8 Things that Happen when you Quit Sugar

Having a regular 12-ounce can of Coke is like consuming 39 g of sugar, which is equivalent to 9 teaspoons of it.

Adding excess sugar to the diet can never be a good habit. Sugar, the white refined stuff, can harm your health in ways more than one. So when you quit sugar, you are sure to experience a lot of positive changes both physically and mentally. Following are the things that can happen when you take sugar off your menu.

Sugar is like poison to the skin. When you start eating foods with loads of sugar, your skin faces the brunt of your unhealthy diet. Sugar is also the main culprit behind aggravating skin problems like acne. So quit sugar and the first thing that you will start noticing is a better skin appearance.

As we all know, too much sugar in the diet means consuming extra calories, which often results in excess weight gain. So when you stop eating extra sugar, it becomes much easier to lose 'extra' pounds and maintain a healthy weight.

Although sugar is a source of energy it does not mean that an excess intake of sugar will boost energy levels. The so-called 'burst of energy' experienced after eating sugar is followed by a sharp dip in the energy levels, leaving you excessively tired.

In order to avoid energy highs and lows that occur all day long, quitting excess sugar from the diet is a must. Maintaining adequate energy levels throughout the day becomes much easier, once you minimize your sugar intake.

Too much sugar tends to alter the brain chemistry and causes an imbalance of neurotransmitters (serotonin, dopamine) that help regulate the mood. Therefore when you quit sugar, mood swings will become a thing of the past. With reduced intake of sugar, you will experience mood stability and better stress management and behavior throughout the day.

Too much sugar can negatively affect colon health and disturb bowel function. Too much sugar in the diet increases bowel transit time, which means foods move through the digestive tract at a faster rate, leading to diarrhea. So quitting sugar can also help restore normal bowel movement.

Sugar is extremely addictive; the more you consume it, the more you crave for it. The first step to end those sugar cravings is to avoid eating it. So, once you eliminate sugar and artificial sweeteners from your diet, sugar cravings will automatically disappear. Natural sugar in fruits will taste sweeter when you start ditching those sugar-laden sweets.

The beneficial bacteria in the intestine play a crucial role in maintaining immunity. However, excess consumption of sugar leads to proliferation of 'bad' bacteria as well as different types of fungi, in turn compromising your health. By quitting sugar, you increase the beneficial gut flora, which has a positive influence on immunity.

High sugary foods are known to trigger inflammation, which can make it difficult to cope with pain, particularly in people suffering from inflammatory conditions like arthritis. So cutting down your sugar intake can certainly help to manage pain and inflammation effectively.

What can you expect after quitting sugar? Discontinuation of sugar consumption is likely to cause withdrawal symptoms, which can be slightly difficult to handle. As far as the duration of withdrawal symptoms is concerned, it will vary depending upon how long you have been eating excess sugar on a regular basis.

However, in general, the symptoms given below are intense in the first week and usually do not last for more than a month. They include:

• Negative feelings such as anger, depression, and anxiety
• Irritability
• Sugar cravings
• Muscle aches
• Insomnia
• Appetite fluctuations

• Headache
• Fatigue
• Dizziness

Of course, it is not advised to completely avoid sugar, since it occurs naturally in foods.

You need to focus on limiting the intake of white refined sugar that is highly processed and added in large quantities in a variety of sweets such as cakes, pastries, doughnuts, chocolate muffins, and crackles.

You should also stay away from sugary drinks such as carbonated beverages as they are full of unhealthy sugar. Avoiding these sugar-laden food items can considerably minimize your excess sugar intake, thereby improving overall health.