Harmful Effects Sugar Has on Your Body

The Sugar-Free Challenge is upon us! We now know what a sugar-free diet is, but why exactly is sugar harmful to your health? We need it to survive, right? Check out the harmful effects below that refined sugars can have on your body.

Your body stores more fat. When you eat high levels of sugar, your blood sugar level increases and your body's insulin production goes up. One of insulin's responses is to activate fat storage.

You become more prone to develop diabetes. Because you're eating higher amounts of sugar on a regular basis, your body is used to pushing out high levels of insulin. Eventually, your body will become immune to insulin and there will be no way for you to naturally control your blood sugar. Instead, it will spike to unsafe levels.

>> Get inspired: 15 Recipes for People with Diabetes

Sugar increases your risk for heart disease. The American Heart Association supported a study that showed people who get 17 to 21 percent of their daily calories from sugar are 38 percent more likely to developing a fatal cardiovascular disease.

Makes your hunger insatiable. It's a cause-and-effect relationship between the blood sugar and the brain's signals. Once you eat a sugary food, your blood sugar spikes. Eventually it drops, thanks to insulin, but sometimes it drops lower than it's supposed to and your brain thinks, "oh, we're still really hungry." Your body also craves nutrients for maximum function, and sugar provides zero, zilch, nada in the realm of nutritious value.

>> Read more: Biggest Mistakes of Uneducated and Beginner Dieters

Starves you of energy. Sure, sugar highs are real, but so is the crashing part. The big rise and the even bigger crash triggers a drastic drop in energy. Your body is doing a lot of work for nothing. (via Prevention)

Increases your chances of having depression. Symptoms of depression include sleep changes, guilt, trouble concentrating, sadness (usually highest in the morning), drop in energy and more. The brain needs glucose to dish out tasks. When glucose levels are so unpredictable with the ups and downs caused by high sugar intake, the brain gets disorganized. Feelings of anger, sadness and anxiety develop from a confused chemical cocktail. Click here to learn how to recognize symptoms of depression.

Convinced yet? Keep following along with us throughout the month of May to cut refined sugars from your diet. We'll continue with the preparation and educational posts before we delve into the actual sugar detox. Keep checking back for more info every day!