Here’s What Happens to Your Brain After You Stop Eating Sugar

Pile of donuts
Photo by Kobby Mendez on Unsplash

Some people love sugar while others consider it an enemy. Whatever group you belong to, you’ll probably agree that eating too much sugar isn’t exactly good. But what happens if you cut it out completely?

The first thing many people notice when they cut it out is they feel nauseous, have a headache, and have unexplainable mood swings. It’s not entirely clear why this happens, but it’s certain that sugar affects your brains a lot and that you can even become addicted to it.

Sugar causes a release of dopamine, so giving it up leads to biological changes in the brain. Dopamine is also called the reward chemical, which means that your brain releases it when you get a reward. Not getting the sugar you’re used to causes unpleasant side effects. The good news is that the symptoms of withdrawal will go away after a few weeks, so the key is to be patient and power through it.

One important thing to note is that cutting out sugar completely is not necessary, especially if you’re otherwise healthy. It’s enough to eat it moderately and prioritize other healthier food choices over it. An occasional dessert is fine as long as you don’t base your whole diet around sugary foods.