It's no secret that consuming too much sugar can lead to health problems, and many people are still eating more than they should. The negative impact of sugar on physical health is well-documented, which is why we often discuss cutting back on sugar to reduce the risk of chronic diseases. However, it's also important to consider the impact sugar can have on our mental health, in addition to its physical effects.
Sugar can affect your mood
You’ve probably heard of the term “sugar rush” and have maybe even turned to a doughnut or soda for an extra boost during a long day.
Yet sugar may not be such a positive pick-me-up after all. Recent research indicates that sugary treats have no positive effect on mood.
In fact, sugar may have the opposite effect over time.
One study published in 2017Trusted Source found that consuming a diet high in sugar can increase the chances of incident mood disorders in men, and recurrent mood disorders in both men and women.
A more recent 2019 studyTrusted Source found that regular consumption of saturated fats and added sugars was related to higher feelings of anxiety in adults over age 60.
Although more studies are needed to solidify the relationship between mood and sugar consumption, it’s important to consider how diet and lifestyle choices can affect your psychological well-being.
It can weaken your ability to deal with stress
If your idea of coping with stress involves a pint of your favorite ice-cream, you’re not alone. Lots of people turn to sugary sweets when they feel anxious.
That’s because sugary foods can weakenTrusted Source the body’s ability to respond to stress.
Sugar can help you feel less frazzled by suppressing the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis in your brain, which controls your response to stress.
ResearchersTrusted Source at the University of California, Davis found that sugar inhibited stress-induced cortisol secretion in healthy female participants, minimizing feelings of anxiety and tension. Cortisol is known as the stress hormone.
Yet the temporary relief sweets provide may make you more reliant on sugar, and raise the risk of obesity and its related diseases.
The study was limited to just 19 female participants, but the results were consistent with other studies Trusted Source that looked at the connection between sugar and anxiety in rats.
While findings show a definite link between sugar intake and anxiety, researchers would like to see more studies done on humans.
Sugar can increase your risk of developing depression
It’s hard to avoid reaching for comfort foods, especially after a difficult day.
But the cycle of consuming sugar to manage your emotions may only make your feelings of sadness, fatigue, or hopelessness worse.
Multiple studies have found a link between diets high in sugarTrusted Source and depression.
Overconsumption of sugar can increase inflammation, alter the gut microbiome, and disrupt other physiological processes. It’s thought that these changes contribute to the development of depression.
In fact, a 2017 studyTrusted Source found that men who consumed a high amount of sugar (67 grams or more each day) were 23% more likely to receive a diagnosis of clinical depression within 5 years.
Withdrawing from sweets can feel like a panic attack
The notion of “sugar addiction” is a controversial topic. Not all experts agree that it’s truly possible to be addicted to sugar.
Quitting processed sugar might not be as simple as you think.
Withdrawing from sugar can actually cause side effects, such as:
- anxiety
- irritability
- confusion
- fatigue
This has led expertsTrusted Source to look at how the withdrawal symptoms from sugar can resemble those of certain addictive substances.
“EvidenceTrusted Source in the literature shows substantial parallels and overlap between drugs of abuse and sugar,” explains Dr. Uma Naidoo, who’s considered the mood-food expert at Harvard Medical School.
When someone misuses a substance for a period of time, like cocaine, their body goes into a physiological state of withdrawal when they stop using it.
Naidoo says that people who consume high amounts of sugar in their diets can similarly experience the physiological sensation of withdrawal if they suddenly stop consuming sugar.
That's why quitting sugar abruptly might not be the best approach for someone dealing with anxiety.
“Suddenly stopping sugar intake can mimic withdrawal and feel like a panic attack,” Naidoo says. And if you have an anxiety disorder, this experience of withdrawal can be heightened.
Sugar zaps your brain power
Your stomach may be telling you to dive in and drink your way out of that jumbo cherry ICEE, but your brain has a different idea.
Emerging research has found that diets high in sugar can impair the ability to think, even in the absence of extreme weight gain or excessive energy intake.
A 2015 studyTrusted Source found that consuming high levels of sugar-sweetened beverages impaired neurocognitive functions like decision making and memory. Granted, the research was done on rats.
However, a more recent study found that healthy volunteers in their 20s scored worse on memory tests and had difficulty with appetite control after just 7 days of eating a diet high in saturated fat and added sugars.
While more studies are necessary to establish a clearer link between sugar and cognition, it’s worth noting that your diet can affect your brain health.
Just because you’re ditching or limiting processed sugar doesn’t mean you have to deny yourself the pleasure of sweet-tasting food, like sweet fruits, sweet potatoes, and honey as alternate of sugar.
Source: Healthline
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