What happens to the body when you give up sugar for a month?
Ankita Ghoshal Bisht, dietician in charge at Primus Super Speciality Hospital, stated that numerous changes may take place in your body when you entirely abstain from sugar for a month.
Our modern lifestyle is now largely characterised by our dependence on sugar. Sugar has wormed its way into every area of our diet, from sweetened beverages and processed foods to our everyday treats. However, this excessive sugar consumption has negative health impacts, such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and other long-term illnesses. As a result, it is essential to be aware of the harm caused by sugar and to choose purposefully to consume less of it for our general wellbeing.
Should someone think about entirely cutting off sugar from their diet in this circumstance? In addition, what physical changes may one initially experience if they abstain from sugar for a month? To learn more, we consulted with professionals. Ankita Ghoshal Bisht, the dietician in charge at Primus Super Speciality Hospital, said that when you entirely abstain from sugar for a month, your body may go through a number of changes.
*Blood sugar levels are improved: Eliminating sugar will help stabilise your blood sugar levels and lessen the spikes and crashes that can deplete your energy and lower your mood.
Sugar is a significant factor in calorie consumption that is excessive for weight reduction. If you stop eating it, you might lose weight, especially if you were consuming a lot of sugary foods and drinks.
*Reduced cravings: Sugar can be addicting, therefore cutting it out of your diet over time may help you experience a decrease in cravings.
*Better energy: Reducing sugar consumption can result in more consistent energy levels throughout the day.
*Better dental health: Sugar is a major contributor to tooth decay, so cutting back on it can help your teeth.
*The potential for enhanced skin health: Some people claim that cutting back on sugar results in smoother skin and less acne.
Dr. Aniket Mule, consultant, internal medicine, Wockhardt Hospitals, Mira Road, concurred that reducing added sugar intake is a wise strategy to reduce blood sugar and insulin levels, even if only temporarily. “If you are overweight, you run a higher risk of having high cholesterol, particularly triglycerides, a type of blood fat. Cut less on added sugar to lower your calorie and weight intake, which may help your cholesterol. However, it goes beyond simply decreasing weight. People who had less than 20% of their calories from added sugars had lower triglycerides, even when they were the same weight, he noted.
Dr. Mule stressed that you will quickly lose these advantages if you abstain from added sugar for 30 days only to return to a high-sugar diet when the challenge is over.
Dr. Abhijit Bhograj, Consultant, Endocrinologist, Diabetes and Thyroid, Manipal Hospital, Hebbal, Bangalore, emphasised the same when he noted that cutting down sugar for a month provides a number of benefits, but only in the short term. “We need to make these goals long-term in order to receive long-term benefits.”
However, according to Bisht, whether or not it is advised to entirely cut out sugar for one month would depend on your own health objectives and circumstances. “Reducing added sugars is typically advised for preserving overall health for most people. It can be difficult and not always necessary to totally cut out all sugar from your diet, she added, so it’s vital to find a balanced strategy that works for you.
*Natural sweeteners: Low-calorie sweeteners including erythritol, monk fruit extract, and stevia can be used as substitutes for sugar. The effect of these sweeteners on blood sugar levels is negligible.
*Fresh fruits: Fruits contain fibre, vitamins, and minerals in addition to natural sugars. They can sate your sweet tooth while offering nutritious advantages.
*Spices: You can flavour and sweeten food without using sugar by using spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla.
*Dark chocolate: Choose dark chocolate that includes at least 70% cocoa because it has less sugar than milk chocolate.
*Non-sweetened beverages: Instead of sugary drinks like soda or juice, choose water, herbal tea, or unsweetened coffee.
