Lovers of sweets justify their addiction because the glucose in this product is vital for the body since it provides energy, stimulates mental activity, and fights stress. On the one hand, one cannot but agree with such arguments.
On the other hand, sugar is called the “white death” for a reason. By consuming refined sugar every day, we are slowly but surely killing our bodies.
But the daily rate of glucose can be obtained by including complex carbohydrates in the diet, which are found in cereals, vegetables and fruits. In addition, you can replace refined sugar with unrefined brown sugar, which contains B vitamins and minerals.
How much sugar can you consume per day?
It is enough for an adult to consume 20 – 25 g of sugar (4 – 5 tsp) per day to provide the body with energy. The maximum daily sugar intake should not exceed 50 g (10 tsp).
For children, the norm of sugar is 15 g per day, which corresponds to 3 tsp.
It is important to consider that these norms include sugar contained in natural products in the form of complex compounds. In contrast, the regular white sugar for us should be completely abandoned.
And if you think that drinking 200 ml of your favourite sugary carbonated drink or eating half a bun a day, you are within the normal range; you are mistaken. Refined sugar is poison, no matter how much you consume. Therefore, we mean the sugar in natural products, primarily fruits and vegetables, speaking about the glucose rate.
So why is sugar harmful if consumed in unlimited quantities? Why is this particular product called “sweet death”?
The harm of refined sugar to the body
Glucose promotes calcium leaching. Therefore, the bones of those with a sweet tooth become fragile over time, fraught with frequent fractures.
Calcium is also essential for healthy teeth. If you abuse sweets, the tooth enamel becomes thinner, caries appear, which destroys the teeth from the inside.
Excess glucose is a common cause of vitamin deficiency. And this is not surprising because the “sugared” body cannot fully assimilate vitamins and minerals supplied with food.
Dehydration of tissues, leading to disruption of the functioning of internal organs, is another consequence of the uncontrolled use of sugar-containing products.
Skin ageing and premature ageing are problems for those who cannot find the strength to say no to cakes, chocolate and soda.
More sugar – more extra pounds, which can ultimately lead to obesity, in which the internal organs “float” with fat, and this is fraught with serious disruptions in the work of the whole organism.
Flatulence, colic, and diarrhea – all these pathological conditions result from excess sugar in the body.
Large amounts of glucose in the blood lead to increased insulin production, which leads to diabetes.
High blood pressure, blockage of blood vessels and heart failure can also result from a sweet tooth.
Sugar stimulates the production of dopamine and serotonin – hormones of joy and pleasure; therefore, it is with sweets that many “seize” their problems. But such a way out of difficult situations leads to depression since the feeling of satisfaction from the eaten bar of chocolate does not last long. In contrast, the problems do not disappear anywhere but only accumulate.
Finally, excessive consumption of sweets leads to psychological dependence, which is quite difficult to get rid of.
Thus, avoiding refined sugar is the first step towards a healthy life. If you still doubt this, we suggest doing a little experiment and giving up sugar for just one month. What changes this will lead to, we will consider further.
Results of quitting sugar
After two days of cutting out sugar, you will notice the following changes:
- The intestinal motility will improve, and the digestive process will normalize; as a result, you will get rid of constipation/diarrhea, bloating, and gas production.
- Mood swings, irritability and anxiety, which torment the sweet tooth, even for no apparent reason, will disappear (it is necessary to justify the excessive love for sweets somehow, coming up with all sorts of reasons for anxiety, which a piece of chocolate or vanilla cake helps to cope with).
- If deprived of sweets, children who refuse normal food and throw tantrums will become calmer and begin to eat vegetables, fruits, and cereals, since two days are enough, albeit insignificant, but changes in taste buds. But for these two days, parents will have to be patient to resist the child’s demands to give him their favourite candy.
Weekly abstinence from sugar promises you the following changes:
- The condition of the skin will improve, which will acquire a natural colour, elasticity and firmness. In addition, the oily shine of the skin will disappear, and the puffy circles under the eyes will diminish.
- You will feel a surge of strength and energy, get rid of chronic fatigue because your body will go into a mode of independent maintenance of the required sugar level, and will not spend additional internal resources to adjust to the chaotic supply of sugar from the outside and surges of glucose.
- Sugar triggers the production of cortisol (the stress hormone), which causes sleep disturbances. Therefore, the rejection of sugar-containing foods after seven days will affect sleep quality: you will fall asleep faster, sleep better, and wake up well-slept and rested.
After 10 days of sugar-free life, you will experience the following transformations:
- The amount of bad cholesterol in the blood will decrease. Therefore, the load on the cardiovascular system will decrease, which will lead to the normalization of blood pressure and a decrease in the risk of stroke and heart attack. And it’s worth giving up sweets, especially because heart disease ranks first among the causes of death!
- You will lose 1 – 2 kg and will be able to keep the result obtained if you show willpower and give up high-calorie sweet desserts.
After a month of working on yourself and giving up sugar, you will not only consolidate the results obtained but also take on new peaks, among which:
- Rejuvenation of the skin, which will acquire an even complexion and a healthy appearance. In addition, acne will disappear.
- Getting rid of 3 – 8 kg without exhausting diets and high physical exertion (but this does not mean that having given up sugar, you can switch to uncontrolled consumption of fried meat and forget about training).
- Improving brain activity. The fact is that excessive consumption of sugar complicates the intercellular exchange of information, resulting in new information being more difficult to assimilate and old information being reproduced.
- Normalizing hormonal levels and increasing libido by reducing the production of insulin, which suppresses the synthesis of testosterone – the hormone responsible for sexual desire in men!
The exclusion of sugar-containing foods from the diet will lead to an increase in the number of beneficial bacteria living in the intestines, which will have a beneficial effect on the state of immunity and the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
What can replace sugar?
This question first arises for those who have decided to give up sugar. Here are the most affordable and useful products to help you survive the overwhelming desire to return to the “sweet” life.
- Honey is a healthy and aromatic product that is a natural sweetener.
- Stevia is a low-calorie sweet herb enriched with vitamins and amino acids (sold as syrup and tablets).
- Spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, almonds, vanilla pods.
- Dried fruits: dried apricots, dates, figs, raisins.
- Maple syrup.
- Citrus fruits: lemons, oranges, tangerines.
- Fresh fruits and sweetish vegetables (beets, carrots).
- Berries.
- Barley malt extract.
Having eliminated sugar from the diet, give up fast food, canned products, and semi-finished products to bring maximum benefit to the body and make your body beautiful and fit. Look for sources of pleasure in healthy foods, outdoor walks, and exercise! Remember that a positive attitude, faith in yourself and a good mood are the keys to the success of any undertaking!
