The average American consumes about 32 teaspoons of sugar daily. This sugar is not the natural kind derived from fruits and vegetables; rather, it's the processed kind that's added to sweeten a cake or a beverage. And, on some level, we've all heard that 32 teaspoons of sugar is too much, putting us at risk for diabetes, obesity, and other health issues. But what happens if you cut out sugar? Can your body this extreme too?
As it turns out, yes! Just within a few hours of no sugar, your body adjusts by lowering the levels of insulin. This makes it easier for the body to access stored fat, and thus promotes weight loss. Within a few days to weeks, your lipid levels also drop, promoting a healthier heart. Most interestingly, your body adjusts to low to no sugar by changing your tastes. You become more sensitive to sweetness and so require much less sugar to have something taste adequately sweet.
So, not only can the body handle no added sugar, it actually becomes healthier as a result! Paradoxically, cutting out sugar may make your life a little more sweet!
