What happens if we stop eating sugar: 7 reasons to eliminate it from our diet

What sugars to avoid?

It should be noted that not all sugars are harmful, such as those contained naturally in food. To damage our health is, in particular, refined sugar, it is in fact a chemically treated sugar that causes addiction just like a drug. This type of sugar does not refer only to what we put into coffee every day, but also that one we find in the biscuits and baked goods we buy in shops and supermarkets. For this it becomes difficult to completely eliminate refined sugar, but it is important to know what changes in our body when we stop consuming sugar, to appreciate its benefits and eliminate it or reduce its consumption to a minimum.

1.Lighter and brighter skin

Our skin also benefits from the lack of sugar in fact, after about a month, it will be brighter and with less wrinkles. Sugar, in fact, prematurely ages the skin due to a phenomenon called "glycation" which damages and oxidizes the cells, causing dry skin, wrinkles and dull skin. Furthermore, sugar hinders the production of collagen, a fundamental element for an elastic and strong skin. After a few days without sugar you will already notice a more hydrated skin, reducing dark circles and skin imperfections.

2. Weight loss with benefits on your figure

As we anticipated, one of the benefits of a diet without refined sugar is weight loss, for several reasons. Sugar blocks leptin, a hormone that is responsible for a sense of satiety: by consuming sweet foods we will never feel satisfied and we will always be hungry. In addition, excess sugars are converted into fats by the liver, and accumulate, increasing our weight. By eliminating sugar you will be able to lose weight faster and your blood sugar level will be more stable, leading us to consume healthier foods.

3. More energy and less sleepiness during the day

During the day it often happens to feel a strong drowsiness, this is mainly due to the glycemic peak caused by the consumption of sugars. When we consume a food with a high glycemic value, such as pasta or bread, as soon as it is digested, it causes an increase in blood sugar level. In this case the body responds by producing more insulin, overloading the pancreas. Reducing sugar consumption to a minimum will help us to regain more energy and prevent possible brain damage that can affect our memory.

4. The risks to heart and liver are reduced

Reducing sugar consumption also helps prevent risks for the heart, in fact sugar can have effects on blood pressure and on fat and cholesterol in the blood, all risk factors for the cardiovascular system. On the liver, however, an excess of sugar can even be toxic, and have effects similar to those of alcohol. With excessive sugar consumption, the risk of suffering from fatty liver would also increase: the increase in transaminases could in fact be linked to this liver damage. When excess sugar reaches the liver, it is transformed into fat and insulin resistance intensifies: the cells become resistant to insulin which will be produced in large quantities by the pancreas causing hypertension and metabolic syndrome, increasing the risk of diabetes and diseases affecting the circulatory system.

5. Good mood increases

Even if the first days without sugar can cause real withdrawal symptoms, after a few days of free sugar diet your mood will improve. In fact, foods rich in sugars act negatively on serotonin, the good mood hormone. Because of this, excessive consumption of sugar also increases the symptoms of anxiety, instead of calm them down, and can lead to depression. Eliminating it or drastically reducing it from our diet will therefore make us feel calmer and more energetic.

6. Avoiding sugar promotes fertility

The foods we consume are also important for our hormonal balance and, therefore, also for fertility. Consuming too many refined sugars causes an excessive release of insulin that can cause resistance in the ovaries: the consequence is that there is a greater risk of suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome but also of causing damage to the ova. The reduction of this food could therefore also benefit from the hormonal point of view.

7.The performance of our body improves

In general, however, eliminating sugar from our diet increases our physical performance: its excessive consumption, in fact, causes a demineralization of teeth and bones, with harmful effects also on the joints. It also causes muscle inflammation, chronic infections and diverticulitis. Sugar also nourishes bad bacteria, weakening the immune system, and can also cause indigestion, irritable bowel and constipation. Instead, removing the sugars from our diets promotes the wellbeing of our intestines, strengthening the bacterial flora. So instead of sweet foods, let’s consume yogurt, which works as a prebiotic, and lactic ferments.