What is sugar addiction?
The vicious cycle of sugar addiction has been plaguing us all for years; however, it wasn’t until recently that this type of addiction has been seen as a relevant addiction that is not only legitimate but is also a major contributor to obesity in children and adults.
Sugar addiction occurs in four repetitive stages, resulting in a constant craving for sugary sweets, weight gain, and chronic diseases.
Stage 1: You eat sugar, enjoy it and then crave it. The sweet foods that you eat contain addictive properties.
Stage 2: Blood sugar levels spike: Dopamine is released in the brain. The brain includes numerous dopamine systems, one of which plays an integral part in reward-motivated behaviour.
The reward, or in this case, the satisfaction of eating something that satisfies your sweet tooth, increases the amount of dopamine released into the brain, causing sugar addiction. How? Massive amounts of insulin are secreted to drop blood sugar levels.
Stage 3: Blood sugar levels fall rapidly: High insulin levels cause primary fat storage. In other words, sugar is quickly converted into fat, resulting in higher body fat percentages and weight gain. As a result, the body craves the lost sugar high.
Stage 4: Hunger and cravings: Low blood sugar levels cause increased appetite and cravings. Thus, the cycle is repeated. Again, sugar strokes the need rather than satisfying it.
Be Free from the cravings.
Sweets are bad for you because they contain a ton of calories and offer little nutritional value. In addition, these foods are addictive and can often make you tired and sick.
The good news? With determination and willpower, you can train your body and mind not to crave sugar.
To combat sugar addiction and constant cravings, you have to drastically reduce your sugar intake. Your body may experience some symptoms of withdrawal.
However, if you follow these tips, you will be on your way to a happy, healthy life, free from those cravings.
What can you do to fight sugar addiction?
- Keep a log of how many grams of sugar is in the foods you eat. You can find out how much sugar is in a food by referencing the “Nutrition Facts” label on the packages or by doing some internet research.
- When you have figured out how much sugar you consume daily, you can work on cutting the sugar intake back. Unfortunately, you will most likely find that your sugar intake exceeds the recommended amount of sugar you should take throughout the day. The federal dietary guidelines recommend consuming approximately 10 per cent of your daily caloric intake (about 20 grams for every 1,000 calories you eat).
- Here’s the hard part. Many of the foods in our grocery stores that are marketed as “healthy” are filled with loads of sugar. So when reading labels, be mindful of how many grams of sugar is in the foods you buy.
Tips for avoiding cravings
- Eat a large breakfast: When you eat breakfast, you canhe drop in blood sugar levels that cause you to have .
- Drink plenty of water: Drinking water has several health benefits. Drinking water will help you to feel fuller for longer.
- Chew sugar-free gum: Chewing gum, especially when you are feeling hungry, can help to combat cravings.
- Grab some fruit: When craving sugar, go for some fruit instead of a candy bar. Fruit contains Fructose, an all-natural type of sugar. The fibre and other nutrients found in fruit slow down the digestive process and stabilise your blood sugar levels.