The decision to drop sugar out of your diet can be life-changing. While it can have a dramatic impact on your lifestyle and health, quitting sugar is tough and many people cannot make a commitment to permanently cut sugar out of their diet completely
While it isn’t easy, there are some benefits that definitely make it worth it.
Sugar is an addictive substance that can give your brain a similar reaction to cocaine. Unlike hard drugs, sugar is in just about everything you eat and has been the main flavour of most of our treats and rewards since childhood.
When you quit sugar there are definitely changes that take place both physically and emotionally and it’s more than just weight loss.
You’re probably going to go through withdrawal
Sugar is addictive and most of us have an emotional relationship with sugar associating it with comfort, rewards and pleasure.
When you suddenly stop eating sugar there is sure to be a reaction.
According to Medical News Today, People who stop taking sugar in any form experience opiate withdrawal. This includes headaches, muscle aches, severe cravings, bloating, brain fog, fatigue, irritability and anxiety.
You’ll probably have better skin
Although it is addictive and you could sufferer withdrawal symptoms if you stop eating sugar, sugar is still bad for you and has a negative impact on your health.
According to Healthline, one way that sugar negatively affects your body is through the skin.
Sugar is inflammatory and can cause skin issues like pimples, rashes, pigmentation and reduce elasticity contributing to premature ageing.
When you stop eating sugar your skin could become clearer and more elastic making you look younger.
Avoiding inflammatory foods can also help ease joint pain and make other illnesses related to inflammation more manageable.
The less sugar you eat the better you sleep
While most people know that sugar is a stimulant for children and s=can keep them up when they should be sleeping, we tend to forget that the same applies to adults too.
According to obgynal.com, sugar also affects your hormones including those responsible for giving your body sleep cues.
Better sleep improves your quality of life in many ways including lifting brain fog (eventually), weight loss and being more energetic.
While most of these benefits aren’t instant, over time and when your body overcomes withdrawal, you can start reaping the rewards of a sugar-free diet.
Do you really lose weight by cutting out sugar?
One of the biggest motivations in cutting out sugar is weight loss.
While cutting sugar out won’t automatically lead to weight loss especially if you satisfy your sugar craving with carbs or other comfort foods.
However, cutting sugar out properly and replacing sugary treats with healthy foods that are high in nutrients and low in calories can help you lose weight.
Aside from preventing sugary weight gain, when you stop eating sugar you sleep better (helping you lose weight) and you feel more energised so you can participate in calorie-burning activities.