Five benefits of eliminating sugar from your diet
Love it or hate it, but you cannot ignore it- sugar is one such ingredient that has earned a mixed reputation, at best. Although science has found and concluded that a limited intake of sugar (especially naturally occurring ones) is mostly fine for you, excess of sweetness could be detrimental for your health. Here's how cutting out sugar from your diet will help you.
With various natural and processed foods containing different types and proportions of sugar, confusion surrounding its consumption is rather natural. Here are some common myths about sugar: 1) Consumption of sugar leads to hyperactivity. Rubbish. 2) Fruit is bad as it contains too much sugar. No. 3) "Sugar-free" is better. It's just another label. 4) Sugar is main cause of diabetes. Not even close.
High sugar in your diet naturally leads to high sugar in your bloodstream. And guess what? High levels of sugar in your bloodstream set up a molecular domino effect called glycation- just a fancy term that implies hindrance in the repairing of your skin's collagen, the protein that keeps your skin looking plump. Further, excess sugar also leads to reduced skin-elasticity and early wrinkles.
Increased insulin levels (owing to excess sugar intake) can put up fat cells all over the body, including the notorious belly region. Replacing refined carbs and sugary foods in your diet with healthy fats can help keep your insulin levels in check. In short, with lesser sugar intake, you will see decreased hunger, greater metabolism, and much faster weight loss process.
Obesity is a major cause of diabetes. By helping you reduce weight, lower sugar intake will also reduce your risk of type-2 diabetes. Not just that, taking lots of fast-digesting carbs (like sugar) requires the pancreas to release lots of insulin, thus overtaxing insulin-producing cells, causing them to malfunction, eventually leading to diabetes. So, lower your sugar-intake to reduce your risk of diabetes.
Simple carbs such as added sugars enter your bloodstream quickly, and are digested really fast. This means that once they are metabolized, you will witness a sudden drop in your energy. But when you eat foods rich in protein and healthy fat instead, such as a handful of almonds, you will get a steadier stream of energy that will last much longer.
Research suggests that added sugars can take a massive toll on your heart health. A 2014 study revealed that people who consumed 17-21% of their daily calories from sweet sources had a 38% higher risk of dying from heart disease compared with those who kept their added sugar intake to 8% of their daily calories. So, bid goodbye to those cookies and donuts already!
Follow these simple tips while trying to cut out sugar from your diet: 1) Don't go all out - reduce sugar from your diet in a slow fashion. 2) Read labels properly while buying grocery. 3) Completely avoid simple carbs and artificial sweeteners. 4) Avoid excessively sugary drinks. 5) Include more of whole foods (such as veggies, fruits, nuts, and seeds) in your diet.
