Do you have any idea what happens when you quit sugar?

Who would have thought something as sweet and innocent could have such an effect on our bodies and in so many negative ways?

And who would have thought that such a simple change in diet could have so many positive benefits?

So if you decide to go it alone, (or quit with my 21 Day Sugar Detox Program,) here's what could happen when you stop eating sugar:

• You'll get better skin and look younger.

• Increased energy levels.

• Weight loss.

• Better sleep.

• Increased immune system so less colds.

• No more bad breath.

• Better gum and teeth health.

• Fewer mood swings.

• Overall increased feeling of happiness.

• Reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.

• Lowered chance of getting cancer.

• Fewer joint and muscle aches.

• Raised testosterone means better sex.

• Reduced stress on your liver.

• Fewer fatty organs.

• A healthier heart.

• An improved memory.

While we all want longer, happier lives and there are so many things we can look at doing to improve our overall fitness and health.

You might be looking at diets to lose weight or maybe thinking of joining a gym to improve your exercise, but there really aren’t many things you can do to your overall health that can be as effective as lowering your sugar intake - or even removing it from your diet completely with a sugar detox.

That's quite an impressive list of benefits don't you think?

So cut down on the cookies, dump the doughnuts, swerve the sodas and banish the biscuits - and see how great you'll feel going sugar free!

You might be surprised!

Sugar affects so many aspects of our health and daily life, sometimes in ways that you really might not have realised, so I’ve compiled a list of all the ways that your body with thank you if you decide to kick the sugar habit.

And once you read this list, I think you’ll agree that it just doesn’t make sense to not cut it out.

For some people, maybe the thought of cutting sugar out of your diet might sound scary, but here’s the thing - it really doesn’t have to be.

I know from experience that it’s easy to stick your head in the sand and keep on eating those biscuits and cake, but I promise you, it will catch up with you!

So if ever you needed some motivation to kick the sugar habit, here are an amazing 17 things that happen when you decide to go sugar free - yes that’s seventeen possible benefits to you and your health!

1. You’ll look younger - and who doesn’t want that!?

Did you know that sugar actually makes you look older?

The two proteins in our skin that keep us looking youthful are called elastin and collagen.

Elastin keeps the skin nice and ‘springy’ and ‘elastic’ so that whenever we change our facial expression it allows our skin to go back to where it was.

If we didn’t have elastin in our skin the our face really would get stuck!

Collagen is the protein that keeps your skin looking plump and full and without collagen, our skin would be very thin and wrinkly.

When we eat sugar, the molecules in the bloodstream react and create enzymes that break down the collagen and elastin in our skin.

So no matter how much time and money you spend on your daily routine, you could be throwing away your hard earned cash by destroying your skin from the inside.

Surprisingly, your skin is one of the quickest things to react to a sugar detox, with noticeable results even after 72 hours.

So if you’ve got a big event or a party coming up next weekend, there really is something you can do to make yourself look great.

So break up with your sugar addiction now, and get clearer, better looking skin - what’s not to love!?

2. You’ll have better sex!

Who’d have thought sugar could affect us between the sheets, but surprisingly it can.

Insulin resistance brought on by consuming excessive amounts of sugar actually lowers the levels of testosterone.

And this isn’t just about the men, testosterone plays a big part in the sexual well being of both sexes.

Low testosterone in men not only lowers the overall sex drive, but can also lead to decreased muscle mass and a increase in body fat.

So as well as kissing goodbye to the beach body, the increase in body fat can trigger increased levels of estrogen, which can result in difficulty getting an erection.

And even in women, incorrect levels of testosterone do the same thing, reducing the overall libido.

And if you are trying for a baby, sugar has been shown to reduce the potency of male sperm too.

Of course, energy levels also play a big part in our sex lives too, and tiredness is a major factor in a poor sex life. Suffering from a sugar slump is never going to get you in the mood.

So why not leave that tub of ice cream in the fridge, (unless you’re planning on getting sexy with it!)

Our sex lives are controlled by so many aspects, but our hormones play a very large part, so make sure that yours are in balance.

By cutting out sugar, you might be missing out on a cookie or two, but hopefully you’ll be getting your kicks elsewhere!

3. You’ll be a powerhouse full of energy

Being full of energy means that life can be a joy, but so many people complain about being tired, even when they have had a good night’s sleep.

But feeling alert with plenty of energy throughout the day has a lot more to do with your body that just getting enough rest.

Sugar can, and will, give you a short burst of energy, that much is true. It can provide a quick pick-me-up lift in energy when it first hits your bloodstream.

But unfortunately that short benefit gets offset by the longer term effect of the raised blood sugar level which will leave you feeling more tired than before you ate the sugar.

Glucose and other high glycemic carbs cause raised blood sugar levels, and it’s down to your pancreas to pump out enough insulin to bring it back down again.

The problem is that insulin often overcompensates, bringing your blood sugar levels too low, which in turn creates fatigue, hunger and often more cravings.

Once you kick sugar out of your diet, your blood sugar levels will become nice and balanced, with no more rollercoaster rides of energy peaks and slumps.

And if you start eating more low glycemic carbs, and wholegrain and high fibre foods with slow release energy you’ll find that you’ll power through the day with constant energy levels.

So when you stop filling up on the sweet stuff, you could start feeling full of stamina!

4. The pounds will fall off

Who wouldn’t love to lose a few extra pounds?

There used to be the assumption that it was fat that makes you fat but research has shown that it is all the added sugar that is now causing record levels of obesity.

The low fat myth is just that, with research showing that a low fat diet isn't as good for you as was originally thought.

You may well have tried diets in the past specifically designed to make you lose weight, but you will be surprised by just how quickly the pounds might fall off once you kick the sugar habit.

Sugar makes you gain weight in different ways.

First off, when sugar hits your blood stream, the pancreas creates insulin which enables the glucose to be delivered to the cells that need it as an energy source.

The problem here is that by switching on the insulin production, it prevents the body for using fat stores as a source of energy.

Secondly, all sugars are made up roughly fifty fifty glucose and fructose, and while the glucose can be absorbed as an energy source by any cell in the body, fructose cannot, and has to be processed by the liver.

And if there is too much fructose and the liver gets overloaded, then it has to turn that fructose into fat.

Of course, sugar is also highly addictive as it triggers the pleasure and reward parts of the brain, so it feels good to eat more of the stuff.

And the more we eat, the bigger we get.

By quitting sugar, you'll keep insulin levels low, allowing stored fat to be used up, as well as preventing your liver creating extra fat from fructose.

And once you free yourself from sugar addiction, it means you'll make better overall food choices.

It’s a win, win!

5. You’ll sleep like a baby

Getting a great night’s sleep can be nirvana for a lot of people as there’s nothing quite like waking up feeling totally refreshed after a great nights slumber.

But when we eat sugar, it upsets our equilibrium, creating energy and then slump cycles, sometimes resulting in the need for an afternoon nap.

Blood sugar issues are the second most common cause of insomnia, and yet most people are unaware that this is the cause of their sleepless nights.

Our bodies are designed to burn fat during our sleep cycle, as this is a slow and steady source of energy while we rest and recuperate during the night.

If we have high blood sugar levels going to sleep, this natural cycle is interrupted as the body switches to the glucose burn instead of it’s natural fat burn state.

Plus, if you eat sugar late at night, you are giving your body a sugar rush, just when you want to be winding down.

So by keeping your sugar intake to a minimum, you could end up getting maximum zeds.

6. You’ll get fewer colds

Sugar directly affects your ability to fight off infections because it has a direct effect on your immune system.

And if you have an impaired immune system then you’re more likely to be able to fend off any bugs that are flying around the office.

It’s the white blood cells in our body that fight off disease and infection, but when sugar hits the blood stream it prevents the cells from being able to do their job.

This study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition discovered that consuming as little as 100g of sugar lowered the body’s white blood cells ability to kill off bacteria by up to 50% for as long as 5 hours!

So by quitting sugar, you’re also likely to be quitting the sniffles and sneezes as you’ll literally be giving your immune system a fighting chance against illness.

7. You’ll banish the bad breath

Bad breath can be bad news for you and anyone around you.

Halitosis is often be caused by bad bacteria breeding in your mouth, and guess what, they love sugary stuff.

Every time you eat a sugary snack or drink a soda, you leave a sweet, sugary residue in your mouth around your teeth and gums.

And unless you brush your teeth straight away, this turns into a perfect breeding ground for bacteria, which in turn can lead to bad breath.

When you cut out the sugary stuff, at least your breath will be sweet!

8. You’ll keep your own teeth!

As well as causing wiffy breath, the bad bacteria in your mouth will start to attack your teeth.

As kids we are all told that sugar is bad for our teeth, and unfortunately that’s about it - we never get the full rundown of ailments it can also cause.

But the story about all that sweet stuff being bad for our teeth is unfortunately true.

Two types of bad bacteria called Streptococcus mutans and streptococcus sorbrinus feed on sugar that you eat and create a thin film over your teeth called dental plaque.

If this plaque isn’t rinsed or brushed away it creates an acidic environment, which starts to dissolve minerals and eat away at the tooths enamel.

Over time these tiny holes get bigger and bigger until they form one large hole, or cavity.

This type of tooth decay can result in sensitivity to hot or cold foods and drinks and of course, ultimately toothache, which if you have ever suffered, you know how painful that can be!

The most common forms of liquid sugar is or course sugary soft drinks, which as well as having high sugar content, they often tend to be high in acid, both of which cause tooth decay.

A study of more than 20,000 adults showed that even one occasional sugary drink meant that thew risk of losing between 1 and 5 teeth was increased by a whopping 44%!

So when you quit sugary drinks or lots of tea or coffee with sugar, and you really will increase your likely hood of keeping your own teeth.

9. You’ll get less mood swings

Let’s get this out of the way - quitting sugar isn’t going to put you in a great mood from the off.

In fact it’s probably going to have exactly the opposite effect - you’re more than likely going to feel like crap for the first few days of a sugar detox.

Cutting out sugar can make some people have a sugar crash, with symptoms similar to a cold.

You might feel irritable for a while too, and normally you’d fix this with a sugar hit.

But by not caving in to cravings, once you get through all that you, will start to feel way better.

Overloading yourself with sugar alters the gut-brain connection which can create anxiety and the sugar spikes followed by a sugar crash means your moods are likely to follow.

So by quitting sugar, you’ll be levelling out your blood sugar throughout the day, which will help to level out your moods.

10. You’ll feel great…

…but like I said above, maybe not straight away!

There is a direct link between high rates of sugar consumption and depression, so even though you may think that eating a tub of ice cream make you happy, it might not in the long run.

In fact a study discovered 'a highly significant correlation between sugar consumption and the annual rate of depression.

By cutting sugar out of your diet you can expect your mood not only to level out, but also to lift.

So by lowering your sugar intake, you could end up raising your levels of happiness, plus you’ll feel the brain fog disappear too!

11. You’ll lower your risk of type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition that affects the way that your body can metabolise sugar, and specifically glucose, which is your body’s energy source.

If you suffer from this type of diabetes, either your pancreas can’t produce enough insulin to regulates the movement of glucose into your cells, or your body simply becomes resistant to the effects of insulin.

Either way, this is bad news, as it means that your body slowly becomes starved of the energy it needs to function correctly

Studies have shown that by reducing sugar intake, we can reduce the risk of this type of diabetes.

Plus, the effect of eating or drinking too much sugar can lead to obesity, and obesity is also major contributory factor in developing the disease.

So a diet high in sugar can eventually cause this type of diabetes.

With obesity is at an all time high in the developed world coinciding with record consumption of sugar, so don’t be another statistic.

Cutting out sugar from your diet will significantly reduce your chances of developing type 2 diabetes, along with all of it’s complications including liver failure, loss of vision and even loss of limbs.

12. You’ll lower your chance of getting cancer

Fructose has been shown to increase the risk of certain types of cancer, including pancreatic and small intestine, breast, and other rarer types of cancer.

There is another indirect connection to cancer due to obesity.

According to Cancer research UK, obesity can cause 13 different types of cancer and so by cutting down on sugar you will lessen these risks.

Obesity is the biggest single preventable cause of cancer after smoking, so it’s certainly something to think about.

Less sugar, means less chance of obesity, which means less chance of cancer.

13. You'll end up with less muscle and joint pain

It might not be old age that’s causing your joints to start creaking, maybe it’s the cheesecake?

Sugar triggers the release of inflammatory messengers called cytokines, and any sort of inflammation is bad for the joints.

Sugar also depletes the body of important minerals, some of which are required for proper muscle function.

For example, it takes twenty eight molecules of magnesium to metabolize one molecule of sugar, so added sugar in the diet can quickly deplete this important mineral which is essential for proper muscle control.

So quit the sugar and you’ll keep yourself nimble!

14. You’ll be giving your liver a break

Pretty much all sugar is made up of 50% glucose and 50% fructose, and although glucose can be processed by any cells in the body, fructose can only be processed by the liver.

And when we binge on sugary treats, it’s left up to the liver to deal with all of the fructose instead of doing it’s normal job of purifying the blood and processing stored toxins.

Continually overloading the liver with fructose can lead to Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) and this study demonstrated that there was a connection to the disease and the consumption of sugary drinks.

So, by giving the cookies a rest, maybe you’ll also be giving your liver a rest.

15. You'll have less fatty organs

There are different types of fat that we carry in our bodies.

Subcutaneous fat is the stuff we have under our skin layer all over our body.

Visceral fat, however fills the spaces between our organs and can start to squeeze them in, and it’s this type of fat that excessive sugar can cause.

And you don’t have to be ‘fat’ to be carrying way too much visceral fat, it can lurk inside without us really knowing.

In fact, visceral fat is considered an ‘organ’ in itself because it has so much influence over your body’s hormone functions.

It’s the excessive fructose that can’t be processed by the liver that can turn into this type of fat, so when you give the sugary treats a miss you’ll be giving your organs a breather!

16. Your heart will love you

First off your heart will love you for cutting sugar out of your diet.

It used to be gospel that it was fat that was bad for your heart, but scientists have now proven that there is a link between the amount of sugar a person consumes and their risk of dying from heart disease.

A study conducted by Journal of the American Heart Association discovered that large quantities of sugar can damage human heart tissue and was proven to cause disease in lab animals.

Chronic high blood sugar levels lead to a condition called atherosclerosis, which is a hardening of the arteries and is a condition that is associated with heart disease and heart failure.

According to a report by The Journal of the American Medical Association, people who get between 17 and 21 percent of their daily calories from added sugar had their chance of dying from heart disease raised by 38 percent.

With heart disease as the number one killer, it makes sense to do what you can to lower your risk.

So when you stop eating sugar you start looking after your heart!

17. Finally, you’ll remember why you wanted to cut down on sugar!

Can you remember why you started reading this!?

Too much sugar has a direct and detrimental effect on your memory and brain function, so much so that heavy consumption of sugar over a long period of time can actually result in permanent brain damage.

Studies have shown that there is a direct impact on cognitive function after eating foods made with high fructose content, affecting all kinds of ways that the brain operates.

Researchers at UCLA found that fructose actually damaged the brain cells by destroying some of the synaptic activities in the brains of rats. This meant that the communication between brain cells was impaired - literally slowing down the brain!

Fructose also creates similar symptoms in the brain to those of people under 'early life stress exposure' which can affect the development of the hippocampus which is the region 'critically involved in stress regulation and behavioural outcomes.'

And if that lot wasn't enough to make you 're think' your intake, sugar also increases your chance of having a stroke too.

So when you stop eating sugar, you give your brain a boost.

Wow, that’s a lot of benefits!

If you decide to quit sugar then you could experience some or all of the above benefits with just a simple change to your diet.

So when you look at all of the ways that excessive sugar negatively affects you life, and then you sum up all of the benefits by quitting, I’ll happily challenge you to find ANY other diet change that can have as many positive impacts on your health as cutting down on your sugar!

All of the meal plans included in my 21 Day Sugar Detox Program are specially put together to include ingredients containing all of the important vitamins and minerals to make quitting sugar as painless as possible.

Combined with daily video tutorials, guided meditation sessions and a full day by day breakdown of how to prepare and make it through a sugar detox, it really is the best way to break the cycle of sugar addiction and give yourself the freedom to make your own healthy food choices.

So, is it time to make your life sweet again?

If you'd like to learn more about cutting sugar from your diet check out my video below: