Why Should You Quit Sugar?
Did you know like drugs, sugar can be addictive as well? Yes! It’s scientifically proven. Sugary foods share similarities with drugs, such as alcohol, cocaine, or heroin. Besides, too much sugar causes chronic issues, including heart disease, diabetes, among other chronic infections. It may be time for you to quit sugar!
Why You Need to Quit Sugar
If you want to quit sugar, the first thing is to avoid sugary foods. Although this is difficult considering sugar is almost everywhere, even in non-sugary foods like pasta sauces, salad dressings, and bread. The benefits of quitting sugar are:
- Your body will receive a constant supply of healthy energy, instead of “sugar highs” and crashes
- It’s easier to deal with weight management if you’re not addicted to sugar
- You will have better focus, mental clarity, energy, mood, skin and sleep
- Reduced chances of inflammation
Effects of Sugar
As mentioned, sugar causes severe illness if not regulated. Most people think the only effect of sugar is a toothache or cavity, which is not true. According to studies, a third of consumed calories originate from sugar and white flour.
This creates a cycle whereby the body asks for an initial high sugar level, and then it crashes it, then you crave more to pick you back up, which leads to more sugar consumption. If you do not get this series of high and low fluctuations under control, it may stress your adrenals, making you moody, anxious, and exhausted.
Another effect of sugar is that it prohibits vitamin C from entering the white blood cells, which lowers your immunity. Also, more sugar leads to less production of white blood cells, which makes you less immune.
In addition, sugar stimulates the pancreas to secrete insulin, which then excites the liver to produce triglycerides. Triglycerides can cause stroke, obesity, heart disease and many more health complications. Excess insulin can also cause hormone imbalance and skin conditions like acne.
Similarities Between Sugar and Drugs
Perhaps you know the obvious health implication of associating your body with drugs. If that is so, a toothache or cavity may not worry you much compared to substance abuse. But what people don’t know, sugar cravings and drug addiction are similar.
- They both flood the brain with Dopamine
- Both have powerful cravings
- They activate the same region of the brain
- Both have withdrawal effects
- Contain toxic elements which are harmful to your body
The correlation between sugar and drug addiction is not a myth but a reality. The only difference is that most drugs are illegal while for sugar, it’s readily available in different forms and processed foods.
But thankfully, you can quit sugar through a combination of exercises, reduced sugar intake (start reading food labels!), eating balanced diets, and drinking lots of water daily.