What is sugar addiction?
Excess sugar consumption, known as both addiction and eating disorder, brings with it some consequences. Researchers state that when sugar is consumed, "serotonin" and "dopamine" hormones, known as feel-good hormones, increase in the brain and this can lead to a kind of addiction.
Attention, if you frequently crave sugary foods during the day, you may also be addicted to sugar. Studies show that sugar consumption in humans triggers brain activity similar to substance addiction.
What are the symptoms?
Dizziness, headache, nausea, fatigue, anxiety after a meal in which you do not consume as much sugar as you are used to. Confusion and depression are symptoms of sugar addiction. Eating more than you think you should eat, and when you skip the meal you should eat, symptoms of low sugar such as irritability, cold sweats or palpitations are the most typical symptoms.
Do sugar detox diets work?
Sugar detox in general. It is a program that aims to stay away from all foods containing sugar for three weeks (21 days). With this type of detox applications, the body cannot meet its needs for sufficient nutrients. When nutritional elements are not consumed as much as the body needs, sufficient energy cannot be produced, body tissues cannot be built, thus an inadequate and unbalanced nutrition may occur. While these types of applications provide a short-term solution for the person, they can harm the body by disrupting the natural flora in the intestine. Detox, especially by pregnant women, breastfeeding women, diabetics and heart patients, is extremely harmful.
To change the habit of consuming sugar;
Introduce protein foods (eggs, chicken, red meat, fish, etc.). (such as low-fat yoghurt, low-fat buttermilk, etc.), losing weight helps you fight your hunger and prevents your blood sugar from rising. In addition, a daily fiber-rich diet is also very important. We can keep our blood sugar balanced by meeting our daily fiber needs from fruits, vegetables and whole grain foods. In addition, blood sugar can be controlled within a certain level with a personal nutrition program consisting of small and frequent meals consisting of main and snack meals. You can eliminate the feeling of craving for sweets by providing a level of release. You can try to get your sweet tooth from fresh or dried fruits.
Excessive consumption of sugar causes high calorie intake and obesity. Carbonated drinks, cakes, wafers, candies and desserts containing simple sugars increase blood glucose levels very quickly. The pancreas produces the hormone insulin to use this sudden increase in sugar in the tissues. After the suddenly rising insulin converts the sugar into energy, blood sugar begins to fall rapidly. In addition to converting sugar into energy, insulin also activates fat storage.
In addition, excessive consumption of sugar paves the way for many problems such as weakening the immune system, disrupting the mineral balance in the body, and joint disorders. When you give up sugary foods, you may first feel sluggish and irritable. But over time, you will see that these symptoms will gradually pass. The important thing is to change a habit.
A few reasons to reduce sugar consumption;
Sugar creates a suitable environment for the formation of cancer cells (especially breast, ovarian, prostate, rectum, gallbladder cancers). ..), weakens the immune system. It damages the kidneys and paves the way for kidney stone formation. It prevents calcium and copper absorption. It can increase the risk of coronary heart disease by narrowing blood vessels. It causes hypoglycemia and paves the way for diabetes. It increases total cholesterol and systolic blood pressure. It causes hypertension. It may cause pathological changes in the liver.
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