Sugar causes mood swings

amother

Tue, Jul 02 2013, 12:59 pm

I know it's a given, although some would argue. Does anyone else have a direct correlation between sugar intake and their moods? Every time I find myself in a bad mood, crying for no reason, or depressed, I can trace back and realize I had sugar the day before. I've tried TLC, which cuts out sugar and flour in all forms. I did lose tons of weight, and have kept off most of it, but I couldn't maintain that way of life, for life. The measuring and amount of vegetables was just too much for me. So the question is...what can I do to cut back on my sugar intake without needing to cut back on it completely? And does anyone else go through this - where the effects of sugar are so drastic and dramatic?

Anonymous due to identifying info Smile

MrsDash

Tue, Jul 02 2013, 1:09 pm

I've learned that if I cut sugar out of my diet cold turkey, I get moody and feel lethargic. Although I have done Atkins in the past, and I had to stop my sugar intake. I was miserable for days, but after about a good week my mood picked up, I wasn't as sleepy during the day, and best of all I lost a lot of my cravings for sugar and sweets.

Miri1

Tue, Jul 02 2013, 1:16 pm

amother wrote:

chani8

Tue, Jul 02 2013, 1:20 pm

Off of sugar here. So is DH. And even my kids have chosen to limit their sugar. Such a difference in moods! We all notice it.

We eat similar to Atkins Phase 3. It really works.

amother

Tue, Jul 02 2013, 1:28 pm

Interesting question...

I do agree that eating too much sugar and relying on it as a food staple in your diet is a bad thing. Like sugar cereal for breakfast, bread and pasta for lunch, and more bread and pasta for lunch with a sugary desert ( Smile

been there done that many times)

However, I like to utilize sugar to its greatest advantage...as a treat. I do enjoy icecream, cocoa puffs for breakfast, pasta galore. But I also reach for whole grains, brown rice, veggies, fruit etc. Truth be told after awhile, too much sugar gives you headaches, stomach aches and you feel like your in a fog.

Abstinence is not necessary, just mix up your diet lots of variety and some sweets to keep it interesting!
I've kept of 25 lbs this way!

SS6099

Tue, Jul 02 2013, 1:46 pm

I strongly limit my sugar intake due to insulin resistance, but complete abstinence makes me super moody... I eat one drop at a time, like a jelly bean here or there to give me the push. Eating too much makes me moody and eating nothing makes me moody so I keep it down on the bottom but not completely out.

oliveoil

Tue, Jul 02 2013, 2:24 pm

I find that after 1-2 weeks of being completely off sugar the moodiness goes away.

But I do eat fruits, and I sometimes use honey as a sweetener.

It makes such a huge difference.

mandksima

Tue, Jul 02 2013, 2:45 pm

I also use only natural sweeteners such as fresh fruit, dried fruit, raw honey, etc and it keeps me very stable. I also use anything other than fruit minimally so I don't get a sugar low later. I don't find it hard to maintain. I do cheat with very dark chocolate that does contain real sugar but I am only eating a little and there is very little sugar in the high percentage chocolates. My goal is to be stricter with this but stress still triggers a desire for something sweet/chocolatey and I give into it as I don't want to abandon all dietary changes I have made. I really suggest going off all white/brown sugar, corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, etc You will really see great changes!

oliveoil

Tue, Jul 02 2013, 3:10 pm

I know this sounds crazy but my ice cream machine really helped me stay off sugar!

I blend 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or coconut dream, which is not coconut milk) with 2 Tbsp. cocoa powder and 2 tbsp. honey. Then dump it in the ice cream machine and it comes out delicious. Not quite the same texture as "real" ice cream, but a cold, sweet treat at the end of a long, hard day.