Plant-based chef, author, and podcast host Radhi Devlukia took on the challenge of ditching sugar for an entire month, revealing five significant changes she noticed. Married to well-known podcaster and life coach Jay Shetty, Radhi shared her initial struggle, describing the first day without sugar as “pretty awful”.
The 34 year old detailed symptoms such as “headaches, low energy and all the withdrawal symptoms” in a TikTok video on her @radhidevlukia account. Withdrawal from sugar can cause both mental and physical reactions, as noted by Very Well Mind, with potential effects ranging from anxiety or irritability to sleep disturbances, depressed mood, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, and concentration difficulties.
These symptoms typically subside after “days or weeks”. Below you can see some of the improvements she experienced.
1. Improved skin
Just three days into the sugar-free journey, she noticed her skin had “completely cleared up” and appeared “more vibrant and glowy than ever before”, with all forehead bumps vanishing. Olay supports these findings, stating that cutting out sugar can enhance skin health by reducing glycation, thus minimising wrinkles and fine lines, stabilising insulin levels to combat acne, and improving the skin’s moisture retention.
2. Less cravings for unhealthy food
Radhi discovered that just one week into her sugar-free journey, she no longer craved the “super salty, super sweet, super processed foods” she used to, finding them “undesirable”. Her taste buds had adjusted, no longer feeling “no longer felt overstimulated”, and she found herself reaching for “juicy berries”, which now “tasted like candy”.
INTEGRIS Health confirms that after a few days without sugars, your taste buds can recalibrate, making foods taste more flavourful. Nutrition and wellness expert Samantha Cassetty, RD, told Well + Good: “As you reduce sugar, you might notice that foods you once found bland or not sweet enough start to taste more flavourful. Your palate becomes more sensitive to natural sweetness in real foods like fruits and even vegetables.”
3. Sharper focus
Two weeks in, Radhi’s focus sharpened, and “brain fog was a distant memory”. While sugary treats can initially boost focus, this effect is short-lived, with glucose levels typically plummeting after about 20 minutes, leading to distraction and lack of concentration.
Cutting out sugar can enhance cognition and mental productivity, as per INTEGRIS Health. Nutritional Neuroscience published a study linking sugar intake with cognitive issues and negative changes in the brain’s frontal cortex.
4. Less sensitive teeth
Radhi experienced an unexpected symptom – reduced tooth sensitivity. Cutting out sugar doesn’t just help reduce the number of cavities, but it can also help reduce sensitivity.
Green Acres Family Dentistry explains that excessive sugar consumption can contribute to tooth sensitivity. This is due to the fact that foods and drinks high in sugar can lead to enamel erosion, exposing the sensitive dentin underneath.
5. More energy
After four weeks, Radhi was “waking up feeling more energised and had no more groggy mornings”. A high-sugar diet can cause daily energy crashes and erratic energy levels, leaving you feeling tired and irritable.
However, reducing sugar and eating more fibre-rich and whole grain foods can result in a steadier release of sugar into your bloodstream, stabilising your energy levels. The NHS warns that consuming too much added sugar can lead to weight gain and tooth decay.
According to the NHS, eating too much added sugar can make you gain weight and cause tooth decay. The government recommends that free sugars, which are the ones added to food or drinks, and sugars found naturally in food, should not make up more than 5% of the energy (calories) you get per day. This means adults should have no more than 30g of free sugars per day, children aged seven to 10 should have no more than 24g of free sugars per day, and children aged four to six should have no more than 19g of free sugars per day.