Your anxiety enjoys sweets. Instead, consume these 3 items.

Should we give up sugar now?

It goes without saying that if you indulge in sugar in excess, it might lead to problems. However, the majority of Americans consume too much sugar.

Because of the well-documented negative effects it can have on your physical health, cutting back on sugar consumption can help reduce your risk of developing chronic diseases.

While giving up sugar can make you physically healthier, it's the impact sugar has on our mental health that merits further consideration.

#1. Sugar can impact how you feel.
The term "sugar rush" is undoubtedly familiar to you, and you may have even used a doughnut or drink to give yourself a lift after a long day.

But perhaps sugar isn't such a great mood booster after all. According to recent studies, sweet foods don't improve mood.

In fact, over time, sugar can have the opposite impact.

According to one study that was published in 2017Trusted Source, men are more likely to experience incident mood disorders than women are to experience recurrent mood disorders.

A more recent study from 2019According to a reliable source, regular consumption of added sugars and saturated fats was linked to more anxiety in persons over the age of 60.Although more studies are needed to solidify the relationship between mood and sugar consumption, it’s important to consider how diet and lifestyle choicesTrusted Source can affect your psychological well-being.

.#2. It can weaken your ability to deal with stress

If your idea of coping with stress involves a pint of Ben and Jerry’s, 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.

#3. Consuming sugar raises your risk of depression

Comfort food cravings are difficult to resist, especially after a trying day.

However, if you continue to use sugar as a coping mechanism for your emotions, it's possible that it may simply make you feel depressed, worn out, or despairing.

Depression and high-sugar diets have been linked in numerous studiesTrusted Source.

Sugar consumption that is excessive leads to chemical abnormalities in the brain. These imbalances can cause depression and in some people, they may even raise their long-term risk of developing a mental health issue.

According to a 2017 studyTrusted Source, males who consume a lot of sugar (67 grams or more daily) are 23% more likely to be given a clinical depression diagnosis in the next five years.Although the study only included men, there is a connection between sugar and depression in women as well.Reliable Source.

#4. Quitting sugar can seem like having a panic attack.

Giving off processed sugar can be more difficult than you think.

In fact, quitting sugar might have negative repercussions like:

Anxiety irritation Perplexity Tired
Experts have been prompted by this to consider how the withdrawal symptoms from sugar can be similar to those of other addictive substances.

According to Dr. Uma Naidoo, who is known as the mood-food specialist at Harvard Medical School, "EvidenceTrusted Source in the literature shows substantial parallels and overlap between drugs of abuse and sugar."

When a person abuses a substance like cocaine over time, their body experiences physiological withdrawal when they stop using it.

People who consume a lot of sugar in their diets, according to Naidoo,

Yet the temporary relief sweets provide may make you more reliant on sugar, and raise the risk . Sugary foods can weaken the body, thereforethe body's capacity to react to diseases associated with obesity and its effects on the body.Although the study only included 19 female participants, the findings were similar with those of prior investigations on the relationship between sugar and anxiety in rats.Despite the fact that there is a clear connection between sugar consumption and anxiety, scientists want to do additional human studies.diets can similarly experience the physiological sensation of withdrawal if they suddenly stop consuming sugar.That’s why going cold turkey from sugar may not be the best solution for someone who also has 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.

Giving off processed sugar can be more difficult than you think.

In fact, quitting sugar might have negative repercussions like:

Anxiety irritation Perplexity Tired
Experts have been prompted by this to consider how the withdrawal symptoms from sugar can be similar to those of other addictive substances.

According to Dr. Uma Naidoo, who is known as the mood-food specialist at Harvard Medical School, "EvidenceTrusted Source in the literature shows substantial parallels and overlap between drugs of abuse and sugar."

When a person abuses a substance like cocaine over time, their body experiences physiological withdrawal when they stop using it.

#5. Sugar saps mental capacity

Your stomach might be urging you to tuck into that large cherry Icee and drink your way out, but your brain may have other plans.

Recent studies have shown that meals high in sugar can reduce cognitive performance even when there is no significant weight gain or high energy intake.

2015 researchAccording to Trusted Source, excessive use of sugar-sweetened beverages impairs neurocognitive processes like memory and decision-making.

Granted, rats were used in the investigation.

However, a more recent study discovered that after just 7 days of consuming a diet heavy in saturated fat and added sweets, healthy individuals in their 20s performed worse on memory tests and had worse appetite control.

Here are some alternatives to sweets if you are desiring them.

Just because you're cutting back on or eliminating manufactured sugar doesn't mean you have to forgo the pleasure of eating things that taste sweet.Naidoo is a psychiatrist who is recognized as an authority on the relationship between food and mood. She is also a chef and the author of the upcoming book "This Is Your Brain on Food."

Here are a few of her favorite dishes that are low or sugar-free.

#1.Ingredients for Chef Uma's Chai Tea Smoothie
1 serving of your preferred vanilla protein powder
1/2 an avocado
Almond butter, 1 tablespoon
almond milk, 1 cup
Cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and cardamom spice ground to 1/8 tsp each
Ice with 1/4 tsp. organic vanilla essence and, if desired, a trace of organic honey.
brewed chai tea may be used in place of spices.
for creaminess, avocado
Directions
Blender with all components added.
Until smooth, blend.

#2.Ingredients for Watermelon Pops
4 cups of watermelon, chopped
1 tablespoon of honey 1 lime juice 1 lime zest
Optional
1 cup of blueberries, whole
Directions
In a blender, combine the watermelon, honey, lime juice, and lime zest.
Pour into popsicle or square ice cube molds.
Add one ice cream stick to each ice cube or mold before they are completely frozen.
Add entire blueberries to popsicle or ice cube molds as desired.