Sugar Can Impact Your Mental Health, Know Why It Is Important To Reduce Your Sugar Consumption

There are two different types of sugars, one is natural sugar and the other one is added sugar. Natural sugars are those that are present in fruits, vegetables, grains and others. Added sugars are those forms of sugar that are added to packaged food. It is these added sugars that tend to cause several health issues. From diabetes to cardiovascular disease and others, added sugars can be extremely bad for your health. Added sugars don’t just impact your physical health but also your mental health.

Here, take a look at how sugar impacts your mental health. Energy Spike and CrashesSugar gives a quick spike in blood glucose levels, thereby, leading to an initial burst of energy. However, this is followed by a crash, causing fatigue, irritability and brain fog, affecting your mental clarity and mood. Mood SwingsConsuming large amounts of sugar can lead to fluctuations in insulin and blood sugar levels. These can cause imbalances in mood, increasing the chances of anxiety, irritability or depressive episodes. Inflammation in the Brain Diets that are high in sugar can lead to inflammation in the body, including the brain. Chronic inflammation can affect cognitive function and is linked to mental health issues like depression and anxiety. Poor Response to Stress Sugar can affect the body’s ability to manage stress. High sugar intake alters the functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which regulates stress responses, thereby, increasing feelings of anxiety. Addiction-like EffectsSugar triggers the release of dopamine which is a neurotransmitter linked to pleasure and reward. This can create a cycle of craving more sugar that is similar to addictive substances. This can negatively impact your mood regulation and mental well-being. Gut-Brain AxisHigh sugar consumption negatively affects your gut health by altering the balance of good bacteria. Since the gut and brain are interconnected (gut-brain axis), an unhealthy gut can lead to issues like depression and anxiety.Therefore, it is important to moderate sugar intake. When you consume sugar in moderation, it helps to stabilise mood, energy and overall mental health and well-being. It also helps to reduce the risks of chronic diseases such as diabetes, chronic kidney disease, heart disease and more. Here, take a look at how reducing your consumption of sugar can benefit your mental health. Stable MoodYour mood tends to become more balanced without the spikes and crashes in blood sugar levels due to added sugars. Removing sugar from your diet can help reduce mood swings, irritability and feelings of anxiety. Mental ClaritySugar crashes often cause brain fog and difficulty in concentrating. By cutting out sugar, you tend to avoid the highs and lows, thereby, improving focus, cognitive function and mental clarity. Anxiety and StressExcessive sugar consumption impacts the body’s stress response by disrupting hormone balance, especially the HPA axis. Reducing sugar helps regulate stress hormones like cortisol, thereby, reducing anxiety and improving emotional resilience. Better SleepHigh sugar intake can negatively impact sleep by causing restlessness or disrupting your body’s natural sleep patterns. When you don’t consume sugar, your sleep quality improves which is important for mental well-being. Risk of Addiction-like BehaviourSugar can be addictive which triggers the release of dopamine that is similar to drugs. When you cut sugar, cravings tend to reduce over time and it becomes easier to keep a control over your diet.