Sugar has no vitamins or minerals so has no health benefits, it contains 16 calories per teaspoon but contains none of the B vitamins, chromium, magnesium, zinc or other trace minerals that the body needs in order to digest and metabolize it, therefore it robs you of your vitamins and minerals that are necessary for other body functions.
Your body could be using these nutrients for more important purposes such as fighting infections, warding off allergies, or just plain energy.
Sugar has an effect on your immune system, studies show that there is a reduction in antibody production when people have as little as 18 grams of sugar, about as much as what you'd find in half a can of soda.
These antibodies are needed to fight foreign invaders.
Eating just 3 oz of sugar can result in a 50% reduction of the ability of the white blood cells to gobble up and kill viruses and bacteria for up to five hours.
Sugar also has effects such as:

• Increases triglycerides,
• Causes kidney damage,
• Reduces helpful high density fats (lipoproteins)
• Promotes and elevates harmful low density fats
• Chromium deficiency,
• Copper deficiency,
• Interferes with absorption of calcium and magnesium,
• Hyperactivity,
• Anxiety,
• Concentration difficulties,
• Pulls the calcium from our bones and tissues.
  

Minerals are important for body functions and when these become imbalanced and fluctuate for too long disease occurs.
Sugar is everywhere, which is why I advise to not eat processed foods, as there is hidden sugar, it is in:

• Sodas,
• Cakes,
• Ice cream,
• Salad dressings,
• Fed animals prior to slaughter as it improves the flavor andcolor of cured meat,
• Added to hamburgers sold in restaurants to reduce shrinkage,
• Before salmon is canned, it is often glazed with a sugar solution,
• Some fast-food restaurants sell poultry that has been injected with a flavorful honey solution,
• Processing of luncheon meats, bacon, and canned meats,
• Bouillon cubes,
• Dry-roasted nuts,
• Beer, wine and other alcoholic beverages.
  
• Syrup in canned fruits,
• Peanut butter,
• Dry cereals (even corn flakes) contain sugar,
• Some salt contains sugar,
• Ketchup.
  

Sugar can be disguised by manufacturers under different names such as:

• Corn syrup
• Cornstarch
• High fructose corn syrup - which is corn treated with acid to make sugar

Please note that artificial sugars as a substitute is not a healthy option.
However a good sugar substitute is a herb called "stevia" that isn't sugar but gives the sweet taste, but sometimes that aftertaste can be bad, other good substitutes are pure unfiltered honey, pure maple sugar, or date sugar.
They are sweet and seem to be well tolerated and also have a greater nutritional value.
When you eat too much sugar it gives you that initial rush with an increase in your blood sugar level, after being temporarily energized the initial rush drops dramatically and so does your blood sugar level.
Your moods change with the sugar change, you go from being happy and up to being down and irritated.
This rebound effect can occur within 1 hour of eating sugar.
It is estimated that up to 30 % of depressed patients show some sensitivity to sugar.
When you eat sugar it makes your body excrete chromium, which is used to help, your body build calorie-burning lean tissue.
Equally when you are deficient in chromium your body craves sugar, which then sugar depletes your body's chromium supplies.
And the cycle continues.
Instead of eating something sweet when you crave sugar eat protein instead to beat the cycle.
Sugar is like a drug that you are addicted to that you have to be weaned off and you will suffer withdrawal symptoms.
To start kicking the sugar habits get your chromium here.