Is Sugar Addictive? Truth About Sugar Addiction

In 2008, researchers at Princeton University in the United States conducted an experiment with rats. For weeks they only kept the animals hungry for twelve hours before offering them a sugar solution. The rats were wild for this meal. They drank the solution in ever greater quantities than usual. Not only that, when they were supposed to eat normally again without sugar after a month, the rodents showed clear withdrawal symptoms. They trembled, appeared restless, anxious and disturbed. Their brains scan also showed changes typical with addiction.

It seems the matter is clear and the question ‘Is sugar addictive?’ has been answered. Or? The researchers believe that these findings from America regarding sugar addiction can also apply to humans. But not everyone is affected, after all, some people hardly eat sweets. And an occasional snack is considered completely harmless.

We feel rewarded

In humans there is no evidence that sugar could actually be addictive. We don’t need more and more of it and show withdrawal symptoms when no sugar is available. However sweet and fatty in combination, for example, chocolate, is able to activate the reward system in the human brain.

If we eat sugar, it can boost the production of the happiness hormone serotonin. Just put your hand in the candy box and we’ll feel better. We think that if we consume sugar, we are doing ourselves good. But this has little to do with addiction. Sugar is extremely different from a drug. It is a normal part of the diet and glucose is the fuel for the brain. You don’t have to do without it completely.

Sugar replaces love

But why is it so hard to get off sugar-rich foods for so many people? There are psychological mechanisms at work for which self-reward plays a role. Children are often rewarded with sweets and, conversely, chocolates are refused to them if they do not behave well. The consequences are dangerous. For the children, sweets are synonymous with parental love and care. This process can still work in adulthood. You give yourself sweets and thus restore the feeling of being loved.

With the above common background, it is understandable that there can be a great craving for sweets. There is another huge side effect of sugar. Sugar, in its easily digestible form, is very quickly absorbed by the body. The blood sugar level rises, and the body starts the counter-reaction by releasing insulin. If the blood sugar levels increase quickly, more insulin is released to counter that. As soon as the blood sugar levels drop again, we feel hypoglycemic and trembling starts. Only one thing helps with the situation, food. And if you choose sweets, the process starts all over again.

To prevent this, you should take carbohydrates in the form of whole grains. They are broken down slowly in the intestine and the glucose is absorbed more slowly. There are no severe hikes in the blood sugar level. As a result, insulin is properly regulated and there is no sudden craving.

Amount of Sugar Allowed

Sugar doesn’t just harm your teeth. Around 60 percent of our food, as recommended by nutritionists, should be carbohydrates. This includes sugar but it should not exceed a maximum of 20 percent of the carbohydrates consumed. In simple terms, it means that with 300 grams of carbohydrates per day, 60 grams of sugar are allowed. That’s about four tablespoons. These are quickly achieved when you consider how many foods contain sugar. If you drink a liter of apple juice, you have already consumed a hundred grams of sugar. The recommended amount is already far exceeded with the drink.

In general, the daily dose of sugar across the world is far too high. We consume an average of 35 kilos of sweets per head per year. That’s around 100 grams a day and that certainly needs to be reduced.

But what will happen to our reward center?

The reward center can also be activated without a chocolate bar. It doesn’t have to be food, there are other things that make you happy like watching a movie or just relaxing. You need to try a few other things and dedicate your time towards them to divert your sweet tooth.