Many of us have a sweet tooth and many overindulge in sugar. Sugar is actually an addictive substance and your body can crave it and want more. Many people know all too well about sugar cravings and the intense feeling of a downer after consuming too much sugar. Whilst it may seem impossible, cutting sugar from your life can have many beneficial impacts and with the right willpower, it is possible. Even if you cannot completely cut it from your life, cutting down on this sweet substance can change your life, here’s how.
Weight Loss
Sugary foods are one of the easiest ways to gain weight. One chocolate bar can contain as many calories as we are supposed to eat in a day but because it tastes good it is difficult to say no. If you are determined to lose weight, cutting as much sugar from your diet as you can is one way to do so. There is sugar in almost anything we eat and sometimes we do not realize just how much sugar we are consuming. Next time you go food shopping, check how much sugar is in the things you buy, such as ready-made pasta sauces. Choosing to make your own could reduce the amount of sugar you are consuming. Cutting back on sugary drinks and cutting back on sugar in your hot drinks can all aid in weight loss. When you take a step back and look at how much sugar you are consuming in one day, you may be surprised.
Healthier Teeth
Sugar negatively impacts our teeth and even if you look after your teeth in every other way, sugar could ruin all your hard work and cause cavities. Cutting back on sugar can give you a healthier set of teeth and gums and minimizes the risk of bacteria build-up which can then cause plaque. The bacteria that can be found on the teeth and gums love sugar, so the more sugar you eat, the more they can feed and grow. These bacteria then release acid when feeding on this sugar, which causes tooth decay over time. If you do eat anything sugary, make sure that you brush your teeth afterward as the longer you leave it, the worse it can impact on your teeth. Brushing twice a day and attending the dentist regularly can also help in taking good care of your teeth, find out more here.
More Energy
For many, eliminating sugar from their diet can lead to more energy. Whilst at first it can be hard to kick the sugar habit as your body has become reliant on the stuff, getting through this cranky and fatigued stage allows you to be more focused and alert. If you constantly find it difficult to concentrate on situations and focus on tasks, it could be that cutting sugar from your life changes this forever. For some, this is one of the biggest benefits of cutting sugar from their diet. A change in blood sugar causes a burst of energy that is usually followed by an immediate drop, which causes you to become sluggish, so whilst it may feel like sugar is giving you more energy, the aftermath is worse.
Improves Mood
Especially for women, cutting sugar can improve mood. Women have a lot more hormonal changes to deal with than men and adding sugar into the mix can worsen the situation. Sugar affects the body in a variety of different ways and when you are craving sugar you can become irritable and moody. Combine this with the time of the month and you can become extremely hot-headed. If it has come to the point where sugar affects your mood, it may be time to cut back on the sweet stuff. Studies have also been carried out which link high-sugar diets to depression and anxiety. A healthier diet will improve your overall mental wellbeing and the state of your physical health can impact the state of your mental health.
Better Complexion
Although not the only reason for spots, sugar can have negative impacts on the skin and those who consume a lot are more likely to develop spots. This is due to the fact that an increase in blood sugar levels from a sugary treat will increase oil production and inflammation, which may play a part in developing acne. A better complexion begins with what you put into your body, not what you put on your skin. This means cutting back on sugar and drinking lots of water. This isn’t something that will happen overnight but cutting down on your sugar intake will lead to a better complexion, especially if you consume a lot of sugar, to begin with. If you are prone to spotty skin, perhaps think about your sugar intake as this may be causing or contributing to your poor complexion.
Reduces the Risk of Some Health Problems
Those who consume a lot of sugar are more likely to be overweight which brings with it many health problems including diabetes and heart disease. Whilst eating sugar, in general, does not cause diabetes, it is the effect that this has on the body which could cause it. Weight gain from consuming too much sugar increases the risk of Type 2 diabetes, so changing your lifestyle can stop this condition from occurring. There have been studies carried out that prove those with high-sugar diets are more at risk of heart disease, which is the leading cause of death for people worldwide. Furthermore, being overweight can lead to many forms of cancer, so cutting down on that sugar may actually save your life.
Cutting sugar from your life completely, or at least cutting down on the stuff dramatically has so many health benefits. For those with a poor complexion or for those who find it difficult to concentrate, cutting sugar could change your life. If you want to lose weight and reduce the risk of other health complications, consider cutting sugar from your life.
