5 Things Sugar Does to Your Mental Health

Sharon Moore June 23, 2015

It’s true. Eating a lot of sugar can actually have a negative effect on your mental health. Even on your emotions too. In what way? Keep reading.

It trumps your mood.

A 2008 research published in the Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews found that eating sugary food affects mood by starting a cycle of binge eating, dopamine spikes, and physical and emotional crash, leading to more craving and withdrawal. Have you experienced eating a huge serving of sweets after lunch? It makes you feel sleepy and irritable right? Sugar can cause mood dips, shorter tempers, lower patience and even depressed feelings. To combat these effects, opt for a stable source of energy, like protein and fibre to keep your blood sugars in normal levels and prevent sugar crash.

Sugar stresses you out.

It’s true. What we eat affects how we feel. Stress and food are closely related. When we are stressed, we develop hormonal imbalance, which could cause us to overeat or sometimes, reduce our appetite. Many people opt for sweets when stressed. What they don’t know, calorie-dense foods that are nutritionally empty bring no good to their mind and body, worsen their mood, and make them feel more hungry and guilty. Stress management techniques are endless, and they vary per individual. Food can be comforting, but it isn’t the only way to deal with stress. There are many approaches to try like meditation, yoga and exercise. When eating to alleviate stress, opt for those that are high in omega-3 fatty acids like fish, nuts and flaxseeds.

Sugar makes us forgetful.

Sugar can also significantly affect cognitive function and performance, particularly memory. A 2012 study published in the Journal of Physiology found that sugar may actually cause memory impairment. Worse, researchers from University of Alabama at Birmingham found a link between sugar consumption and Alzheimer’s disease – a brain disorder wherein memory is severely impaired.

Sugar causes emotional imbalance.

More and more scientists are now exploring the gut-mind connection. One of the key findings is that sugar destroys the balance in the gut flora, which has physical and mental consequences. A poor diet that was high in saturate fats and caloric levels lead to depression. If you want to improve your mood with food, opt for those that are high in good bacteria (probiotics) such as yoghurt. Nutrient-filled foods like fruits and vegetables are also good for your mental and emotional health.

Sugar makes you less focused.

Want to increase your focus and alertness? Drop your sugar habit. According to a recent study by University of California, Los Angeles, sugar forms free radicals in the brain’s membrane and compromises nerve cells’ ability to communicate. This could have repercussions in how well we remember instructions, process ideas, and handle our mood. Foods that are rich in protein and fibre are best if you want to increase focus and concentration.