Mouth-watering, sugar-coated, decadent treats can be hard to resist, especially if you have a sweet tooth. While it sweet foods can be enjoyable, excess amounts of it can damage your health. Going on a sugar detox can transform your body in many ways. Here are a few ways avoiding sugar can change your body.
* Clear skin
A high-sugar diet can make you more prone to acne, according to a 2016 study published in the journal Advances in Dermatology and Allergology. "Insulin triggers elevated levels and activity of the hormone IGF-1, which has been linked with increased acne severity and sebum production," dermatologist Sonia Batra, told a news portal. Adding, "When you stop eating large amounts of sugar, your pancreas releases less insulin, which can decrease breakouts."
Many experts say the less sugar you eat the better for your skin. "Excessive sugar in the bloodstream attaches to proteins such as collagen and elastin to form harmful new molecules called advanced glycation end products, or AGEs. AGEs damage collagen and elastin, causing them to become dry and brittle, which leads to wrinkles and sagging," Batra told a news portal.
* Improves mood
If you have a weakness for the sweet stuff, it is going to be difficult for your brain to comprehend its loss when you stop consuming it. "You're experiencing the effects of acute withdrawal, similar to someone who quits smoking or drinking," Nicole Aveena, an expert in nutrition, diets and addiction, told a news portal. However, it can help improve your mood over time. Give yourself a couple of weeks to get used to it. "Sugar causes an inflammatory response in the brain, which plays a role in anxiety and depression. After a few weeks without sweets, your brain will return to baseline and your mood will even out," Aveena told a news portal.
* Weight loss
If you are looking to lose the weight, you are going to have to give up sugar for a while. A 2013 study, published in the BMJ, found those who consumed less sugar lost more weight than those who did not. "Sugar targets the pleasure centre of the brain, driving you to keep eating, even if you're not hungry," Aveena told a news portal.
However, it can do more than just make you want to eat more. "Sugar lowers testosterone and leads to higher levels of estrogen, which decreases muscle mass and increases belly fat," Mark Hyman, medical director at the Cleveland Clinic's Center for Functional Medicine, told a news portal.
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