Quitting white and brown sugar has many health benefits. What are they?
These benefits include weight loss, reduced belly fat, improved skin appearance, increased energy levels, and improved concentration. It also reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, and fatty liver disease, while stabilizing mood and reducing frequent hunger pangs.
Giving up refined sugar is one of the best decisions you will ever make for your overall health. Not only will it help you lose weight and manage your blood sugar, it will also keep a host of diseases under control.
Here are all the benefits of removing this “silent killer” from your diet:
1- Weight loss
Saying goodbye to sugar can help you shed excess weight in a sustainable way. If you can continue to restrict your sugar intake, you can maintain your weight loss for life and become the best you can be.
Reducing refined sugar from your diet means that you no longer eat foods that contain empty calories or are low in fiber such as cookies, bread, pasta, etc.
Sugar can be addictive and may lead to overeating. Giving up refined sugar also means you take fewer snack breaks or cut back on calories, which can lead to weight loss.
2- Get rid of belly fat
Foods high in sugar can lead to increased deposits of dangerous visceral fat around the heart and abdomen, which may increase the risk of many chronic diseases, according to a study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.
Experts say sugar can trigger an inflammatory response that puts your body into a state of stress, which causes it to start storing fat in and around your belly. Sugar and other refined products raise your body’s insulin levels, which causes your body to store fat. Giving up sugar is one of the best things you can do to get rid of that pesky belly fat.
3- Slowing down skin aging
Cutting back on sugar in your diet may have unexpected benefits for your skin’s appearance. Research suggests that cutting back on sugar is linked to younger-looking skin because it slows down skin aging. A diet high in sugar causes the body to produce substances that are linked to faster skin aging.
4- Feel more energetic
One of the first few changes you’ll feel after cutting out or significantly reducing your sugar intake is increased energy levels. When you cut back on refined sugar and snacks, your sugar levels become more balanced, which helps you maintain a more consistent mood and energy levels throughout the day. You’ll feel less sleepy, and you’ll experience mental clarity.
5- No drowsiness after meals
If you feel sleepy after meals, especially after lunch, cutting out sugar can make this a thing of the past. Eating a diet low in sugar and high in fiber and protein will ensure you stay alert even after lunch when your blood glucose levels are more balanced. Eating foods with a low glycemic index is associated with a steady energy level and mood throughout the day.
6- Better concentration
When you feel less sleepy and more energetic, your focus and productivity increase, which can lead to better management of your day, and more quality time for you and your family.
7- Reducing the risk of fatty liver
Not indulging in sugary foods can greatly improve liver health and reduce the risk of fatty liver disease. Abstaining from sugar can help reduce liver fat and improve internal organ function.
8- Fewer hunger pangs
Refined sugar is broken down quickly in the body, which can cause a spike in blood sugar. Eating foods high in sugar can make you feel hungry more often, as it is digested quickly. The more calories you eat, the more weight you gain. By removing refined sugar from your diet, your calorie intake is restricted.
9- Reduced risk of heart attack
Eating less sugar can also reduce your risk of diabetes. Diabetes can increase your risk of high blood pressure or high cholesterol, which can increase your chances of having a heart attack or stroke, according to the National Institutes of Health.