Data suggests that daily sugar intake for 90% of Americans regularly exceeds the Dietary Guidelines' recommendation, a statistic that illustrates just how much sugar we consume. This intake contributes to obesity and can increase our risk for heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, depression and even some types of cancer.
Significantly reducing or cutting out sugar is a smart move for everyone, regardless of age and health status, but this doesn't mean cutting out all forms of sugar. Natural sugars found in fruit, some dairy products and some vegetables come packaged with other nutrients like fiber, vitamins and minerals, and foods with natural sugars aren't associated with the health risks above. In fact, they are considered important components of a healthy diet when consumed in appropriate amounts.
Instead, added sugars (the ones added to foods during processing, production or cooking) are the ones to target. Added sugars come in many forms, including refined versions like brown sugar or corn syrup and more natural-sounding versions like honey and maple syrup. But no matter the form, the result is the same. Added sugars contribute calories while providing few, if any, nutrients, which makes them unnecessary and harmful in excess. So, what happens when you cut out added sugars? Turns out, the effects go way beyond improvements to weight and blood glucose.
8 Things That Can Happen When You Cut Out Added Sugar
1. You'll lose a few pounds
Eating the same foods, but without the added sugars normally in them, means your total caloric intake decreases. One study suggests this can mean a 14% decrease in total calories, which may mean you consume 280 fewer calories when based on a 2,000-calorie day. Keep this up for a month, and you may lose 2 to 3 pounds just by cutting added sugars.
2. You'll Decrease Your Diabetes Risk
Cutting added sugars makes it easier to manage weight and to keep blood glucose levels within healthy parameters, both of which lower your diabetes risk. This stems from the fact that added sugars help to fuel a cyclical cascade of effects that cause metabolic and hormonal changes to increase risk of diabetes. Added sugars contribute excess calories; excess calorie intake leads to weight gain; weight gain, along with higher blood glucose levels from consuming added sugars, leads to insulin resistance; insulin resistance leads to more weight gain. So, cutting added sugars is a key factor in stopping this cycle.
3. Your skin's aging process will slow.
Cutting out excess added sugar and keeping blood glucose within healthy parameters may slow the rate at which skin ages. A high-sugar diet leads to the production of AGEs (advanced glycation end products), and AGEs are associated with acceleration in the skin's aging process. In fact, research suggests that decreasing sugar intake may slow the aging effects that AGEs have on skin aging by up to 25%.
4. You'll be less likely to get sick.
Chronic inflammation is an unhealthy and abnormal immune reaction in the body that leads to an overworked immune system, and added sugars are a key diet component known to exacerbate this type of inflammation. Cutting out added sugars can help minimize existing inflammation, as well as preventing new inflammation. This improves overall immune function, so the body can effectively fight off pathogens, reducing your susceptibility to illness.
5. Sugar cravings will decrease.
Frequent intake of sugary foods and beverages fuels more cravings. This is because sugar triggers the release of dopamine, which stimulates the brain's reward center, similar to how addictive drugs impact the brain. Because of this, it's not unusual to experience mild withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, anxiety and greater-than-normal sugar cravings for a few days when you cut sugar out. Ride this out for a few days though, and cravings for sugary, high-carb foods will begin to decrease significantly. To minimize side effects, consider cutting added sugar intake back gradually rather than going cold turkey.
6. You'll lower your risk for depression.
Improved psychological health is another perk to expect when you cut out sugar. This is because higher intakes of added sugar are associated with a significantly greater likelihood of experiencing episodes of depression, anxiety and other mental health issues. Researchers think this stems from inflammation in the brain that is triggered by sugar's higher glycemic index, but it's important to point out though that research suggests that the intake of added sugars, not natural sugars or total carbohydrates, appears to be the primary driver.
7. Appetite and hunger will decrease.
Leptin is a key hormone that regulates appetite. It tells the brain when to eat, when to stop eating and when to speed up or slow down metabolism. But when obesity and insulin resistance are present, research suggests the body produces less leptin and doesn't use it as effectively. Improving glucose management slowly restores leptin activity in the body, and cutting out added sugars is a key component for making this happen.
8. You'll have more energy.
An increase in overall energy is one of the more immediate perks you may notice and is largely due to experiencing fewer highs and lows in blood sugar. While sugar may give an initial rush and burst of energy, what follows is a major drop in glucose, leaving you tired, lethargic and a little hangry. Replacing those added sugar calories with complex carbs, as well as foods with natural sugars and fiber like fruit, provides a longer, steadier supply of energy. Also adding to this energy may be the fact that you're getting longer, more restful sleep, an effect seen in individuals who consume less added sugar and more fiber.
This article was written Carolyn Williams, PhD, RD from EatingWell and was legally licensed through the Industry Dive publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@industrydive.com.