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Sugar is an essential part of any diet. It's a form of carbohydrates, which provide energy. However, refined, processed sugar—found in cookies, cakes, soda and candy—can bring on unwanted symptoms of a sugar rush.
Increased Energy
People tend to reach for sugary foods for the instant energy boost that simple sugars offer. Increased energy, alertness and giddiness may feel good, but they're also associated with the upswing of a sugar rush. Unfortunately, the initial boost only lasts from 15 to 40 minutes before it leads to an inevitable crash.
Fatigue
Sugary food takes energy to digest, leaving you with less energy than before you ate. Since simple sugars provide no nutritional benefit, your body gets no nourishment from them, and all you're left with is fatigue or sleepiness once the sugar rush is over.
Hunger
When you eat foods that are high in sugar, your body creates a high dose of insulin to combat the sugar high. Once the sugar rush ends, the insulin leaches additional sugar from the body, consequently causing low blood sugar. Low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, can make you feel hungry even after eating.
Sugar Cravings
Eating a lot of sugar can elicit a craving for more sugar. In a study out of Princeton, rats were given a sugary drink and a piece of whole wheat bread. Within a month, the rats doubled their consumption of the drink and went without the nutrients from the bread. The professor overseeing the study concluded that humans react similarly.
Sugar cravings can be just as intense as the craving for coffee or drugs and potentially lead to withdrawal symptoms. Be mindful of your intake of refined, processed sugar and opt for nutrient-rich carbs like vegetables and fruits instead.
References
Writer Bio
Errin Reaume started writing in 2005 for publications including college brochures, camera informational websites and vegetarian food blogs. Reaume is pursuing a Master of Arts degree at the University of Florida.
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When I’m happy after eating something sweet mummy and daddy say I am having a “sugar rush”. But I think I’m just happy! Is a sugar rush a real thing?
Rosie, aged 7
A sugar rush is an old saying for when someone feels happy and energetic after eating sugary foods, like lollies. They’re talked about all the time at school.
And this seems like a good explanation for them.
But you’re right: a “sugar rush” isn’t a real thing. It’s what we call a myth. So what’s going on?
What actually is sugar?
Sugar is something your body uses to make energy. Sugar is a type of carbohydrate. Carbohydrates are found in lots of foods, like fruits, vegetables, and cereals. Carbohydrates found in processed foods, like lollies and soft drinks were thought to give you extra energy.
Why did people think sugar rushes were real?
Scientists used to think eating sugary foods and having a “sugar rush” meant sugar would give you lots of fuel to break down into energy.
They thought this because people would be happier, and have lots of energy after eating sweet treats.
This is because sugar is taken up into your blood quickly after eating. Your body then transports the sugar in your bloodstream to your muscles and organs, like your heart and brain.
The muscles and organs use sugar to make energy. All that extra energy might cause someone to do lots of activity like running and jumping.
So why is it a myth?
Your body doesn’t use all the sugar you eat at once, it’s very good at storing sugar for use later. In fact, your body likes to keep the amount of sugar in your blood steady – not too much and not too little. This means your muscles and organs can use the right amounts of sugar to make energy when they need it.
How did scientists find this out?
To test if a “sugar rush” is real, scientists have done some experiments.
First the scientists gave some children a snack, but they didn’t tell their parents what they gave them.
Then the parents had to guess if their child was given something sugary, or non-sugary.
After watching their child play, most parents couldn’t tell which snack their child had. Most parents even thought their child had a sugary snack, when they hadn’t!
These experiments helped scientists discover that a “sugar rush” is a myth.
Instead, they think people just get happy and energetic from enjoying a treat, sugary or not.
So if you are at a party and feeling energetic after eating some cake, lollies and soft drink, it might be because you’re having a good time with your friends and having fun!
But a ‘sugar crash’ is a real thing
Some scientists have looked at what happens to your body after eating lots of sugar. They discovered that eating sugary foods can give you a “sugar crash”!
After feeding some people lots of sugar, the people said they felt really tired one hour after eating their sweet treats.
So rather than having a “sugar rush”, the science says people probably feel worse after eating sugar.
Author
Associate Professor Lauren Ball
Menzies Health Institute