Sugar: The New Tobacco of the 21st Century

Wait – sugar and tobacco? How can they possibly be compared? Tobacco is a highly addictive substance with several side effects and sugar is just a sweetener to make food taste good…isn’t it?

Maybe not. Studies are suggesting that sugar might be more addictive than previously thought.

A recent study showed that sugary drinks actually make you hungrier and make your crave more sugar. They had a group of 12 obese participants drink a milkshake that was both low on the glycemic index and low in sugar. Then they measured hunger, blood sugar, and the nucleus acumbens (a region in the brain that measures addiction). Days later, those same participants came back for another milkshake. The participants didn’t know it but the second drink was high in sugar and much higher on the glycemic index. It tasted exactly the same and had the same number of calories and the same amount of protein, carbs, and fats. As far as they were concerned it was the same milkshake. When it was again measured and compared to the effects of the first milkshake, each participant had the same results: spikes in insulin and increased hunger and cravings only four hours after drinking the milkshake

Another interesting result was that the first shake had no increase in activity in the nucleaus acumbens; after the second milkshake all participants showed a significant increase in activity in this region of the brain. This suggests that not only is sugar addictive, but it is likely also biologically addictive. Your sugar addiction might have been passed on from your parents own addictions to sugar!

How Can You Know if You Are Addicted to Sugar?

After reading this you might be concerned that you have a sugar addiction. You might be especially concerned if you or your children are overweight or obese. You should be! Here are 5 signs that you may be addicted to sugar:

1. In order to reduce negative emotions or experience pleasure, you need to consume more of the foods you crave.
2. You frequently overeat and feel fatigued afterwards.
3. Even when you’re not hungry you find yourself craving and consuming certain foods.
4. You keep eating the way you do despite having social problems that prevent you from doing the things you want to do.
5. You feel panicky or anxious at the thought of having to give up certain foods that you crave.

Overcoming Sugar Addiction

Getting past any kind of addiction will not be easy but sugar addictions are especially hard to overcome. Sugar is everywhere you go. It is offered to you when you go out, it’s on the shelves at the cash register, and it is taunting you from menus and café windows. It’s not like quitting smoking where you can completely eliminate temptations. You have to eat. And sugar is in a lot of foods. It will be challenging but you can do it!

Need to beat your sugar addictions? Here are a few tips:
• Get rid of sugar in your home – all kinds!
• Eat regularly. 3-5 meals and snacks a day will prevent you from getting hungry and craving sugar. Your blood sugar will level off and you will have fewer cravings for things you are trying to avoid.
• Eat healthy. Avoid empty calorie foods and choose foods that are high in fiber. Looks for foods that have natural flavors like fruit and vegetables. Drink water.
• Exercise and get sunlight. Exercise will increase those pleasure zones in your brain that were previously activated by sugar.
• Get enough sleep.
• Learn to manage stress. Previously, you may have turned to sugar when you felt anxious. Now you need to find something else to manage stress levels. Listen to music, go for a walk, meditate, or talk to a friend.
• When you go out make sure you’re not starving! Whether you are going to a park, out for dinner, or to a friend’s house to play games or watch a movie, you’re likely to encounter opportunities to reach for sugar again. If you have dealt with your hunger before you go out, you can at least remind yourself that you aren’t really hungry.
• When you go to dinner or for a backyard BBQ, ask if you can bring something. Most people won’t say no. Bring something you love that is healthy and sugar free. At least then you will know that there is one thing you can eat.

Finally, be nice to yourself. Getting over a sugar addiction will take time and you may stumble back into your old ways sometimes. If this happens, just remember that you can start all over again the very moment that you realize what has happened. Don’t wait until the next day to have a “fresh start”. Your fresh start is now!

Resources:
http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/early/2013/06/26/ajcn.113.064113.abstract