Why Sugar is So Addictive and How to Quit the Cycle

Sugar is perhaps the most addictive substance on the planet.  For those who are trapped in its vicious cycle, It is possibly as addictive as a hard-core drug like cocaine.  Much as it is a temporary high, and your whole body ends up feeling worse after a binge, the pull to repeat the cycle is intense.  Every. Single. Day. 

Your brain sees sugar as a reward, which makes you keep wanting more of it. If you often eat a lot of sugar, you’re reinforcing that reward, which can make it tough to break the habit.  Your body needs to move glucose out of the bloodstream and into your cells for energy. To do this, your pancreas makes insulin, a hormone. As a result, your blood sugar level may suddenly drop. This rapid change in blood sugar leaves you feeling wiped out and shaky and searching for more sweets to regain that sugar “high.” So that midday sugary treat has set you up for more bad eating, which is why sugar is so addictive (https://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow).

Why Sugar is So Addictive: Breaking Down the Effects on the Brain

There’s an increasing body of research that tells us excess sugar could be as addictive as some street drugs and have similar effects on the brain. Eating sugar releases opioids and dopamine in our bodies, which is why sugar is so addictive.  Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is a key part of the “reward circuit” associated with addictive behavior. When a certain behavior causes an excess release of dopamine, you feel a pleasurable “high” that you are inclined to re-experience, and so you repeat the behavior.  As you repeat that behavior more and more, your brain adjusts to release less dopamine. The only way to feel the same “high” as before is to repeat the behavior in increasing amounts and frequency. This is known as substance misuse  (https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition).

More Addicting than Cocaine?

Cassie Bjork, RD, LD, founder of Healthy Simple Life, states that sugar can be even more addicting than cocaine. “Sugar activates the opiate receptors in our brain and affects the reward center, which leads to compulsive behavior, despite the negative consequences like weight gain, headaches, hormone imbalances, and more.”   Bjork adds, “Every time we eat sweets, we are reinforcing those neuropathways, causing the brain to become increasingly hardwired to crave sugar, building up a tolerance like any other drug”  (https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition).

 “You need food to survive, and I think it’s unrealistic to think you will be able to completely ‘quit’ sugar,” says Alex Caspero, MA, RD, a blogger, health coach, and founder of Delish Knowledge.  Caspero adds, “The good news is that we can adapt our taste buds to accept less sugar. Reducing sugar, especially concentrated sugars, not only limits the amount of sugars ingested, but also makes less sweet foods seem sweeter”  (https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition).

Why Sugar is So Addictive: Unexpected Places

Sugar addiction is one of the most common types of food addiction – all the more sinister because, often, we don’t even know it is there. Many studies have shown that sugar is one of the most palatable and addictive foods and, with this knowledge, food manufacturers often use excessive amounts of it in foods we don’t even consider to be sweet  (https://www.verywellmind.com/sugar-addiction-22149).  This is why it is so important to be aware and start to read ingredient labels.  It is not only the obvious sources of sugar like candy, chocolate, baked goods, and soft drinks.  Instead, all different types of food items that we consume daily and consider to be fairly healthy, often contain excessive amounts. This could include yogurts, barbeque sauces, pasta sauces, granola bars, protein bars, premade soups, and cereals.

                                 

How Much Sugar Is Too Much?

If you’re like most people in the U.S., you eat 19 teaspoons or more of added sugar a day. That adds up to 285 calories, which health experts say is way too much. How much sugar should you be eating? According to the American Heart Association, no more than 6 teaspoons daily for women. That’s about 100 calories or 25 grams. Men should get a max of 9 teaspoons. That’s about 150 calories or 38 grams. (https://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow).

You don’t always see the word “sugar” on a food label. It sometimes goes by another name, like these:

• Agave nectar
• Brown rice syrup
• High-fructose corn syrup
• Dextrose
• Evaporated cane juice
• Glucose
• Lactose
• Malt syrup
• Molasses
• Sucrose

Watch out for items that list any form of sugar in the first few ingredients, or have more than 4 total grams of sugar.

Why Sugar is So Addictive: Retrain Your Taste Buds

Can you beat your sugar habit by quitting cold turkey? Some sugar detox plans urge you to avoid all sweets. That means all fruit, dairy, and refined grains. The idea is to purge your system of sugar. However, diet changes like this are too drastic to keep up. Changes that you can do only for the short term mean you’ll fall back to your old habits.  ((https://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow).

You don’t need sugar as much as you think you do. In fact, you can train your taste buds to enjoy things that aren’t as sweet. Try cutting out one sweet food from your diet each week. For example, pass on dessert after dinner. Start putting less sugar in your coffee or cereal. Make your own sauces and dressings in place of store-bought versions, which can be loaded with sugar.  Over time, you will lose your need for that sugar taste.  Make a conscious choice to stop eating these things and track your daily food to monitor your progress.

How to Quit the Cycle: Kick the Habit in Baby Steps

If you make small, simple changes to your diet, it’s easier to follow them. Start by eating more fruits and vegetables. Drink extra water. Check food labels, and pick those that don’t have a lot of sugar. Cut out a little bit of sugar each week. After a few weeks, you’ll be surprised at how little you miss it.

Incorporate more fiber into your diet.  Fiber helps fight a sugar itch in many ways. First, it keeps you full. High-fiber foods also give you more energy. Because they don’t raise your blood sugar, there’s no hungry crash after. Choose fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Or smear some peanut butter on an apple for a protein/fiber combo.  Increasing your protein is another way to curb sugar cravings. High-protein foods digest more slowly, keeping you feeling full for longer. Protein doesn’t make your blood sugar spike the way refined carbs and sugars do. Pick proteins like lean chicken, low-fat yogurt, eggs, nuts, or beans.

Slow and Steady Changes Equals Progress

Changing your diet overnight is not easy, which is why you will set yourself up for failure if you try to make drastic cuts.  Instead, begin by tracking your baseline to see what you currently consume in an average day.  Then, look for small areas where you could resist a purchase or snack.  Or, consider what low-sugar product you could substitute for one you consume often.  It’s important to still keep a healthier version of those “treats” that you are accustomed to so that you don’t feel deprived and end up quitting. 

See the related posts Five Ways to Overcome a Food Addiction and Healthy Eating is Hard for more tips and advice on revamping your nutrition.