What Happens When You Cut Sugar out of your Diet?

Sugar is a staple in the American diet, with the average person consuming half a cup or more of it every day. But what happens when you try to quit sugar? Does cutting back actually make you crave it more? And what are the effects on your brain and body? In this article, we'll explore the science behind sugar addiction and what happens when you try to break the habit.

After just 24 hours of no refined sugar, you may start to experience a drop in blood sugar levels. Your body regulates blood sugar levels through the pancreas, which releases two hormones: insulin and glucagon. When blood sugar gets too high, the pancreas releases insulin, and when it gets too low, it releases glucagon. In the first 24 hours of no sugar, blood sugar levels drop, and the pancreas releases glucagon, which breaks down glycogen, the storage of sugars in our body, to create the energy you need. The breakdown of glycogen for energy is responsible for the initial loss of water weight you see in the first 24 hours of not eating sugar.

On day two, you may start to feel fatigued and experience sugar cravings. As the body continually needs to create new sources of energy, gluconeogenesis is activated, which is the conversion of proteins to sugars in the body. Fats will also be broken down into ketones to create energy. This can make you feel tired, give you headaches, and even cause sugar cravings. However, there's not enough human studies to understand why this occurs. Animal studies have shown that in rats, neurochemical pathways causing dopamine release are activated when the rats consume sugar, and in some cases, this can be more potent than cocaine in rats. This is why you may have seen pop science article headlines like "Sugar More Addictive than Cocaine." The reason for this is that sugar activates dopamine release, which creates a positive reinforcement around wanting to trigger and can create cravings. But to be clear, there is no evidence that in humans, sugar can be as addictive as drugs like cocaine.

On day three, you may get a metallic taste in your mouth and your breath may start to stink. The breakdown of fat into ketones due to the lack of sugar intake creates the release of acetone in your body, which, when breathed out, smells like nail polish remover or rotting fruit. Some studies have even shown that if you measure acetone in your breath, it can predict the level of ketones in your blood. This smelly breath can last a few days to a few weeks, but this is based on zero sugar – we're talking not even fruits in your diet.

Unlike other parts of the article where we're mainly focusing on what happens when you cut out added or refined sugars, day five to ten of not eating added sugar, and your taste buds have officially changed to be more sensitive to sugar. One study had people do a water fast for 5 to 14 days and found that the threshold to detect sweet flavor was much lower, increasing sensitivity to the taste of sugar. This isn't that surprising because people who consume a lot of sugar actually decrease their sensitivity to that sweet flavor and feel like they need to add more sugar to their food or beverages in order to feel the sweet flavor again.

After six weeks of no sugar, you may also notice your bowel movements are becoming more regular, with less bloating or cramps. IBS affects almost 10 to 20 percent of the population in North America. IBS is a group of symptoms that people experience throughout their whole life, such as diarrhea, constipation, cramps, and bloating.

Doctors and health professionals recommend a low FODMAP diet, which stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols. This diet involves consuming fewer refined sugars and more natural sugars, and has been shown to have a range of health benefits.

One of the key benefits of reducing refined sugars is relief from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Clinical studies have shown that reducing refined sugar intake can improve IBS symptoms within six weeks. Additionally, reducing sugar intake has been shown to improve skin health, with sugar consumption being linked to the development of acne lesions. After just 10 weeks of a low-sugar diet, participants in a clinical trial saw a significant reduction in acne lesions.

Reducing sugar intake can also have a positive impact on sleep quality. A study of 53,000 post-menopausal women found that three years of low-sugar intake was associated with reduced insomnia. While the impact of sugar on sleep is still somewhat controversial, some studies have even suggested that high sugar intake before bed can improve sleep quality.

Over the long term, reducing sugar intake can have a range of health benefits. After one to five years of no added sugar intake, the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity is reduced. High sugar intake is associated with a range of other diseases, including cancer (primarily due to its association with obesity).

Fortunately, people are becoming increasingly aware of the risks associated with consuming too much sugar. In the United States, for example, the consumption of soda has decreased over the past decade. Soda is estimated to account for almost 46% of added sugar in the American diet.

Ultimately, the evidence suggests that reducing refined sugar intake can have a range of positive health benefits. While it can be challenging to make significant dietary changes, many people find that the benefits of a low-sugar diet are well worth the effort. Whether you're looking to improve your skin health, reduce your risk of disease, or simply feel better overall, reducing your sugar intake is a great place to start.