That\u00a0is because eating sugar causes immediate changes in the brain\u2019s chemistry (similar to what is seen with narcotics use) which produces heightened pleasure.<\/p>\n
Sugar is \u2014 quite literally \u2014 irresistible.<\/strong><\/p>\n Click To Tweet<\/a><\/p>\n For a very long time, the addictive qualities of sugar have been recognized anecdotally by layperson and scientists alike.<\/p>\n But it was not until recently that we actually have had hard scientific evidence,\u00a0which proves the \u2018drug-like\u2019 quality of sugar.<\/p>\n This evidence has come to us thanks to the\u00a0use\u00a0of PET scan, an imaging technology that shows how organs and tissues work and, therefore, reveals a lot about how the brain reacts to the consumption (and overconsumption of sugar).<\/p>\n It all began with an Italian study,\u00a0which showed that there was decreased dopamine sensitivity in the obese. Interestingly, scientists started to notice the\u00a0exact same pattern<\/em>\u00a0in cocaine addicts and alcoholics, suggesting that a reduction in dopamine receptors is associated with addictive behavior.<\/p>\n Click To Tweet<\/a><\/p>\n So how is dopamine actually connected with addictive behavior?<\/p>\n Dopamine is a neurotransmitter (a chemical released by nerve cells to send signals to other nerve cells) that operates primarily in the \u2018pleasure and reward\u2019 center of the brain.<\/p>\n When someone takes a drug like heroin or consumes sugar, they are in effect stimulating the pleasure center of the brain by increasing the levels of dopamine.<\/p>\n In fact, studies have shown that the intense sweetness of sugar can actually\u00a0surpass<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0the reward value of other drugs.\u00a0Meaning that the dopamine spike you get from sugar is even more intense than a drug like cocaine.<\/em> You enter into a vicious circle of addiction.<\/strong><\/p>\n And just like drug withdrawal which is well known to cause physical, emotional and mental distress, removing sugar from the diet can lead to temporary depression and physical discomfort.<\/p>\n Which is precisely why changing diet can be so difficult.<\/p>\n Click To Tweet<\/a><\/p>\n And swapping out sugars for artificial sweeteners will not\u00a0help.<\/p>\n As we have already discussed on this blog\u00a0post<\/a>, artificial sweeteners may stimulate our appetite rather than suppress it because they do not relieve hunger like real sugar does. We do not feel satiated. In this state, we\u00a0are likely to eat more and choose unhealthful\u00a0foods. So instead of eating less, we eat more.<\/p>\n And one of the rather counter-intuitive and yet potent consequences of using artificial sweeteners is that they perpetuate the desire for and the dependency on all things sweet. By continuing to consume \u2018sweet\u2019 (whether it is with or without calories) we are unable to train our taste buds away Another vicious circle.<\/strong><\/p>\n Click To Tweet<\/a><\/p>\n At the end of the day, the best way out of the sugar cycle is to\u00a0retrain our taste buds\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>by eating only whole foods (fruits,\u00a0veggies\u00a0and starches) that contain\u00a0natural<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0sweetness.<\/p>\n If you\u00a0are used to adding heaps of sugar to your coffee or cereal in the morning, you may find it difficult at first. Just give your taste buds a bit of time to adapt. The key is to eat whole sweets in the form of fruits and veggies. The more whole foods you eat, the fewer processed, stripped and sugary foods you\u00a0will crave.<\/p>\n The first step in doing that is to m<\/em><\/strong>ake a conscious decision<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0to change<\/em><\/strong>. You need to learn the best way to change your habits as well as how to deal with cravings.<\/p>\n Follow these tips to successfully overcome cravings and eliminate sugars from your diet.<\/p>\n While I do not think we\u00a0are prepared to call sugar the \u2018food heroin\u2019, it is clear that an\u00a0overconsumption<\/em><\/strong><\/span>\u00a0of sugar can have the exact same addictive effect on your brain as cocaine or alcohol.<\/p>\n The urge for sweet is a natural one. The best way to satiate that need is simply by turning to the natural solution–i.e.\u00a0Eating\u00a0a delicious variety of\u00a0whole\u00a0fruits,\u00a0vegetables, and starches.<\/p>\n If you take that approach, you can \u2018have your cake and eat it too\u2019 by satiating your sweet tooth with foods that nourish and build your body.<\/strong>What Science Shows Us<\/h3>\n
What\u00a0Is\u00a0So\u00a0Special\u00a0About\u00a0Dopamine?<\/h3>\n
\nBut this is not a static process; continued exposure to either the drug or sugar diminishes the sensitivity to the dopamine; to achieve the same dopamine\/pleasure center rewards, higher and higher levels of the hit (whether drug or sugar) are required.<\/p>\nArtificial Sweeteners Are Not\u00a0the Solution<\/h3>\n
\nfrom intensely sweet foods.<\/p>\nHow\u00a0to Kick\u00a0the Sugar Habit<\/h3>\n
\n
The Bottom Line<\/h3>\n
\n