Ah sugar, that devilish little ingredient that is just tempting enough to make you skip your salad in favor of double fudge brownies. When you have a sweet tooth, the thought of giving refined sugar up for good doesn’t just seem terrible, it’s practically impossible.
On average, Americans consume about 17 teaspoons of sugar a day—or 57 pounds of added sugar a year. For reference, men are only recommended to have nine teaspoons a day, while women and children are recommended to have even less at no more than six teaspoons daily.
Here are five life-changing things that happen to your body when you stop eating added sugar:
1. You will look younger
Studies show that those who reduce their sugar intake improve their complexion. Acne starts to diminish and collagen production increases, which can take years off of your complexion. Quitting sugar could be the cheapest skincare product you invest in.
2. You’ll cool your body
If you suffer from symptoms of chronic inflammation in your body, reducing sugar is one of the top recommendations for an anti-inflammatory diet. With that being said you might find yourself feeling less tired, agitated, achy, and more content.
3. You’ll improve your mental health
If you struggle with mental health issues like depression, those sweet treats you keep indulging in might not be doing you any favors. Research shows that diets high in sugar are linked to higher levels of depression and anxiety.
4. You’ll lose weight
When you stop eating sugar, you will eventually stop craving it. You will suddenly find that those donuts your coworker brought into the office don’t seem super tempting. You’ll have more energy as well.
And fewer cravings plus more energy equals less overindulging and more motivation to exercise, which is a recipe for weight loss.
5. You’ll prevent diabetes
Did you know that recent research concluded that one in ten Americans have been diagnosed with diabetes? Monitoring your sugar intake can decrease your risk of diabetes.
Are these benefits enough to convince you to lay off the sweets? If you want to know more about what reducing refined sugar in your diet could do for your individual health, talk to your healthcare provider.
The effects of added sugar intake — higher blood pressure, inflammation, weight gain, diabetes, and fatty liver disease — are all linked to an increased risk for heart attack and stroke," says Dr. Hu
24 teaspoons of added sugar per day is too much, then what is the right amount? It's hard to say, since sugar is not a required nutrient in your diet. The Institute of Medicine, which sets Recommended Dietary Allowances, or RDAs, has not issued a formal number for sugar.
Subtracting added sugar
Reading food labels is one of the best ways to monitor your intake of added sugar. Look for the following names for added sugar and try to either avoid, or cut back on the amount or frequency of the foods where they are found:
brown sugar
corn sweetener
corn syrup
fruit juice concentrates
high-fructose corn syrup
honey
invert sugar
malt sugar
molasses
Total sugar, which includes added sugar, is often listed in grams. Note the number of grams of sugar per serving as well as the total number of servings. "It might only say 5 grams of sugar per serving, but if the normal amount is three or four servings, you can easily consume 20 grams of sugar and thus a lot of added sugar," says Dr. Hu.
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