The Science of Sugar Addiction: How to Break Free from the Sugar Cycle for Good

You understand that feeling if you’re attempting to eat wholesome and also you’re completely crushing it…after which out of nowhere, you’re hit with this irresistible CRAVING for one thing candy?

And immediately, it’s ALL you’ll be able to take into consideration—that donut you noticed within the break room, or the pint of ice cream in your freezer, or the leftover halloween sweet you hid out of your children.

Welcome to sugar habit and—information flash—even when your cravings aren’t for candy issues, however different excessive carb meals like bread or pasta or potato chips—it nonetheless comes right down to sugar.

The excellent news is that there IS a strategy to break away and retrain your mind, which is why immediately, we’re going to take a dive deep into the science of sugar habit, and discuss what’s actually happening in your physique and your mind if you eat sugar, and the way you should utilize that information to your benefit to truly RESET your mind and get off the sugar rollercoaster for good.

As a result of possibly you’re like me and also you’ve tried to persuade your self that you just simply have a “candy tooth,” and that it’s completely regular to have these cravings on a regular basis. And actually, for a very long time, I felt completely HELPLESS to alter. 

Possibly that’s how you’re feeling proper now. Such as you strive so arduous to be good, however you all the time find yourself again at sq. one—craving sugar like loopy and feeling completely uncontrolled.

And whereas most of us in all probability perceive, a minimum of on some degree, that sugar is addictive, I don’t suppose most of us have actually stopped to consider simply how devastating and harmful this habit actually is.

Possibly you’ve heard the tales about lab mice who select sugar water over cocaine, otherwise you’ve learn an article about how sugar habit is simply as dangerous as heroin habit. Or possibly you’ve simply skilled these intense cravings and puzzled why it’s so arduous to say no.

However on the similar time, it may be arduous you wrap your head round the concept one thing SO widespread, one thing we eat actually every single day, may really be that dangerous for us.

And so we simply hold consuming it. And we hold feeding it to our youngsters.

And we hold getting fatter and sicker and extra addicted.

The Harsh Actuality of Sugar Dependancy

As a result of the tough actuality is, sugar IS addictive. 

However not solely that it’s in just about EVERYTHING we eat. The truth is, the meals business has labored actually arduous to verify of it, as a result of they know that the extra sugar they put of their merchandise, the extra merchandise we’ll purchase.

And we’re shopping for it, alright.

People alone eat over 11 million metric tons of added sugar yearly. That’s 11 MILLION TONS. Or to place it in perspective, that’s the equal of over 2 TRILLION kilos of sugar. Yearly. In simply america.

And in case you’re questioning, that breaks right down to about 152 kilos of sugar per particular person, per 12 months. That’s virtually half a pound of sugar each single day.

It’s a CRAZY quantity of sugar.

And it’s killing us. And I don’t say that mildly.

Added sugar is sort of actually the brand new tobacco. It’s the brand new silent killer. It’s the brand new factor that’s slowly, and usually virtually imperceptibly, destroying our well being from the within out.

And it’s not so new, really.

A short historical past of fructose

All of it goes again to a single molecule—one thing referred to as fructose.

Fructose, as chances are you’ll or could not know, is the sugar that’s present in fruit. And in small quantities, like what you’d discover in a chunk of complete fruit, it’s probably not an enormous deal. Your physique can deal with it simply high-quality. The truth is, it really has lots of well being advantages, as a result of it’s additionally accompanied by dietary fiber and different vitamins that assist your physique course of it correctly.

However within the late 70s and early 80s, the meals business found out how you can begin extracting fructose from corn and different sources, after which including it to just about EVERYTHING. And that’s when all hell broke free.

As a result of the issue with this “added” fructose is that it’s not certain to anything. It’s not present in nature. It’s not accompanied by fiber or every other vitamins. It’s simply pure, unadulterated sugar. And it’s extremely concentrated and extremely addictive. The truth is, it’s estimated that it’s 10 instances extra addictive than cocaine.

And we’re consuming it in RECORD quantities. Like I stated earlier than, People alone are consuming over 11 million metric tons of added sugar yearly. And that’s 11 million tons of fructose. Simply in america.

That’s a LOT of fructose.

It’s not simply in candy stuff, both. It’s added to bread, ketchup, sauces, salad dressings, and just about any processed meals you’ll be able to consider. Potato chips. Cereal. Granola bars. Even issues like yogurt and sports activities drinks. And it’s doing a little critical harm.

Like I stated, it’s actually killing us.

As a result of fructose is very poisonous to the physique. It’s poisonous to the liver, to the cardiovascular system, and to the pancreas. And since it’s in just about EVERYTHING we eat, it’s slowly wreaking havoc on our our bodies and our well being.

The truth is, it’s what’s behind just about each main well being downside we face immediately—weight problems, diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart illness, stroke, most cancers, autoimmune illness, Alzheimer’s, dementia. You title it. Fructose is the underlying trigger.

How fructose impacts your mind

And if that each one sounds just a little bit miserable, then buckle up, as a result of we’re sadly simply getting began. As a result of the issue with fructose goes even deeper than all of that. As a result of once we eat it, it really modifications our BRAIN.

That’s proper—fructose is a robust psychoactive substance, that means it has a direct impact on the central nervous system. In different phrases, it’s a drug. And it impacts our mind in a lot the identical method that medicine like cocaine or heroin do.

It releases a surge of dopamine—that “really feel good” neurotransmitter that offers us a way of enjoyment and reward. And that dopamine launch is what creates that quick and virtually insatiable yearning for MORE.

But it surely doesn’t cease there. As a result of the extra fructose we eat, the extra our mind turns into desensitized to dopamine. And meaning we want an increasing number of fructose to get that very same excessive. We have to hold feeding the beast.

And that, my associates, is the definition of habit. It’s actually a cycle of craving, indulging, after which needing extra to get the identical impact.

And that is the place it’s actually essential to grasp what’s happening in our mind, as a result of the mind is a tough factor. It’s hard-wired to hunt out pleasure and reward, and to keep away from ache. And it’s additionally hard-wired to type habits and create neural pathways that turn out to be virtually not possible to interrupt.

And that’s why, as soon as we begin consuming fructose frequently, it’s so arduous to STOP. As a result of our mind has fashioned this highly effective connection between the pleasure and reward of dopamine, and the consumption of sugar. And people neural pathways turn out to be so ingrained that it’s virtually like an automated response. We don’t even give it some thought. We simply do it.

And that’s additionally why, if you resolve that you just need to begin consuming more healthy, and also you attempt to minimize out the sugar and the carbs, you’re feeling such as you’re going CRAZY. As a result of your mind is actually sending you all of those indicators that say “FEED ME SUGAR!” And it’s virtually not possible to disregard.

The truth is, research have proven that when folks attempt to minimize out sugar, they expertise intense cravings and withdrawal signs which can be similar to what drug addicts expertise once they attempt to stop. They get irritable and moody. They’ve complications. They really feel drained and torpid. They’ll’t focus. They really feel depressed.

It’s not enjoyable. And it’s not simple.

Methods to break away from the sugar habit cycle

However the excellent news in all of that is that it IS attainable to interrupt free from the sugar cycle. As a result of whereas sugar habit may be very actual, it’s additionally one thing that may be overcome. It won’t be simple, however it CAN be achieved.

And step one in doing that’s actually simply understanding what’s taking place in our physique and our mind, after which making a acutely aware resolution to alter and take again management. In different phrases, we have to retrain our mind.

So how can we do this? How can we overcome one thing as highly effective as sugar habit? Nicely, it begins with a couple of easy modifications that can have a BIG impression in your mind and your physique.

Shift your strategy to meals

The very first thing you could do is begin taking a look at meals as FUEL, not as a supply of enjoyment or reward. This can be a mindset shift that may be actually arduous, particularly for those who’ve spent most of your life utilizing meals to consolation you or to have a good time or to deal with stress. But it surely’s a extremely essential one.

As a result of once we take a look at meals as gas, it turns into loads simpler to make wholesome selections. We begin to acknowledge that sugar and processed carbohydrates don’t really DO something for our physique. The truth is, they do the OPPOSITE. They make us sick, and fats, and addicted. They actually steal our power and our vitality and our well being. They rob us of the flexibility to stay our life to the fullest.

And if you begin to see it that method, then abruptly that donut simply doesn’t look so good anymore. As a result of it’s not a deal with. It’s poison. And also you wouldn’t willingly eat poison.

Scale back your sugar consumption

The second factor you could do is definitely begin decreasing your sugar consumption in a method that’s sustainable. Now, I understand that may sound just a little bit odd, coming from somebody who has constructed a complete program round a life-style that’s basically sugar and carb-free.

As a result of YES, one of the simplest ways to beat sugar habit is to truly ELIMINATE the sugar. It’s to get to a spot the place your physique is not depending on sugar for gas, and also you’re capable of swap to burning fats as an alternative. That’s the entire concept behind our program—to get your physique tailored to burning fats as an alternative of sugar.

However on the similar time, I additionally acknowledge that it’s not all the time life like to suppose you could simply fully STOP consuming sugar and processed carbs, particularly for those who’ve spent most of your life hooked on them. It’s simply not going to occur. You’re going to get overwhelmed and pissed off, and also you’re going to surrender.

And that’s not what I would like for you. As a result of regardless that I’m an enormous believer within the energy of TOTAL transformation, I additionally know that change is a course of, and that it must occur at a tempo that you just’re snug with. I do know that you must be READY to alter, and that there must be a sure degree of inner motivation for it to truly stick.

So for those who’re not fairly prepared for the large modifications, then begin small. Begin by reducing out the obvious sources of added sugar out of your food plan—issues like soda, and juice, and sweet, and cookies, and cake. The stuff that you just KNOW is simply loaded with sugar.

After which, when you’ve achieved that, begin trying on the labels of the opposite meals you eat, and attempt to discover the hidden sources of added sugar. As a result of I assure you they’re there. They’re in your ketchup and your marinara sauce, in your salad dressing and your yogurt. They’re in your protein bars and your granola and your “wholesome” smoothies. They’re in your bread and your pasta and your hamburger buns.

And as you begin to determine these hidden sources of added sugar, begin in search of more healthy options. Discover a sugar-free ketchup, or a salad dressing that doesn’t have any added sugar. Change to a yogurt that has no added sweeteners. Purchase a bread that’s made with almond flour as an alternative of wheat flour. Make small, sustainable modifications that received’t really feel overwhelming, however will nonetheless have a big effect in your well being.

And the extra you do this, the better it’ll turn out to be to make even greater modifications, as a result of your mind will begin to type new neural pathways, and your physique will begin to heal.

Heal your physique from the harm you’ve achieved

And talking of therapeutic, the third factor you could do to beat sugar habit is to truly HEAL your physique from the harm that’s been achieved. As a result of an enormous a part of the explanation we turn out to be hooked on sugar within the first place is as a result of our our bodies are so out of whack.

We’re consuming a extremely processed food plan that’s stuffed with sugar and toxins, and that’s inflicting irritation and leaky intestine and all kinds of different issues. We’re not getting sufficient sleep, or sufficient vitamins. We’re wired and overworked. All of this stuff are contributing to our habit.

And so with a view to overcome it, we’ve bought to begin therapeutic from the within out. We’ve bought to begin caring for our physique and giving it the issues it must perform correctly. Meaning getting sufficient sleep and decreasing stress. It means consuming a food plan that’s wealthy in complete, unprocessed meals. It means staying hydrated and getting sufficient nutritional vitamins and minerals. It means caring for your intestine well being and your liver well being.

And it additionally means being affected person, and giving your self grace. As a result of therapeutic takes time, and alter doesn’t occur in a single day. But it surely DOES occur, for those who’re constant and you retain working at it.

Remaining Ideas

Sugar habit is an actual factor, and it’s really much more widespread than you in all probability suppose. But it surely CAN be overcome, for those who’re keen to make the mandatory modifications and retrain your mind.

Step one in doing that’s to begin taking a look at meals as gas, not as a supply of enjoyment or reward. The second step is to truly begin decreasing your sugar consumption in a method that’s sustainable for you, whether or not that’s by reducing out the obvious sources of added sugar, or by making small modifications to your food plan that can have a big effect. And the third step is to give attention to really HEALING your physique from the within out, by caring for your intestine well being and your liver well being, in addition to ensuring you’re getting sufficient sleep and decreasing stress.However if you’d like extra data, be sure you take a look at our free coaching video–Wholesome, Pleased & Free in 2024, particularly for those who’re critical about reworking your well being or reaching your weight reduction targets this 12 months. In it, I’ll stroll you thru creating your individual personalised well being plan and in addition clarify just a little bit extra about why so most of the belongings you’ve tried prior to now to get wholesome and shed extra pounds haven’t really labored, and what you are able to do as an alternative.