We’ve all heard about sugar addiction… but is it just an easy excuse for people who don’t want to give up sugar and make the switch to healthier alternatives, or it is a scientifically proven phenomenon? New research by Princeton University suggests that sugar addiction is indeed real, which explains why eliminating this source of sweetness from our diets can initially be very difficult. According to the study, when we consume sugar, it transmits signals to the brain using exactly the same chemical pathways as another addictive drug: heroin. The study also revealed that eliminating sugar from your diet can result in physical withdrawals, causing similar symptoms (including heightened anxiety levels) as nicotine or heroin withdrawal. Additional research shows how much sugar affects us physiologically, revealing that we consume up to six times as much sugar when we’re feeling sad or upset. Sugar also plays tricks with our mind and taste buds, making it harder to enjoy a sugar-free diet. Robert Lustig, Professor of Pediatrics at the University of California explains, “There are five tastes perceived by the tongue. These are sweet, sour, bitter, salty and umami. Sugar drowns the other tastes. That means we can’t taste the bad parts of other foods. You could make dog poop taste great if you added enough sugar.” According to Professor Lustig, commonly used table sugar known as sucrose (made of two sugars, glucose and fructose, that are chemically bound to each other) is identical to high fructose corn syrup, which he described as a "chronic toxin." So is it possible to break sugar addiction without going through withdrawals? Definitely, but you need to cut down on sugar gradually and slowly switch over to natural replacements, such as Xylitol and Stevia. According to the Princeton study, it also helps to swap out white pasta, rice and bread for brown equivalents; and to eat small meals several times a day, to maintain steady blood sugar levels and avoid peaks and falls. For more tips on how to fight sugar cravings, read our blog post on 3 tips for beating sugar addiction. Explore how you can enjoy sweet treats and maintain a healthy weight by usingNaturally Sweet Stevia orNaturally Sweet Xylitol.
We’ve all heard about sugar addiction… but is it just an easy excuse for people who don’t want to give up sugar and make the switch to healthier alternatives, or it is a scientifically proven phenomenon? New research by Princeton University suggests that sugar addiction is indeed real, which explains why eliminating this source of sweetness from our diets can initially be very difficult. According to the study, when we consume sugar, it transmits signals to the brain using exactly the same chemical pathways as another addictive drug: heroin. The study also revealed that eliminating sugar from your diet can result in physical withdrawals, causing similar symptoms (including heightened anxiety levels) as nicotine or heroin withdrawal. Additional research shows how much sugar affects us physiologically, revealing that we consume up to six times as much sugar when we’re feeling sad or upset. Sugar also plays tricks with our mind and taste buds, making it harder to enjoy a sugar-free diet. Robert Lustig, Professor of Pediatrics at the University of California explains, “There are five tastes perceived by the tongue. These are sweet, sour, bitter, salty and umami. Sugar drowns the other tastes. That means we can’t taste the bad parts of other foods. You could make dog poop taste great if you added enough sugar.” According to Professor Lustig, commonly used table sugar known as sucrose (made of two sugars, glucose and fructose, that are chemically bound to each other) is identical to high fructose corn syrup, which he described as a "chronic toxin." So is it possible to break sugar addiction without going through withdrawals? Definitely, but you need to cut down on sugar gradually and slowly switch over to natural replacements, such as Xylitol and Stevia. According to the Princeton study, it also helps to swap out white pasta, rice and bread for brown equivalents; and to eat small meals several times a day, to maintain steady blood sugar levels and avoid peaks and falls. For more tips on how to fight sugar cravings, read our blog post on 3 tips for beating sugar addiction. Explore how you can enjoy sweet treats and maintain a healthy weight by using Naturally Sweet Stevia or Naturally Sweet Xylitol.
