We all know that too much of a good thing can turn bad, but often that doesn't stop us from doing it. However, Karly Soy stayed true to her word after vowing to quit sugar, and the results were pretty rapid.
In a viral TikTok video, the 27-year-old (@notkarlysooy) shared two videos of her side profile at the start of a sugar detox followed by similar footage, recorded seven days later. In the caption, she wrote: "Thank you no sugar for giving me a jawline again."
Racking up more than 6 million views, the clip shows a notable difference as a layer of fat has disappeared from under her chin, making her jawline much more defined. Soy told Newsweek that she reaped both mental and physical benefits.
Baked goods and chips washed down with a soda or sweetened coffee were part of daily consumption. She said: "I was consuming about 50 to 70 grams of sugar per day." The American Heart Association says that women should limit their sugar intake to six teaspoons (25 grams/100 calories) per day, while men should limit it to nine teaspoons (35g/150 calories).
For many, this may be easier said than done, since sugar is added to more than cakes and candy. It is in sauces such as ketchup, salad dressings, and protein bars. With many Americans addicted to sugar, some may believe that it is impossible to avoid but, as noted by Soy, it is doable.
Soy said that she was prompted to try a week without sugar after experiencing chronic fatigue and gut issues.
She said: "It seemed bizarre for my age," adding, "I had to take a deep look into my diet and lifestyle and come to terms that I wasn't giving my body the nourishment it was craving.
"I was having symptoms like fatigue, acne, bloating, irritability, etc. which steered me to completely switch to a whole foods diet and focus on what I was consuming, which led me to experiment with a minimal to no sugar diet."
On May 25, Soy shared the results on social media and received over 516,000 likes. She has continued to consume only natural sugars from fruit or honey.
She said: "At first, I noticed my energy had tremendously improved and I wasn't having that midday crash like I was used to.
"Another improvement that I wasn't expecting to change was my mood. It was more stabilized, and I seemed to overall just have more of a 'pep' in my step.
"Today, I consume a whole foods diet because I know it's important for my body to have this nutrient. Of course, life happens and I will have a treat that has artificial sugar, but my goal is to be consistent 95 percent of the time. By doing this, my body will heal and bounce back quicker after I do decide to have a treat."
The Impact of Added Sugar
It is crucial to understand that sugar itself is not being demonized, but consuming added sugar can lead to serious consequences. The CDC encourages people to be smart when it comes to treating themselves as it can lead to weight gain, diabetes, high blood pressure and more. Newsweek reached out to regional dietitian Kelsey Rosenbaum, who works at Sodexo in Houston, Texas.
"It's important to cut down on added sugar and ultra-processed foods because they don't serve our bodies or minds well," Rosenbaum said. "When adjusting diets to less added sugar and less ultra-processed foods, one change that many people are likely to see is more consistent and sustained energy throughout the day.
"Our body uses added sugar quickly resulting in an energy spike, then a crash. Whole and minimally processed foods will still have natural sugar, but they will also have more fiber or protein that will slow down the absorption of sugar, eliminating the energy spike and crash," Rosenbaum said.
"This also means better blood glucose management and a decreased risk for Type 2 diabetes. Added sugar can also negatively affect hormone balance resulting in less sleep, so decreasing the amount of added sugar may result in a better night's sleep."
TikTok Reacts
Soy couldn't agree more with Rosenbaum, and she told Newsweek that she feels great and urges others to try it as well. The comments section suggests that her enthusiasm is inspiring many.
"This was ALL the motivation I needed!!! I'm a sugar ADDICT!!" read one comment with over 28,000 likes.
"I'm on my second week with no sugar and I never felt more energetic! And lost 4kg already," added another user.
A third commenter posted: "Almost spit my tea out. Wow what a difference! I give it a try."
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