Sugar can often be found to every food we eat. Sometimes we thought some of these goods don’t have sugar, but they do, and it isn't good for us. It's okay to treat yourself and satisfy your sweet tooth in moderation, but have you ever wondered what would happen to your body if you stopped eating sugar altogether?

Why is it so hard to get rid of sugar?

According to experts, sugar can be as addictive as cocaine. In an article written by Healthline. There's a reason why sugar is so hard to avoid: for one, it's delicious, but sugar also causes the “opioid receptors” in your brain to activate, which triggers your neurological rewards system to flare up. In other words, sugar makes you feel good emotionally, despite the negative side effects excess consumption can lead to, like headaches, energy crashes, and even hormonal imbalances.

“Addiction is a strong word,” says Dr. Alan Greene, a children’s health and wellness expert and the author of books like “Raising Baby Green” and “Feeding Baby Green.”

According to Greene, evidence is showing that too much added sugar could lead to true addiction.

“In medicine we use ‘addiction’ to describe a tragic situation where someone’s brain chemistry has been altered to compel them to repeat a substance or activity despite harmful consequences. This is very different than the casual use of ‘addiction’ (‘I’m addicted to “Game of Thrones!”’).”

But regardless of sugar is more addictive than cocaine, researchers and nutritionists suggest that sugar has addictive properties. and we need to be consuming less of it.

“The drug analogy is always a tough one because, unlike drugs, food is necessary for survival,” says Andy Bellatti, MS, RD, strategic director of Dietitians for Professional Integrity.

“That said, there is research demonstrating that sugar can stimulate the brain’s reward processing center in a manner that mimics what we see with some recreational drugs.”

Bellatti adds, “In certain individuals with certain predispositions, this could manifest as an addiction to sugary foods.”

During INSIDER’s interview with certified nutritional health counselor Sara Siskind, albeit it is important to note that processed sugars are different than the natural sugars found in fruit, honey, and unsweetened milk. Refined sugars, otherwise known as sucrose, are highly processed from sugar cane and sugar beets. They're high in calories, and have no real nutritional value, while natural sugars contain vitamins and minerals.

Grace Derocha, a registered dietitian, certified diabetes educator and certified health coach at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan told INSIDER  that there are more than 50 names and varieties of processed sugars in food products, and even though they might taste good, they certainly aren't doing any good for you.

"The high glycemic index [of processed sugars] can spike blood sugars in the body fast and drop them quickly as well," leading to a kind of roller coaster effect on blood sugars, Derocha explained. "As blood sugar levels rise, you'll experience a quick increase in energy. Sadly, because those levels become regulated quickly, an energy or "sugar" crash is not far behind the spike, especially when dealing with added sugars."

What are the benefits of eliminating sugar from your diet?

Although it is as hard it may sound to stop buying that ice cold cola with your a delicious burger, or keep your hands away from the candy dish you see in the mall, omitting sugar from your diet can have a significant impact on your health. If you're someone who regularly treats themselves to dessert with a cup of tea after dinner, or tosses a store-bought granola bar in with their lunch every day, Siskind warned there might be a tough transition period at first.

Siskind said that your mood can have a drastic change if your body which is used to taking, and transitioning to totally without.

"Studies have shown that [when someone stops eating sugar] there are similar effects as when people get off drugs," she said. "You may experience exhaustion, headaches, brain fog and irritability.  Some people even have gastrointestinal distress."

According to Robert Glatter, M.D., an assistant professor of emergency medicine at Lenox Hill Hospital, Northwell Health, a plethora of people have experienced fatigue, headaches, or even a feeling of sadness or depression, meaning there are signs that your body is adjusting to the now low levels of glucose, dopamine, and serotonin. "After a week or so, your energy will begin to improve, and you will feel more alive and less irritable."

"As you begin to cut back on sugar intake, the body begins to sense this, and you may feel cranky or irritable, especially in the first few days," Glatter said. 

He also stated that sugar causes inflammation in the skin, so the less you eat, the clearer your complexion may become.

"Reducing your sugar intake can help improve your complexion by strengthening elastin and collagen and reducing the level of inflammation present in your skin," Glatter said.

Cutting sugar in your diet may also be beneficial especially to those who are having a hard time to get a sleep at night.

According to Glatter, breaking up with sugar won't solve your sleep problems overnight, but in a few weeks time you should notice yourself falling into a deeper sleep. “This is because foods containing high amounts of refined sugars reduce the degree of slow wave sleep (SWS),” he said. “The restorative sleep that consolidates memories and information learned throughout the day, and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, the dream phase.”

The assistant professor also claimed that people might lose weight from cutting sugar out of their diet, but there are other variables that go into this, too

"When you reduce or eliminate sugar, storage of fat will decline slowly, and you will lose some weight. However, this takes time, with the effect typically beginning at one to two weeks," Glatter said.

If you are one of those who badly want to get rid of those stubborn body fats, cutting sugar in your diet might help you. However, eating more protein, tracking your calories, and following a regular exercise routine that includes both cardio and weight training is the major key.

Reference: https://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-effects-cut-added-sugar

                  https://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-effects-cut-added-sugar