1. Lower Risk of a Heart Attack or Heart Disease
Eating too much added sugar increases your risk of dying with heart disease, demonstrated a study carried out by JAMA Internal Medicine on 2014. According to this study, those who got 17 to 21 percent of calories from added sugar had a 38 percent higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease compared to those who consumed 8 percent of their calories from added sugar.
In addition, added sugar chronically raises insulin levels, which activates the sympathetic nervous system, increasing blood pressure and heart rate. If you cut sugar, within a few weeks' time you might expect to see a 10% decrease in LDL cholesterol and a 20 to 30% decrease in triglycerides.
2. Reduction of acne
Sugar’s oxidative properties can provoke acne and breakouts. Sugar and foods high on the glycemic index (meaning foods that, once ingested, convert quickly into glucose and cause your body's insulin levels to elevate), lead to a burst of inflammation that goes throughout your entire body. Foods high in sugar and saturated fats - like white bread, candy, fried foods, ice cream, sodas, and anything else with a main ingredient of sugar - cause spikes in your body's insulin levels that further exacerbate inflammation. One study of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that when non-soda-drinkers consumed one 12-ounce can a day for 3 weeks, their inflammation levels increased by 87%.
3. Better mood
Yes, it will not be easy. But once you're over your sugar fix, you'll feel better than ever. A Columbia University study found that women who eat a diet high in added sugars and refined grains are more likely to experience anxiety, irritability, and mood swings.
4. Better sleep
Sugar impacts your sleep quality. A study carried out by Columbia University found out that people who ate the most sugar in their diet throughout the day experienced more arousals - intrusions that pull you out of deep sleep without actually awakening you- than those who ate less sweet stuff.
In addition, cutting sugar could help you to overcome your Insomnia. Added sugar triggers the release of the hormone cortisol, which interferes with slumber. Giving up added sugar would help you to be more awake and alert during the day, and correct your circadian rhythm (the internal “body clock” that tells our bodies when to sleep, rise, eat--regulating many physiological processes).
5. Improvement of memory
In 2012 one study at UCLA concluded a diet high in added sugar hinders learning and memory. Over time, eating lots of sugar may actually damage communication among your brain's cells, the study shows. Recently, another study carried out by Boston University School of Medicine found out that sugary drinks are linked to pre-clinical Alzheimer’s disease. If you are interested in reading our full article about sugar and memory, click here.
Sources
1. Lower Risk of a Heart Attack or Heart Disease
Added Sugar Intake and Cardiovascular Diseases Mortality Among US Adults
2. Reduction of acne
3. Better Mood
4. Better Sleep
Fiber and Saturated Fat Are Associated with Sleep Arousals and Slow Wave Sleep" was published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine (JCSM), Volume 12 Number 01.
The Facts About Sugar and Insomnia
5. Improvement of memory
Sugary beverage intake and preclinical Alzheimer's disease in the community