Sugar Addiction: What It Is And Why You Should End Your Sugar Addiction

A sugar addiction means that it is a challenge to control the consumption of sugar in your diet. In fact, the consumption of sweets can become an addiction. Addictions to many substances or behaviors have been documented, but we usually think of addiction to alcohol or drugs. Refined sugar actually looks like cocaine and behaves like heroin when hitting the brain.

Interestingly, sugar activates the brain’s beta endorphin receptors, which are the same sites stimulated by morphine and heroin. This was documented in a study that Nicole Avena and her colleagues published in the Journal of Nutrition in 2009. Previously, Kathleen DesMaisons noted that sugar dependence followed the same pattern of development as other commonly abused drugs.

Any addiction can be harmful, but sugar addiction can have serious health consequences. It contributes to tooth decay, promotes heart disease, alters brain function, and significantly contributes to the development of obesity and diabetes. Consuming too much sugar can negatively affect the endocrine and immune systems, leading to chronic diseases such as asthma, osteoporosis, arthritis, hypoglycemia, and periodontal disease.

The destructive effects of excess sugar can be associated with almost all health conditions. The American Diabetes Association agrees that sugar consumption is one of the top three causes of degenerative disease in the US Of particular importance is suppression of the immune system. As phagocytes are depleted, the body cannot fight disease and infection efficiently or effectively.

There is a lot of information available on how to end your addiction to sugar. It can be challenging because sugar is so common in the foods we eat. One method that all experts agree on is drinking lots of water. It tricks your body into believing that it is not hungry and that there is also no sugar in the water. Eliminate white foods like pasta and sandwich bread, because they are actually sugary products in a different form. Whole wheat bread and brown rice allow for positive effects on carbohydrates without creating cravings.

Eat vegetables in their original form, such as carrots from the produce section rather than canned. Similarly, eat real fruits like apples instead of their processed counterparts in the form of juices. Read labels while shopping and avoid processed foods and products with excess sugar. Learn the different names for sugar so you can identify them in the ingredient list. Also, by eating a balanced diet and getting the proper nutrition from your food, you will naturally crave less sugar.