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When we think of sugar the first image that comes to mind is the sweet, white granules we put in our tea or on top of our cereal. Few people think of it as an addictive drug and perhaps even fewer think of it as the underlying cause of their weight gain. The truth is that sugar addiction is rife and if you have a weight problem the chances are it is sugar in your diet - not fat - that is the real cause.Research carried out by Nicole Avena, a behavioral neuroscientist, has gone a long way to proving that sugar affects certain chemicals in the brain (opioids and dopamine) in the same way that other addictive substances do. In short, her research suggests that a diet high in sugar results in cravings, withdrawal and bingeing - the classic symptoms of addiction. Add to this the fact that high levels of sugar in the blood trigger the fat storing hormone insulin and you've got yourself a binge eating, weight gain nightmare.[]
The scary truth is that sugar is found in all carbohydrates, not just table sugar. Whether it's an apple or a biscuit, a tomato or a slice of bread, once it has been chewed, swallowed and digested it is released into the bloodstream as sugar. This means that all carbohydrates have the potential to be addictive, depending on how quickly they enter the bloodstream as sugar.Whilst some carbohydrates break down into sugar and enter the blood very slowly (low glycaemic carbs), other carbohydrates break down into sugar and enter the blood very quickly (high glycaemic carbs). You won't be surprised to find out that the carbohydrates that have the fastest and biggest impact on blood sugar levels are refined pasta, bread, potato, alcohol and 'empty foods' (sweets, biscuits and cakes) - all the foods we turn to when we're feeling low, stressed or in need of a pick me up. Food companies have also been spending years researching ways to make these foods deliver the sugar even quicker, making them hyper-addictive and ultimately more profitable.
I've struggled with a ferocious sugar addiction myself, an addiction which at times I thought I'd never beat. I literally used to break out in a sweat when I didn't get my sugar fix. At the height (perhaps I should say 'depth'!) of my addiction, I was consuming around ten chocolate bars a day. I couldn't seem to stop. But in the end I beat my addiction and in doing so gained control of my appetite. I went from thinking about sugar constantly to scarcely caring about it at all. Now I eat sweet things occasionally, but not obsessively. And when I find myself over-consuming sweet things again, as I sometimes do, I use the techniques I'm about to share with you to regain control.
Once you've dealt with the cravings, you will find it much easier to change to a healthy diet - avoid sugar and refined carbohydrates, eat plenty of protein, fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy fats and moderate amounts of complex carbohydrates. Protein should be eaten at every meal as it helps maintain blood sugar levels by stimulating the release of glucagon, a hormone that balances the action of insulin. Fresh fruit and vegetables provide a good supply of the vitamins and minerals needed to keep blood sugar stable.It's important to avoid all forms of sugar, including so-called "healthy" alternatives such as brown sugar, honey and dried fruit. Don't be tempted to cheat - your brain is sensitive to sugar and having "just one" cookie or soda can be enough to set off cravings, trigger a sugar binge and start the cycle of craving and bingeing again.
There is only one way to overcome sugar addiction and that is the same way you overcome any addiction. You go 'cold turkey' on the addictive substance until you are weaned off it. It's not easy, but it's something you're going to have to commit to.or you better start praying elasticated waistbands come back into fashion.This doesn't mean you have to out all carbohydrate as some diets suggest. It just means you have to go 'cold turkey' on high glycaemic carbs to prevent the sugar rush and re-balance your blood sugar levels. Here are ten simple steps to achieve this, without dieting and without having to give up your social life. Remove all refined sugar from your diet - sweets / cakes / biscuits.Moderate your alcohol intake to just one or two nights a week.Eat a good breakfast, lunch and dinner every day.Increase your fibre intake from wholegrain cereals, fruit and veg.Fill yourself up with good quality, low glycaemic carbs.Choose wholegrain bread, brown rice and wholewheat pasta.Avoid eating carbs on their own, always combine them with proteins.Avoid large gaps between meals that cause blood sugar lows.Snack on fruit, full-fat yogurt and high protein snacks if you have cravings.Do at least 15 minutes of exercise a day to balance your blood sugar.A study from Princeton University yielded results that show a striking similarity between sugar addiction and heroin and cocaine addiction! If you are having a problem with sugar addiction, then read on! You will find plenty of useful information and tips to help you break that sugar addiction for good!
If you find preparing fruit boring, experiment with finding the fastest ways to prepare salads (you should be able to get preparation time down to around 5-10 minutes with a little practice), and get into the habit of preparing them at the same time every day. You can keep a fruit salad reasonably fresh all day in an air-tight plastic container. Even fruits like apples and bananas, which turn brown if chopped and left out in the air, will remain fairly fresh if mixed with juicy fruits such as chopped oranges or grapes and sealed in an air-tight sandwich box.
High fructose corn syrup is basically a cheaper form of sugar; but it is also a very nasty little animal that produces cravings for more sugar! Not only does high fructose corn syrup produce sugar cravings, it actually interferes with the hormone that tells you when you are full! Anything that contains high fructose corn syrup is a trap for overeating.If you have an addiction to sweets, it is most likely because of the sugar content. Yes, it is an actual addiction. A study from Princeton University yielded results that show a striking similarity between sugar addiction and heroin and cocaine addiction! The research discovered that sugar causes an increase of dopamine levels in areas of the brain that are associated with addictive behaviors.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, and is very similar to adrenaline chemically; it also affects brain processes that control movement, emotional response, and the ability to experience pleasure and pain. This explains why, when you're having a rough day, you turn to a plate full of brownies! The sugar in those brownies acts as a regulator which produces "highs" that temporarily neutralize emotional lows!Before you wage an all-out war against sugar, you must know your opposition! You must also know that sugar isn't always labeled as sugar.
If you aren't used to exercising, you might need to start off doing only five minutes at a time while you get used to it, but rest assured you can get used to it and can learn to enjoy exercising.Once you have used these techniques to diminish your cravings, cut sugar out. You do not physiologically need sugar. Fruit contains plenty of it in a healthy form in any case. At first you may miss sugar very badly, but stick with it; the time will come, perhaps after as little as a week, when you no longer think much about sugar. Then you can allow yourself to enjoy sweetened foods occasionally as a treat. But your dependence on sugar, the thing that drives you to eat it every day and makes you feel as though you want nothing more and can't do without it -- that you must break, if you want to gain control of your eating habits.
Tips to End Your Sugar Addiction.The best way to end cravings is to break the cycle completely. Start by avoiding all sugar including sugar substitutes. Read nutrition labels carefully. You may be surprised at how much sugar is found in processed foods.Consider 5-HTP to help curb cravings for sugar and carbs. The body uses 5-HTP to produce the mood boosting brain chemicals - serotonin and dopamine. Low levels of these chemicals can lead to intense cravings for sugar and carbs.Fight sugar cravings all day by drinking dark roast coffee in the morning. Studies show that a dark brew coffee helps keep blood sugar levels steady which lowers the urge to eat sweets.
The scary truth is that sugar is found in all carbohydrates, not just table sugar. Whether it's an apple or a biscuit, a tomato or a slice of bread, once it has been chewed, swallowed and digested it is released into the bloodstream as sugar. This means that all carbohydrates have the potential to be addictive, depending on how quickly they enter the bloodstream as sugar.Whilst some carbohydrates break down into sugar and enter the blood very slowly (low glycaemic carbs), other carbohydrates break down into sugar and enter the blood very quickly (high glycaemic carbs). You won't be surprised to find out that the carbohydrates that have the fastest and biggest impact on blood sugar levels are refined pasta, bread, potato, alcohol and 'empty foods' (sweets, biscuits and cakes) - all the foods we turn to when we're feeling low, stressed or in need of a pick me up. Food companies have also been spending years researching ways to make these foods deliver the sugar even quicker, making them hyper-addictive and ultimately more profitable.
I've struggled with a ferocious sugar addiction myself, an addiction which at times I thought I'd never beat. I literally used to break out in a sweat when I didn't get my sugar fix. At the height (perhaps I should say 'depth'!) of my addiction, I was consuming around ten chocolate bars a day. I couldn't seem to stop. But in the end I beat my addiction and in doing so gained control of my appetite. I went from thinking about sugar constantly to scarcely caring about it at all. Now I eat sweet things occasionally, but not obsessively. And when I find myself over-consuming sweet things again, as I sometimes do, I use the techniques I'm about to share with you to regain control.
Once you've dealt with the cravings, you will find it much easier to change to a healthy diet - avoid sugar and refined carbohydrates, eat plenty of protein, fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy fats and moderate amounts of complex carbohydrates. Protein should be eaten at every meal as it helps maintain blood sugar levels by stimulating the release of glucagon, a hormone that balances the action of insulin. Fresh fruit and vegetables provide a good supply of the vitamins and minerals needed to keep blood sugar stable.It's important to avoid all forms of sugar, including so-called "healthy" alternatives such as brown sugar, honey and dried fruit. Don't be tempted to cheat - your brain is sensitive to sugar and having "just one" cookie or soda can be enough to set off cravings, trigger a sugar binge and start the cycle of craving and bingeing again.
There is only one way to overcome sugar addiction and that is the same way you overcome any addiction. You go 'cold turkey' on the addictive substance until you are weaned off it. It's not easy, but it's something you're going to have to commit to.or you better start praying elasticated waistbands come back into fashion.This doesn't mean you have to out all carbohydrate as some diets suggest. It just means you have to go 'cold turkey' on high glycaemic carbs to prevent the sugar rush and re-balance your blood sugar levels. Here are ten simple steps to achieve this, without dieting and without having to give up your social life. Remove all refined sugar from your diet - sweets / cakes / biscuits.Moderate your alcohol intake to just one or two nights a week.Eat a good breakfast, lunch and dinner every day.Increase your fibre intake from wholegrain cereals, fruit and veg.Fill yourself up with good quality, low glycaemic carbs.Choose wholegrain bread, brown rice and wholewheat pasta.Avoid eating carbs on their own, always combine them with proteins.Avoid large gaps between meals that cause blood sugar lows.Snack on fruit, full-fat yogurt and high protein snacks if you have cravings.Do at least 15 minutes of exercise a day to balance your blood sugar.A study from Princeton University yielded results that show a striking similarity between sugar addiction and heroin and cocaine addiction! If you are having a problem with sugar addiction, then read on! You will find plenty of useful information and tips to help you break that sugar addiction for good!
If you find preparing fruit boring, experiment with finding the fastest ways to prepare salads (you should be able to get preparation time down to around 5-10 minutes with a little practice), and get into the habit of preparing them at the same time every day. You can keep a fruit salad reasonably fresh all day in an air-tight plastic container. Even fruits like apples and bananas, which turn brown if chopped and left out in the air, will remain fairly fresh if mixed with juicy fruits such as chopped oranges or grapes and sealed in an air-tight sandwich box.
High fructose corn syrup is basically a cheaper form of sugar; but it is also a very nasty little animal that produces cravings for more sugar! Not only does high fructose corn syrup produce sugar cravings, it actually interferes with the hormone that tells you when you are full! Anything that contains high fructose corn syrup is a trap for overeating.If you have an addiction to sweets, it is most likely because of the sugar content. Yes, it is an actual addiction. A study from Princeton University yielded results that show a striking similarity between sugar addiction and heroin and cocaine addiction! The research discovered that sugar causes an increase of dopamine levels in areas of the brain that are associated with addictive behaviors.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, and is very similar to adrenaline chemically; it also affects brain processes that control movement, emotional response, and the ability to experience pleasure and pain. This explains why, when you're having a rough day, you turn to a plate full of brownies! The sugar in those brownies acts as a regulator which produces "highs" that temporarily neutralize emotional lows!Before you wage an all-out war against sugar, you must know your opposition! You must also know that sugar isn't always labeled as sugar.
If you aren't used to exercising, you might need to start off doing only five minutes at a time while you get used to it, but rest assured you can get used to it and can learn to enjoy exercising.Once you have used these techniques to diminish your cravings, cut sugar out. You do not physiologically need sugar. Fruit contains plenty of it in a healthy form in any case. At first you may miss sugar very badly, but stick with it; the time will come, perhaps after as little as a week, when you no longer think much about sugar. Then you can allow yourself to enjoy sweetened foods occasionally as a treat. But your dependence on sugar, the thing that drives you to eat it every day and makes you feel as though you want nothing more and can't do without it -- that you must break, if you want to gain control of your eating habits.
Tips to End Your Sugar Addiction.The best way to end cravings is to break the cycle completely. Start by avoiding all sugar including sugar substitutes. Read nutrition labels carefully. You may be surprised at how much sugar is found in processed foods.Consider 5-HTP to help curb cravings for sugar and carbs. The body uses 5-HTP to produce the mood boosting brain chemicals - serotonin and dopamine. Low levels of these chemicals can lead to intense cravings for sugar and carbs.Fight sugar cravings all day by drinking dark roast coffee in the morning. Studies show that a dark brew coffee helps keep blood sugar levels steady which lowers the urge to eat sweets.
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