Stopping sugar consumption for a month has many benefits for mental and physical health.
According to a new study unveiled by the National Food Safety Agency (ANSES) on March 19, nearly 80% of processed foods contain added sugar. An alarming observation when we know the harmful effects of this ingredient on our health. To preserve the latter, the WHO recommends reduce sugar intake to less than 5% of the total energy ration, or approximately 25 grams (6 teaspoons) per day. The best way to achieve this is to consume as many raw foods as possible because they have “no added sugars”. But what happens to our body if we decide to completely give up sugar for 30 days?
Weight loss
Stopping sugar for 30 days results in a weightloss more or less important depending on our basic diet. “In fact, weight loss will be more noticeable in a person who used to consume a lot of sugar and who stopped suddenly, rather than in someone who was already eating healthily” explains Alexandra Murcier, dietician-nutritionist in Paris.
Greater energy in the long term
Regular consumption of sugar leads to significant changes in blood sugar (blood sugar level). However, in a non-diabetic person, theinsulina hormone produced by the pancreas, helps keep our sugar levels constant. “These variations in blood sugar tend to make us tired, informs our interlocutor. If we eat a sugary breakfast in the morning, it is common to feel a feeling tired around 10-11am because of this drop in blood sugar. Stopping sugar allows you to increase your energy level in the long term and boost the performance of athletes“.
A reduction in inflammatory pain
Consumed in excess, sugar promoteschronic inflammation in the body. Consequently, stopping sugar reduces the risk of developing a chronic disease such as neurodegenerative, cardiovascular pathology, osteoarthritis, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, psoriasis, chronic inflammatory bowel disease or even rheumatoid arthritis. Cutting out sugar also helps reduce pain in case of inflammatory disease already present.
More beautiful skin
“As premature aging of the skin is caused in part by oxidative stress and inflammation, stopping sugar will improve theskin elasticityreduce acne and in the long term, slow the appearance of wrinkles”indicates Alexandra Murcier.
Better digestion
The result is better digestion because sugar feeds the bad bacteria in our intestine, unbalancing our microbiota. In other words, stopping sugar consumption reduces digestive problems (bloating, constipation, etc.).
Is it really a good idea to completely eliminate sugar from your diet?
“Removing sugar completely from your diet often exposes you to a greater risk of cracking behind. Sometimes it is better to reduce significantly reduce its consumption rather than removing it completely for 30 days and then consuming more again” warns the dietician-nutritionist. In general, the expert recommends do not remove starchy foodswhich are complex carbohydrates, but choose complete because they are richer in fiber, which will help avoid variations in blood sugar levels. She also advises against excluding fruits of his diet because they represent a important source of vitamins.
Thanks to Alexandra Murcier, dietitian-nutritionist in Paris