term, it can actually make your mood worse.
You'll Be Less Hungry and Have Fewer Cravings
Feeling hangry will be a thing of the past when you stop eating sugar! As previously mentioned, sugar causes rapid changes in your blood sugar levels. This can cause many of the typical hangry symptoms such as irritation, hunger and dizziness. Foods that are high in sugar also contain few nutrients. If you eat a lot of these foods, your body won’t get the nutrients it needs and you remain hungry and undernourished. This can lead to increased appetite and cravings. The addictive nature and high palatability of sugar can further disrupt hunger levels and exacerbate cravings. It is a vicious cycle that you do not want to get caught in!
Your Skin Improves
One of the most unexpected effects of avoiding sugar is how good your skin will look! Consuming a diet high in sugar creates inflammation in the body. And if you already struggle with inflammatory skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis, sugar will only exacerbate these conditions. The rise in blood sugar that occurs when you eat sugar causes the body to make more oil or sebum. This increases the risk of acne breakouts. Sugar also makes your skin age faster by damaging the elastin fibres and collagen underneath your skin, leading to premature wrinkling!
Removing sugar from your diet is definitely worth it! You may feel crummy at first, but once your body adjusts, you will feel healthier and more vibrant. If you want to embark on a sugar detox for 7 days, make sure to eat whole, unprocessed foods and consume adequate amounts of protein and fat. This type of diet will keep you satiated, prevent cravings and nourish your body. Gonna try it? Let us know how it goes for you!
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