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Key Takeaways

• Cutting back on added sugars can improve overall health by supporting weight management, lowering diabetes risk, supporting brain health, and improving skin health, immunity, and sleep.��
• Not all sugars are created equal. Naturally occurring sugars in foods like fruit, milk, and starchy vegetables are packaged with beneficial nutrients that slow down sugar absorption and provide numerous health benefits.��
• You don’t have to quit all sugar to see a big benefit. Small, sustainable changes and reducing added sugars to less than 10 percent of your total calories will reduce the negative impact without making you feel deprived.

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Quitting sugar is a hot topic in the health world, as research continues to link diets high in added sugar to weight gain and an increased risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and liver disease.

While cutting out all sugar is impossible (and unnecessary), reducing added sugars can significantly impact your health. All carbohydrates, whether from fruit, whole grains, a sweet potato, black beans, or a soda, are broken down into glucose, the body’s primary and preferred energy source. However, added sugars have a much different effect on the body than naturally occurring sugars found in foods like fruit or milk.��

Naturally occurring sugars in fruit, milk, and starchy vegetables are combined with essential nutrients, including fiber, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which slow down sugar absorption and provide additional health benefits. Added sugars from table sugar, brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, corn syrup, molasses, and high fructose corn syrup contribute extra calories and simple, quick-digesting carbohydrates with little to no additional nutrition.��

A small amount of added sugar won’t make or break your health and can be a part of a balanced diet, allowing you to enjoy a slice of cake at a birthday party or share homemade cookies with your family. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the World Health Organization recommend limiting added sugar to less than 10 percent of your daily calories to minimize its impact.^1,2

In this article, you’ll learn eight major benefits of reducing added sugar intake, what happens when you cut back, and the truth about natural sugars.

Benefits of Quitting Sugar

Reducing your added sugar intake can significantly impact your weight, metabolism, and overall health. Here are just some of the benefits of cutting down on added sugars.��

1. Weight Loss

High added sugar intake is strongly linked to weight gain.�� A long-term study following over 3,000 adults for 30 years found that those with the highest consumption of added sugar had significantly higher weight gain and a greater risk of obesity compared to those with the lowest intakes.³

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One major reason is that added sugars contribute extra calories (4 calories per gram, to be exact) without providing lasting fullness. Look at a 12-ounce Coca-Cola, for example. It has 140 calories and 39 grams of added sugar but no fiber, protein, or healthy fats to help you feel and stay full. This is one of the reasons added sugars are also known as “empty calories.”��

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You could get the same amount of calories from a nutrient-dense snack, like a cup of yogurt and fruit or a small banana with a smear of peanut butter. Both of these foods provide fiber, protein, and fats, along with a number of other nutrients, to support your health and curb your hunger.��

2. Decreased Diabetes Risk

Eating sugar alone doesn’t cause type 2 diabetes, but a diet that is high in added sugars can increase your risk. Research on this connection has shown mixed results since many factors influence diabetes risk, but the majority of recent studies suggest a link between diets high in added sugar and an increased likelihood of type 2 diabetes.⁴

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Researchers believe this relationship is caused by the extra calories in added sugars, which lead to weight gain and abdominal fat, both risk factors for insulin resistance and diabetes.⁵ Cutting down on added sugar can lower your risk of diabetes by preventing weight gain and supporting overall metabolic health.��

3. Better Brain Health

While added sugars may help cognitive function in the short term, providing your brain with a boost of energy to immediately complete complex tasks, its long-term effects on cognition and mental health are not as positive.⁵ In a large meta-analysis, researchers found a strong connection between added sugar consumption and an increased risk of cognitive impairments but a reduced cognitive risk related to high intakes of fructose-containing foods, like fruit.⁶

Considering the strong relationship that Alzheimer’s disease has with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, limiting added sugars and improving metabolic health may help reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's dementia and other forms of dementia as well.⁷

4. Skin Improvement

While sunscreen and a quality skincare routine are essential to healthy skin, cutting back on sugar may also make a big difference. Diets high in sugar are linked to increased acne and faster skin aging.��

A study of 24,452 adults found that those who ate more fatty and sugary foods were 54% more likely to have acne, while sugary drinks increased acne risk by 18%.⁸ If younger-looking skin is your goal, limiting sugars and fatty foods like baked goods may help. These foods contribute to skin thinning, inflammation, and the build-up of AGEs, or advanced glycation end products, which speed up skin aging.⁹

5. A Stronger Immune System

Reducing your sugar intake could improve your immune system, starting with a healthier gut. The bacteria in your digestive tract influence just about every body system, especially your body’s ability to fight off bacteria and viruses. An animal study found that mice fed a high-fat and high-sugar diet had disrupted immune cell activity in the small intestine, an area that’s key for preventing harmful bacteria from spreading.¹⁰ While some glucose is needed to activate immune cells, too much may increase inflammation and weaken immune function.¹¹

6. Healthier Teeth

Your mouth may see the most immediate benefit of eating less sugar. Free sugars are the main cause of dental caries and tooth decay, feeding bacteria that produce acids, leading to enamel erosion and cavities.¹² Avoiding or limiting sugary drinks and candies (especially sticky candies like gummies) can help protect your teeth and lower your risk of cavities.��

7. Increased Energy Levels

A sugary drink or snack might give you a quick boost of energy, but it’s often followed by a crash. This happens because sugar is very quickly digested, causing blood sugar levels to spike and then drop just as quickly as it’s used for energy.��

By swapping added sugars for foods that are higher in fiber, protein, and healthy fats, you’ll slow down the digestion of carbohydrates, keeping your blood sugar stable and providing your cells with sustained energy over time.�� You’ll feel fuller for longer and experience more sustained energy between meals.��

8. Better Sleep

Good sleep improves energy, mood, and metabolism, but too much sugar before bed and throughout your day may interfere. While the studies on this topic are small, a relationship has been found between higher sugar intake and lower quality and duration of sleep.��

A meta-analysis found that adults who slept less than recommended were 20% more likely to drink sugar-sweetened beverages than those who got adequate sleep.¹³ ��Another small study of college students linked higher sugar intake to significantly worse sleep quality.¹⁴ If you struggle to get a good night's sleep, eating less sugar may be an important part of your improvement plan.��

Can You Have Sugar Withdrawal?

If you’ve ever gone on a crash diet where you cut out all sugar and carbs, you’re probably familiar with irritability, fatigue, and heightened sugar cravings that can follow. While sugar is not addictive in the same way that drugs are, it does activate the brain’s reward systems, which is why eating a piece of chocolate or ice cream can sometimes help you feel less stressed or even happier on a sad day.¹⁵ When you suddenly reduce your sugar intake, your body and brain may need time to adjust, which could lead to temporary side effects.��

Some people may experience headaches, irritability, or fatigue when cutting out added sugars. This is likely related to the absence of a sudden boost of dopamine that’s usually provided by the sugar. You may notice this effect more significantly if you adopt a low-carbohydrate diet versus just quitting added sugars, as complex carbohydrates are eventually broken down into glucose, which is your body’s primary preferred energy source.��

Incorporating healthy ways to boost dopamine, like listening to music you love, getting out in nature, and exercising, may help reduce these effects as you limit your sugar intake.��

Is Natural Sugar Healthy?

Sugar has a bad reputation, but it’s important to remember that added sugars are the culprit, not the naturally occurring sugars found in foods like fruit, starchy vegetables, and milk. While both types of sugar are eventually broken down into the same molecule (glucose), their effects on your health are very different.��

When you eat food that contains natural sugars, it’s packaged with beneficial nutrients like fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and sometimes proteins and fats. These nutrients slow down the digestion of sugar, so it enters your bloodstream at a slower rate and provides many other benefits. Because of this, eating whole foods with natural sugars is an important part of a healthy, balanced diet, while added sugars should be reduced to just a small amount.��

While sweeteners like maple syrup, honey, and agave are naturally occurring, they act the same way that added sugars do and should also be limited.��

The Bottom Line

While quitting sugar completely isn’t necessary, reducing your added sugar intake can significantly benefit your weight, energy levels, and overall health. A diet high in added sugars is linked to a number of chronic diseases, as well as higher body weight and low energy levels. Choosing whole foods that have naturally occurring sugars, like fruits, milk, and starchy vegetables, can help you feel satisfied and support your overall health and well-being. If you’re unsure where to start or are navigating a nutrition-related medical condition, consult with a registered dietitian nutritionist and your healthcare provider.��

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