Sugar addiction is still a source of debate among health professionals. Recently, I read a newsletter from a fellow nutritionist who claimed that there was no such thing as sugar addiction. I felt compelled to respond and shed light on this real, unmanaged, and serious problem. Addiction can be to anything: drugs, food, sex, and even a person. It has to do with the stimulation of the pleasure centers in the brain. Whatever makes you feel good, you want more of it.
There are many programs, rehab centers, and professionals who can help you deal with smoking, drug, or alcohol addiction. But when it comes to sugar, there isn’t even information, yet it’s well documented that sugar addiction is as real as any other. The problem with any food addiction, especially one that’s as ubiquitous as sugar, is how do you treat it? It’s easy to avoid alcohol and drugs, but sugar is part of food. Your body runs on sugar. Glucose is the food of the brain, yet it cannot store it or manufacture it, so it needs a regular supply. You need carbohydrates! Not just to calm the addiction but for survival.
What is Sugar Addiction?
Scientists have classified it as dependence characterized by compulsive, uncontrollable actions and a Behavior that occurs at the expense of other activities and intensifies with repeated access. Doesn’t sugar addiction fit all these? If you ever found yourself with an urge to go buy ice cream or get out of your comfort to get that cookie, you’d agree that sugar addiction is very real. It’s like your brain was hijacked and you lost all decision-power.
If you’d like to understand how sugar stimulates the neural system, you may want to read this study that tests sugar addition on rats. If you are addicted to sugar and you are trying to cut down by switching to artificial sugars, such as Splenda or stevia, you may want to read my previous article on artificial sweeteners.
How to Treat Sugar Addiction and Reduce Cravings
First, determine that you have an addiction to sugar. Below are a few tips to help you track the cravings.
- Do you have a need to eat something sweet daily? Is it at the same time every day?
- Do you think about sugar constantly?
- Do you find it difficult to control the amount of sugar you eat? Or when you start you can’t stop.
- Will you eat sugary treats even when you don’t enjoy them?
If you answered yes to 2 or more of these questions, chances are you have a sugar addiction.
Breaking a sugar addiction is no easy task. It takes courage, determination, and a willingness to be tormented. As said earlier, sugar is everywhere and is perfectly legal to overdose. So how do you develop resistance?
Don’t eliminate all sugar at once. Take small steps and remove useless sugar first. This may include desserts, your daily candy fix, doughnuts, ice cream, and the like. Switch to more beneficial sugar. The one that comes with nutrients, such as fruit, bread, even chocolate. If that’s something that gives you joy, feel free to indulge. Make sure you chose chocolate that is 70% cocoa or higher. This type of chocolate will not be addictive but will hit the spot.
Avoid reducing your portions. When you do that, you may not satisfy your hunger and that will create cravings or a need for constant snacking. Instead, eat a varied and balanced diet. Your plate or bowl should resemble a rainbow.
Do not replace sugar by artificial sweeteners. See my previous articles about fake sugar, linked above.
Do not chew on gum. Dietitians in the old days use to recommend this tactic to their dieters, but it actually has the opposite effect. When you chew and swallow, the stomach expects a bolus. If nothing is received, after a while, you will feel a gnawing hunger. You may eat more than you would if you didn’t chew gum.
Be prepared. Don’t go without food for more than 4 hours. When you are very hungry, you will lose control and reach for the easiest and quickest foods. What’s better than sugary treats.
Last and most important, avoid skipping meals. This is what hurts most people who are worried about weight gain. When you stop eating, your body shuts down and won’t spend any calories. At your next meal, it will wake up and you won’t be able to stop eating.
Keep track of your cravings. When and why they happen. If possible, avoid situations that will trigger a craving: eating in a restaurant where they have your favorite dessert; attending parties where you know they will have excessive amounts of sugary treats; Tell your family member not to buy you your favorite cookie anymore.
Finally, make sure if you succumb and eat your favorite sugary food or treat, that it’s is the best quality and you enjoy it fully. No guilt is necessary. Just avoid repetition.
You will never have a life without sugar. So, don’t aim for eradication. Aim for control and measured gratification.
I have put together a video that explains what sugar is, its role in our health, and how to tame this craving and get rid of the addiction once and for all.
I hope you will watch it and send me some feedback.