What will happen to the body if you give up sweets?

Ultrasound doctor of the family clinic network

Someone calls sugar “white death”, someone “drug”, and someone generally says that they cannot imagine their life without sugar. Many people are accustomed to believe that if they do not consume pure sugar, then they have nothing to worry about, and yet sugar is part of more than 80% of foods.

Moreover, it is even found in foods with which we associate exceptionally salty taste sensations. Sugar should be understood as a generic name for short-chain carbohydrates that impart a sweet taste to the product (sucrose, fructose, glucose, maltose, maltodextrin, sorbitol).

What does sugar do to our body?

This and other questions were answered by an expert – an ultrasound doctor of the Semeynaya network of clinics Anna Viktorovna Kupchikhina.

• Improves mood stimulates the production of dopamine, and adrenaline rises in children.

• After consuming sugar in the human brain, reactions occur like to cocaine, and addiction, by the way, is no less.

• Causes oxidative stress (an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants in the body), disrupts mitochondria and leads to energy deficits.

• Depletes the reserves of nutrients in the body, since the body needs these elements to assimilate sugar.

• Insulin resistance develops and changes the structure of the liver, causing obesity. This affects the deterioration of bile outflow, as a result of an increase in the level of lipids and cholesterol, the risk of developing gallstone disease increases. A typical and striking manifestation of impaired insulin sensitivity of cells is bright “red dots” on the body or vascular angiomas. 

• Provokes inflammation in the digestive tract and mucous membranes.

• Violates the intestinal microflora. The state of your microbiota is the very “zoo” in the gut, which rejoices and multiplies, fueled by glucose. Most often it is yeast. The more there are, the stronger your addiction.  

• Slows down metabolism.

• Promotes the deposition of adipose tissue in the subcutaneous tissue and organs.  

• Reduces immunity.

• Slows down the work of the brain, reduces its ability to study and memorize information, concentrate. This is because excess sugar destroys the neural connections in the brain.

• Destroys tooth enamel, caries forms.

What are the benefits of avoiding sweets?

The benefits of avoiding the use of refined sugar and products containing it have been confirmed by studies by doctors in Europe, Russia, and the United States.

• Effective prevention of diabetes mellitus.

• Weight control is facilitated – sweet food saturates for a short time, hunger occurs 30-40 minutes after eating a cake, and if you choose lean meat with a portion of vegetable salad, which has 3-4 times fewer calories, appetite will appear in 2-3 hours.

• The risk of developing hypertension decreases, the vessels retain their elasticity longer, which facilitates the work of the heart and the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the brain.

• People who do not abuse sweets stay physically active longer and retain clarity of thought.

• Food addiction will disappear. You will no longer seize stress or overeat out of boredom and learn to treat eating as energy and caring for your body.

• In adolescence, the number of skin rashes decreases, and in adulthood, the complexion improves, and later wrinkles appear.

• Sleep will become stronger and calmer. Blood sugar spikes are one of the most common causes of insomnia. After consuming sweets, the amount of insulin in the body first increases sharply, and then also sharply decreases. This activates the production of the “stress hormone” – cortisol. The person becomes more restless and sleeps worse.

• The gut will work better: avoiding sugar strengthens the digestive system, increases the number of beneficial bacteria in the gut, and rebuilds mucous membranes. 

• A surge of vivacity and strength will appear: refined sugar leads to a thiamine deficiency. This is an important vitamin, without which our body cannot complete the metabolism of carbohydrates and receive the required amount of energy. As a result, we get tired much faster, and our activity decreases. Secondly, the frequent abuse of sweets leads to hypoglycemia – a decrease in blood sugar levels. Symptoms of this condition include dizziness, weakness, and lethargy.

Why is it difficult to give up sweets?

Refined sugar is very addictive. This is clearly demonstrated by images of the brain (MRI), which show that after eating sweet food, the same parts of the brain are activated as after using drugs and alcohol. After a short time, the brain “refuses” to produce additional dopamine in sufficient quantities, requiring hyperstimulation, which is subjectively accompanied by a breakdown and apathy. With a sharp refusal from sweets, a situation of dopamine starvation arises, similar to “withdrawal” in drug addicts. A person with sugar addiction compulsively (uncontrollably) eats more food and new portions of sweets in order to regain their usual level of dopamine, which brings a sense of peace and pleasure. Sugar withdrawal symptoms: cravings for sugary and high-calorie foods, fatigue, feeling depressed or depressed, irritability and anxiety, headache, muscle pain, bloating and abdominal cramps.

It is most difficult for the female sex to limit sugar intake on the days before menstruation and while breastfeeding when estrogen levels are at their lowest. Estrogen is one of the hormones used to synthesize serotonin, which promotes good mood, restful sleep, and resistance to stress. All stimulating factors, including stress, block the action of estrogen, as a result of which the production of serotonin decreases, which forces a woman to use stimulants, as a result of which the level of serotonin decreases even more. Only good nutrition can restore normal eating behavior, estrogen levels will return to normal, the brain will be able to synthesize serotonin, and cravings for sweets and stimulants will gradually disappear.

What’s the worst thing about making a firm decision to give up sweets and other harmful things?

Disruptions, of course. Why do they happen?

• An unconscious approach, that is, you decided not to eat sweets, because it is necessary, but you do not understand why exactly.

• To use the approach “categorically not under any conditions”, thereby driving the body into panic and stress, because “categorically not” has a very negative effect on us.

• The top of the problem is being solved, not the root of the problem. If you want to give up sweets, and at the same time you are under constant stress, you will surely lose it. But if you completely change your diet, based on a difficult schedule, then breakdowns are not terrible for you.

• It is necessary to help the body in its decision to give up sweets with special additives in the form of superfoods, vitamins and minerals.

How to get rid of cravings for sweets?

Sweet cravings can occur with iron deficiency (anemia) and other deficiency conditions. Foods such as coffee, tea, alcohol, cow’s milk harm the body in case of anemia. Chromium deficiency can also trigger sugar cravings. chromium plays the role of a key that allows insulin and glucose to enter the cell. Without it, insulin resistance develops and we constantly experience a lack of energy.

We always eat exciting moments with sweetness, because we want to quickly compensate for the spent energy. And sweet is fast energy. There comes a point when this stops working, cells become insensitive to insulin, and we consume more and more sweets, which leads to the development of diabetes mellitus. It is impossible for a modern person to completely get rid of stress, but there is an opportunity to learn how to properly react to it and recover.

1. You must go to bed no later than 23:00. If you are anxious, take a shower or bath before bed.

2. Proper balanced nutrition is the main rule for getting rid of “sugar addiction”. Usually the first half of the day is the peak of activity, both mental and physical. Breakfast is the main meal of the day, and it should contain carbohydrates, healthy fats and easily digestible protein. For example, it is stupid to eat porridge on the water without everything. This will provoke breakdowns and sugar cravings.

3. During the day, you need to follow the drinking regimen.

4. Do not drive yourself to severe hunger. If brought, then you need to eat a reasonable portion of the right food. A hungry person, out of habit or to save time, can eat sweets or carbohydrate-rich foods to feel full faster. Plan your meals, always carry a “healthy” snack with you – an apple or pear, low-fat yogurt, dried fruit or nuts.

5. Physical activity during the day, vigorous exercise (recommended to start with 10 steps per day).

6. There should be no sweetness in your home, or it should lie where you cannot see it.

Give up sugar gradually!

Make a note in your head, “I want to give up sugar.” Calmly and without hysteria. Next time, when you just get bored, you no longer drag a piece of chocolate into your mouth, you will have a goal. Surely in a day or two you will encounter an irresistible desire to treat yourself to something tasty – allow yourself this without remorse and criticism. You will be surprised, but more often than not we eat sweets when we don’t even want them. It’s just a habit. Gradually, you will reduce the amount of sweets, plus the power of intention – and this habit will disappear. In fact, by ditching sugar, we are simply shifting our focus towards nutrient-rich, rich, natural foods. This reduces the total calorie content of the diet.