I have eliminated white sugar from my diet for about two months now. The main reason that prompted me to do it was a rather advanced and quite painful caries, which led me to the death of a molar and the rescue in extemis of another. This is because in the last year, trapped in routine and daily stress, I have abused it, to fill that emotional void due to both the absence of physical activity and the lack of time to devote to my interests. It’s actually not the first time I’ve attempted this feat. Yes, because as simple as it may seem, abandoning this habit is not at all if an addiction has developed. I already knew how harmful it was to consume sugar on a daily basis. It is no coincidence that since I was twenty, I had reduced my intake with good practices, such as taking coffee without sugar, but also not adding it to other hot drinks in general. But despite this I have never been able to delete it permanently and this is due to several factors. First of all because when shopping at the supermarket most of the packaged products contain it. Even unsuspected products such as rusks, soups and tomato preserves can contain it. It is therefore necessary to read the labels carefully if you want to avoid it. And it is not enough to exclude the word sugar because it can be indicated with different names, given to very similar substances that are equally harmful to health. For example: glucose syrup, corn syrup, rice syrup, fructose syrup, maltose syrup, saccharin syrup, dextrose syrup. Another reason why it is often difficult to eliminate sugar, and sweets in general, is because this gives us that sense of satisfaction and contentment due to the release of dopamine, to the point of producing a real psychological addiction over time. Finally, social contexts and traditions also have a non-negligible relevance. When a friend or colleague offers us a pastry on his birthday it is difficult to refuse by making an excuse. How many times during the holidays we say to ourselves, right, I’ll make an exception for these holidays, only to find ourselves fattened and entangled in a vicious circle from which we are no longer able to get out.

SUCROSE
White sugar, known as sucrose, often together with 00 flour and salt, is rightly considered a poison for our body. In fact, the damage it causes to the same is more than the benefits, so it would be better to do without it. If it is true that it is tolerated in small quantities, in the long term it can lead to various health problems and also be the cause of important pathologies.

GLYCEMIA
The first problem encountered by regularly taking sugar is the continuous occurrence of blood sugar spikes. These spikes lead to the pancreas producing insulin to get rid of the excess sugar that could create inflammation. This sugar will be stored in the liver as a glycogen store, but if the organ is already saturated, it will be converted into triglycerides. In the long run, this mechanism of sugar control by insulin could become less effective, leading to insulin resistance, from which pathologies such as type 2 diabetes could then arise. But also aesthetic problems, in fact excessive consumption of sugar over time can lead to skin aging due to the phenomenon of glycation(1).

ACIDITY
If you suffer from gastric acidity it is good to eliminate sugar and foods that contain it. In an acidic environment such as that of the stomach, sugars ferment rapidly, leading to abdominal swelling, pain and a worsening of the acidity in progress (2). Personally I have noticed that often by eating a sweet, for example a croissant, followed by a coffee, these often produce stomach acid. Probably the combination of two foods, such as the sugar contained in the croissant and the coffee, both acidic substances, helps to trigger the phenomenon(3). Surely they are two foods to be eliminated for those suffering from this problem.

CARIES
Sucrose is a compound of glucose, which is one of the main foods of streptococcus mutans, one of the bacteria found in our oral cavity. Due to this it is very easy to get tooth decay if you take it regularly. This bacterium, synthesizing glucose, produces lactic acid which is very harmful to the enamel and finally leads the teeth to decay(4). Cavity does not depend only on sucrose of course, but this element simplifies the work of bacteria, as it is easily transformed into glucose which is their favorite food. Moreover, without realizing it, we can abuse it because it is present in almost all industrial products.

TRIGLYCERIDES
An excessive consumption of sugars leads to an increase in the value of triglycerides, which associated with a diet rich in carbohydrates, easily leads to exceeding the threshold considered safe of about 165 mg/dl. If we also habitually consume other unhealthy foods, such as fried foods, fatty meats and cheeses, and adopt a sedentary lifestyle, we realize how dangerous it all can be. A too high level of triglycerides, maintained for too long over time, can be the trigger of many pathologies such as atherosclerosis, cardiovascular problems, fatty liver, diabetes, stroke, heart attack(5).

ATHEROSCLEROSIS
Atherosclerosis originates from the formation of plaques in the arteries which limit the lumen of these and cause circulatory problems. These plaques can be caused by an excessive consumption of sugars which, as we have seen, can be transformed into triglycerides, increasing cholesterol and also causing inflammation in the arteries.

DIABETES
Diabetes is a metabolic disease caused by a decrease in the activity of insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas to reduce the concentration of glucose in the blood, in order to prevent organ damage. Diabetes is characterized by hyperglycemia, that means a high concentration of glucose in the blood (6). An abuse of sugar leads to sudden and rapid glycemic rises which contribute to disrupting the regulation of metabolic parameters (7).

FAT LIVER
As we have seen, excess sugar in the diet can increase the level of triglycerides in the blood. A high triglyceride level over time can lead to accumulation of fat in the liver causing fatty liver disease. If the conditions that led to steatosis are not eliminated, they could subsequently degenerate into steatohepatitis, characterized by inflammation and the risk of liver cirrhosis(8).

DYSBIOSIS
Excessive consumption of sugars can induce intestinal dysbiosis, cause ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and other intestinal diseases. In fact, sugars alter the microbiota which favors inflammation and colitis (9).

DEPENDENCE
If from one day to the next we decide to remove refined sugar from the diet, it is easy to run into a sort of withdrawal crisis. As is known, sucrose is capable of producing a physical dependence comparable to that of many other substances, such as nicotine, because it contributes to the release of dopamine. Furthermore, refined sugar creates psychological dependence (10). So even knowing all the problems that derive from its intake, it is difficult to reduce its use. You will always find an excuse to continue taking it. For example, today since I’m away from home, I have breakfast at the cofee shop and only allow myself a croissant for breakfast. Tomorrow, since I’m home and bored, I’ll just allow myself a piece of chocolate that I have in my cupboard. Then you give in to something else, and so on, without being able to stop and increasing your intake instead of trying to reduce it, until you create a vicious circle from which it is difficult to get out if there is not a strong motivation. It is therefore important to eliminate all favorable conditions, depriving our pantry of sweets, snacks, biscuits and everything containing sugar. Also in the fridge there must not be carbonated drinks, fruit juices, yoghurts. Only sugar-free alternatives must be used, such as jams, biscuits, juices, natural yoghurt, all without sugar and possibly with the addition of natural sweeteners. For example, maltitol can temporarily be a substitute because it has a lower glycemic index, about the half of sucrose, and is not cariogenic as it is a polyalcohol. There are others, for example erythritol, which with the same sweetening power of sucrose, has zero calories. But even better would be to include substitute foods that are healthier and in any case satisfying. When you crave something sweet, for example, you could eat a sweet fruit such as a banana or something which, even if not sweet, such as almond or hazelnut cream or peanut butter, can be satisfying, as well as being beneficial for your health. Eventually you can opt for some sugar-free food designed for diabetics, such as biscuits or snacks with sweeteners like those just seen. In the long run, however, it would be advisable to replace desserts with fruit snacks, even dried fruit, perhaps proceeding gradually.

ABSTINENCE
If after two/three days of removing sugar from the diet we get that sudden craving for sweets, it is likely that we have developed a strong addiction. In that case, a way to overcome abstinence could be to proceed gradually, accustoming the body to an ever-decreasing intake, until it is completely removed within a month or two. Addiction as already mentioned is not only physical but also psychological and is therefore difficult to overcome. One can possibly trick the mind for a while by using alternative sweeteners.

STEVIA
One of these is stevia which is certainly a valid alternative to sugar, in case we cannot give up the sweet taste, or we are simply not used to taking certain foods and drinks without adding sugar.
In fact, stevia, in addition to not raising blood sugar, is about 300 times sweeter than sucrose and has 0 calories(11). Therefore, very little is needed in relation to sucrose and it is also suitable for diabetics.
Its active ingredients, steviosides and rebaudiosides, are extracted from the leaves without particular chemical processes. It therefore remains a natural substance, an excellent substitute for classic sugar.

ASPARTAME
Not all alternative sweeteners are harmless. Some artificial sweeteners, for example aspartame, even appear to be carcinogenic(12). It is therefore advisable to read the labels carefully to verify their presence. Aspartame is often found in foods with the sugar-free label, and in particular in soft drinks, candies and chewing gum.

ACESULFAME K AND SUCRALOSE
Like aspartame, acesulfame k and sucralose should also be avoided. In fact, according to a study it seems that they inhibit the purification function of the liver (13).

SOCIALITY
Even human relationships can sometimes be the cause of addictions and bad habits. For example, if we have a colleague who often consumes sweets and offers us some, tell him that we are on a diet due to health problems so he will not instigate us. If there are negative people who continually pour their problems on us or those of society or bad government policy, we try to avoid them as much as possible. In fact, even bad emotions, anger, stress, are to be avoided. Burying ourselves energetically with these negative emotions or with the problems of others could lead us back to the path of bad habits, risking resuming an addiction such as sweets.

BAD HABITS
Some bad habits can lead us back to our addictions. Watching too much TV, or leading a sedentary lifestyle, staying indoors too much during the day, are all potentially triggering factors. If one or more of these habits concern us, it will be necessary to start new activities to get rid of them. For example, possibly playing sports outdoors, taking walks in nature, going to a park even just to read a book. If we have problems undertaking one of these activities, let’s find a friend to share them with and it will be easier to get started. He could also be the one to suggest others, such as a bike ride.

(1) https://www.pleinair.it/vivi-pleinair/i-pericoli-dello-zucchero-in-agguato-dentro-e-fuori-di-noi/
(2) https://www.laltrariabilitazione.it/alimentazione-e-disturbi-metabolici/acidita-di-stomaco-7-rimedi-per-combatterla.html
(3) https://activebeat.com/ita/fitness-nutrizione/15-cibi-che-scatenano-bruciori-di-stomaco-come-tenere-sotto-controllo-i-reflussi-gastrici/
(4) https://www.clinicamedicasanluca.it/il-dottore-informa/luso-eccessivo-degli-zuccheri-leffetto-sui-nostri-denti/
(5) https://www.schwabe.it/bisogni/trigliceridi-alti-cosa-sono-e-cosa-devi-fare/
(6) https://www.my-personaltrainer.it/salute/diabete.html
(7) https://www.diabete.com/disintossicarsi-dal-consumo-eccessivo-di-zucchero-vademecum-pratico-per-diabetici-e-non-solo/
(8) https://www.humanitas.it/malattie/steatosi/
(9) https://gabrieleprinzi.it/lo-zucchero-raffinato-induce-la-colite-e-crea-la-disbiosi
(10) https://www.wired.it/scienza/medicina/2017/09/04/zucchero-dipendenza-cocaina/
(11)https://www.starbene.it/alimentazione/mangiare-sano/stevia-proprieta-benefici-controindicazioni/
(12) https://ehjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12940-021-00725-y
(13) https://www.fnob.it/2022/04/29/acesulfame-potassio-e-sucralosio-impediscono-la-purificazione-del-fegato/