The media has been buzzing about the negative effects of sugar consumption and the benefits of a sugar detox.

Sugar is lurking in unexpected places, from bread to salad dressing. Add in our love for donuts and indulgent ice cream flavors, and it’s not surprising that sugar consumption is higher than ever!

Unfortunately, all this added sugar is wreaking havoc on our health and fueling unwanted weight gain.

It’s time to take back control and reduce our sugar intake for better health.

Here are six compelling reasons to start a sugar detox and eliminate excess sugar from your diet.

1. Consuming sugar spikes your insulin.

As soon as your body starts to digest sugar, insulin levels spike. This hormone regulates blood sugar, preventing it from rising too high and storing excess sugar as fat.

Because it’s a delicate process, consuming large quantities of sugar forces your pancreas to work harder than it was designed to. Over time, your pancreas becomes less effective at managing the insulin, leading to serious strain and potential deterioration.

2. Consuming excess sugar is the leading cause of weight gain.

This, combined with the extra calories sugar adds to food, can contribute to weight gain.

Since the late ’70s, the push for low-fat diets led the food industry to create low-fat options, sometimes resulting in extra sugar for flavor.

Low-fat and fat-free salad dressings often contain more sugar and carbs than we think. For a double whammy, since sugar digests faster than fat, you are hungrier sooner, which leads to overeating and weight gain.

3. Consuming sugar increases your risk for type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

With all that increased sugar and weight gain comes a higher risk for diabetes and a condition called metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a condition that is linked to a higher risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Thankfully, both conditions are treatable, and the first step to better health is cutting out the sugar.

4. Sugar can raise your blood pressure.

According to a study on heart.org, one of the main consequences of excessive sugar intake is the increased risk of high blood pressure. High blood pressure puts more strain on the heart and arteries, causing long-term damage to the entire circulatory system.

5. Sugar can dull your brain and even cause depression.

Sugar not only eats away at your teeth enamel, as you undoubtedly know, but it can also eat away at your mental capacity.

According to research, eating too much sugar might impair your cognitive function and even reduce protein levels required for memory and responsiveness. When your brain experiences continual sugar spikes, insulin then becomes unresponsive to its effects, which can lead to depression and anxiety.

6. Finally, sugar has little nutritional value and increases your appetite.

Sugar causes spikes in your blood sugar, prompting your body to release a large amount of insulin to remove the sugar from your system (and convert it to body fat).

Unfortunately, this process causes your blood sugar to fluctuate, leaving you hungry and craving more sugary treats.

And who wants that?

There are other detoxes you can do aside from a sugar detox. Basically, you want to keep your body free of toxins as much as possible, and thriving on nutrients. Check out this interesting one: best detox for weight loss.

Decide right now to go on a sugar detox and permanently reduce your sugar intake!

First published: May 2018

Updated: March 2025