Is sugar addiction real?

avatrx

I conducted an experiment with my SIL who likes sweets. Not natural sweets like bananas and apples etc, but processed sweets like sugared cola and donuts and that type of stuff. She now believes if she stays off of it for a week or so, she no longer craves it.

I personally don't typically like sweets but even when I get a donut or something - it seems to drive a desire for more donuts. doesn't even have to be that same day.

I wish I could direct you to the site that talks about the 'triggers' food mfg's put in their foods to try the addiction route. I just read it within the last month or so. They did several newscasts about that subject. Bottom line - the sweet food mfg's KNOW what they're doing.

Artificial sweeteners are horrible! horrible for you! wreak havoc with your system.

If you're a tea drinker - try adding lemon or natural agave syrup if you must have it sweetened. Agave syrup is great on pancakes and waffles and won't spike your blood sugar like syrup or honey.

My other SIL likes stevia. I bought (and grew) a stevia plant last year just for her. I chewed one of the leaves? WOW - that would sweeten anything! It's a plant. grow one and put the leaves in your tea or coffee. there are probably lots of ways to use it. Other than it was easy to grown and very sweet, I don't know if there is a downside. I live in zone 5. Here is a link to the ASK site that talks about Stevia plants.
http://www.ask.com/wiki/Stevia?o=3986&qsrc=999

Missjulesdid

I don't care if there is scientific evidence that it is an actual physical addiction or not.. it was real enough to me... though I wasn't a fan of pure cane sugar.. I liked my breads and starches.. but I think it's pretty much the same in the body... and it made me feel happy and peaceful.

Also.. if you get the holy trinity of sugar, fat, flour together.. FORGET IT.. any kind of pastry or cake would be my go to stress food... I just needed a little bit to take the edge off... sounds like an addiction to me.. if it's ruining your life and you can't seem to quit then it's an addiction...

Cbefitforlife

I do believe you should try your hardest to eat it in moderation. Maybe cut out sweets for 21 days. Just use fruit for your sugar...then slowly add 2 pieces of dark chocolate to your day for a week. Then once you can handle that lititle bit...then let yourself have a brownie one day on a cheat day. See if you crave it anymore. See if you can handle that one brownie. Just a idea to get you to gain will power.

GlassslippersAndFairyDust

ad·dic·tion
noun
the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, as narcotics, to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma.

I know many people that love sugar and don't like the thought of cutting down on it but I don't know anyone that suffers severe trauma when they don't get enough sweets. I think people confuse "I want" with "I need".

Addiction: "An addiction is characterized by inability to consistently abstain, impairment in behavioral control, craving, diminished recognition of significant problems with one’s behaviors and interpersonal relationships, and a dysfunctional emotional response."

tsh0ck

Saw a episode on Dr. Oz...he said it is true.

well, there ya go. we now have rock solid proof it does not exist.

BobbieInCA

Absolutely, YES!
After years of binging on sugar, and yo-yo dieting, I gave it up completely in 1979, before most of you were born!
I can still gain a little weight, but it is really controllable, especially with the help of MFP. So yes, it can be done. Now I look at a cake as if it were a bouquet of flowers...beautiful, but I wouldn't want to eat it!
In the beginning, I was a bit compulsive. I looked at every label, and if there was even a minute amount of dextrose, sucrose, fructose, etc., I wouldn't eat it. Now I can eat a little ketchup or something similar without worrying.
I try not to eat a lot of artificially sweetened foods (except for my daily Diet Coke) as they can still be full of fat. My husband has a sweet tooth, and it doesn't bother me that he has goodies in the house. He plays tennis three times a week, and stays slim, and if I could have "just one" like he does, I could eat them, too, but I don't kid myself.
So it can be done. I am 72 years young, healthy, happy, and at my goal weight...also a newlywed after 10 years as a widow.

SanteMulberry

OP - since this thread is about you and your needs, my suggestion is to stay away from this subject and certain groups and members that are associated with it, and to focus instead on people who have been successful in transforming their lives. There is quite a bit of real support on here and a number of people who will push you to be your best. Learning to moderate your food intake is not always easy but it can be done. Eliminating sugar from your diet would eliminate fruit among other foods. This is one of many reasons I believe that equating sugar cravings with the likes of alcoholism and drug addiction is unfair, and that the solution that would naturally be proposed (the complete elimination of sugar from your diet), is not reasonable or sustainable.

Wrong on several points. I have been quite successful so far and continue to have success. I would stop short of saying that anything physical would ever "transform" my life, but I am enjoying better health than I have for a long time. What you define as "real support" is sarcastic and attempts to shame in some misguided notion of "pushing" someone to "be your best". I am VERY moderate in my food intake--if you would see my food diary (which is only available for viewing by MFP friends, you would see that. I am very specific to say that I have eliminated "sugary foods"--that is food with added sugar and fruit is part of MY daily diet---unlike another "sugar lover" here who will remain nameless. He published a list of foods that HE ate and even though Pop-Tarts and ice cream were there, there was NO fruit--and I pointed that out to him.

To the contrary, my diet is quite sustainable and I have proved it by staying on it for over three years while my weight has slowly crept downward. You really don't have a leg to stand on here.

SanteMulberry

Absolutely, YES!
After years of binging on sugar, and yo-yo dieting, I gave it up completely in 1979, before most of you were born!
I can still gain a little weight, but it is really controllable, especially with the help of MFP. So yes, it can be done. Now I look at a cake as if it were a bouquet of flowers...beautiful, but I wouldn't want to eat it!
In the beginning, I was a bit compulsive. I looked at every label, and if there was even a minute amount of dextrose, sucrose, fructose, etc., I wouldn't eat it. Now I can eat a little ketchup or something similar without worrying.
I try not to eat a lot of artificially sweetened foods (except for my daily Diet Coke) as they can still be full of fat. My husband has a sweet tooth, and it doesn't bother me that he has goodies in the house. He plays tennis three times a week, and stays slim, and if I could have "just one" like he does, I could eat them, too, but I don't kid myself.
So it can be done. I am 72 years young, healthy, happy, and at my goal weight...also a newlywed after 10 years as a widow.

^^^THIS^^^ Thanks for your contribution and congratulations on your marriage! :flowerforyou:

QED ("Thus, it is proved.")

BeachIron

OP - since this thread is about you and your needs, my suggestion is to stay away from this subject and certain groups and members that are associated with it, and to focus instead on people who have been successful in transforming their lives. There is quite a bit of real support on here and a number of people who will push you to be your best. Learning to moderate your food intake is not always easy but it can be done. Eliminating sugar from your diet would eliminate fruit among other foods. This is one of many reasons I believe that equating sugar cravings with the likes of alcoholism and drug addiction is unfair, and that the solution that would naturally be proposed (the complete elimination of sugar from your diet), is not reasonable or sustainable.

Wrong on several points. I have been quite successful so far and continue to have success. I would stop short of saying that anything physical would ever "transform" my life, but I am enjoying better health than I have for a long time. What you define as "real support" is sarcastic and attempts to shame in some misguided notion of "pushing" someone to "be your best". I am VERY moderate in my food intake--if you would see my food diary (which is only available for viewing by MFP friends, you would see that. I am very specific to say that I have eliminated "sugary foods"--that is food with added sugar and fruit is part of MY daily diet---unlike another "sugar lover" here who will remain nameless. He published a list of foods that HE ate and even though Pop-Tarts and ice cream were there, there was NO fruit--and I pointed that out to him.

To the contrary, my diet is quite sustainable and I have proved it by staying on it for over three years while my weight has slowly crept downward. You really don't have a leg to stand on here.

This thread is not about you. It is about the OP.

MyChocolateDiet

IDK, but theres' definitely something to it. When I used to do a low carb diet that required quitting sugar completely it wasn't easy. Then once "clean" off the sugar, it was like if I had too much in the form of a simple sugar like cookie, cake, whatnot, it started me craving sugary foods and carbs in general. So to my mind, it's some kind of a trigger for wanting more of itself, so unsure what to call it but an addiction sounds close. Although I know addiction is the topic of the day, and so I hesitate to say it since I know some people are up in arms about the misuse of the word.

For sure though too much sugar makes you want more. That I know.

magerum

no answer yet ... but I'm hopeful. bacon addiction: real?

In for bacon addiction.

SanteMulberry

OP - since this thread is about you and your needs, my suggestion is to stay away from this subject and certain groups and members that are associated with it, and to focus instead on people who have been successful in transforming their lives. There is quite a bit of real support on here and a number of people who will push you to be your best. Learning to moderate your food intake is not always easy but it can be done. Eliminating sugar from your diet would eliminate fruit among other foods. This is one of many reasons I believe that equating sugar cravings with the likes of alcoholism and drug addiction is unfair, and that the solution that would naturally be proposed (the complete elimination of sugar from your diet), is not reasonable or sustainable.

Wrong on several points. I have been quite successful so far and continue to have success. I would stop short of saying that anything physical would ever "transform" my life, but I am enjoying better health than I have for a long time. What you define as "real support" is sarcastic and attempts to shame in some misguided notion of "pushing" someone to "be your best". I am VERY moderate in my food intake--if you would see my food diary (which is only available for viewing by MFP friends, you would see that. I am very specific to say that I have eliminated "sugary foods"--that is food with added sugar and fruit is part of MY daily diet---unlike another "sugar lover" here who will remain nameless. He published a list of foods that HE ate and even though Pop-Tarts and ice cream were there, there was NO fruit--and I pointed that out to him.

To the contrary, my diet is quite sustainable and I have proved it by staying on it for over three years while my weight has slowly crept downward. You really don't have a leg to stand on here.

This thread is not about you. It is about the OP.

Um--I NEVER said it was about me. You were the one who sought to discredit what I was saying by focusing on me and my situation (ad hominem). I was merely giving what many here consider to be sound advice. Again, if you have nothing positive to contribute, perhaps it is best for you to refrain from commenting.

magerum

Saw a episode on Dr. Oz...he said it is true. He said that everyone has different taste buds, and some of us react different to sugar and salt. They did a test on the show with 6 people in a 3 week course. Four out of 6 craved more sugar when given to them. The other two craved salt. I believe it is true!!!!!!!!!!!

If you saw it on Dr. Oz you can safely assume it's nonsense. Raspberry keytones anyone?

MyChocolateDiet

ad·dic·tion
noun
the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, as narcotics, to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma.

I know many people that love sugar and don't like the thought of cutting down on it but I don't know anyone that suffers severe trauma when they don't get enough sweets. I think people confuse "I want" with "I need".

Addiction: "An addiction is characterized by inability to consistently abstain, impairment in behavioral control, craving, diminished recognition of significant problems with one’s behaviors and interpersonal relationships, and a dysfunctional emotional response."

Okay then thanks for the definitions.

by the first definition I am addicted to air.
by the second I am addicted to d!ck.
by the time my husband gets home and my mom brain is done with these terms you could say I'm air****thead.

tsh0ck

Saw a episode on Dr. Oz...he said it is true. He said that everyone has different taste buds, and some of us react different to sugar and salt. They did a test on the show with 6 people in a 3 week course. Four out of 6 craved more sugar when given to them. The other two craved salt. I believe it is true!!!!!!!!!!!

If you saw it on Dr. Oz you can safely assume it's nonsense. Raspberry keytones anyone?

does the marionberry have a keytone? I really like those. also, huckleberry. yeah, I'd tear up some huckleberry keytone.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

IDK, but theres' definitely something to it. When I used to do a low carb diet that required quitting sugar completely it wasn't easy. Then once "clean" off the sugar, it was like if I had too much in the form of a simple sugar like cookie, cake, whatnot, it started me craving sugary foods and carbs in general. So to my mind, it's some kind of a trigger for wanting more of itself, so unsure what to call it but an addiction sounds close. Although I know addiction is the topic of the day, and so I hesitate to say it since I know some people are up in arms about the misuse of the word.

For sure though too much sugar makes you want more. That I know.

For some people. Personally I don't find it to be true. I suppose a person can be "addicted" to anything pleasurable, and if cutting things completely from one's diet for a short time helps then I'd support that. But many many people are plenty capable of having sugar without feeling out of control at all. I just get irritated when people tell me that I'm just "under the influence of my addiction" and other nonsense. That hasn't happened in this thread but I've encountered it in others.

I also think that the goal ought to be to be able to have things in moderation at some point. Just my opinion.

perrinjoshua

Part of your question may be answerd if you read the book by Michael Moss - Salt Sugar Fat.

tsh0ck

ad·dic·tion
noun
the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, as narcotics, to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma.

I know many people that love sugar and don't like the thought of cutting down on it but I don't know anyone that suffers severe trauma when they don't get enough sweets. I think people confuse "I want" with "I need".

Addiction: "An addiction is characterized by inability to consistently abstain, impairment in behavioral control, craving, diminished recognition of significant problems with one’s behaviors and interpersonal relationships, and a dysfunctional emotional response."

Okay then thanks for the definitions.

by the first definition I am addicted to air.
by the second I am addicted to d!ck.
by the time my husband gets home and my mom brain is done with these terms you could say I'm air****thead.

exactly.

really, really liking something and wanting more of it because we like it and it's good does not mean we are addicted. It means we have a normal, human response. If we give in, it means that, at that moment, we either decided it was OK at that time or we lacked the willpower to do what nancy reagan said we should.

which is why I brought up bacon. I like it. a lot. as is normal. and if there are four slices on a plate, I will want to eat four slices. this does not mean I am addicted to bacon.

cmcis

I'll stay out of the debate and answer the "what to do about it" part of the question: just cut it out, temporarily at least. For a few weeks, do your absolute best to avoid foods with added sugars, and stick to lower-sugar fruits. Let your taste buds and hormones adjust. You can add cookie, cake, candy, whatever back in eventually, but form strong habits with non-triggering, nutrient-packed foods first, and when you begin to eat sugary food again, make it a treat. Also, make sure it's something you really, really WANT - it's easy to finish something because it's there even though you don't really like it or were satisfied with half a cookie instead of a whole one.

I think this is sound advise. I found that by eating fruit, I was able to satisfy my sweet tooth and limit my cravings for high sugar sweets. It also helped to log my consumption (recognize calorie cost of treats) and adding exercise to the routine. One thing I have managed to stop is my heavy consumption of coca cola.Now I limit it to movie theatres and have noticed that it doesn't have the same power over me. This could be a result of my increasing my intake of water.

vingogly

If you saw it on Dr. Oz you can safely assume it's nonsense. Raspberry keytones anyone?

Apparently raspberry ketones are old hat for our dear Doctor ... I keep seeing adds for other "magic foods" he's recommending. Try googling "dr oz is a quack" and see what you come up with.

Regarding addiction, there are physiological addictions, and there are behavioral addictions. The neurotransmitter mechanism involved in both is the same. That's why you can become addicted to a behavior like gambling, or sex.

If one can't stop eating things with sugar in them, that's a behavioral addiction not physical dependency, and it calls for behavioral actions to address it rather than drugs or "magic foods". None of the "programs" I've done over the decades (including a medically-supervised fast) have focused on behavior; it's always been added as an afterthought. Google "mindful eating" and "intuitive eating" for some good reading ... in a nutshell, most of these non-dieting approaches say, work at becoming aware of your hunger and satiety cues, don't eat things out of a sense of obligation (if you hate kale, you hate kale), and don't eat while you're doing something else.

I restrict sugars and refined carbs, and bad fats; combined with food journaling and mindful eating, this combo works for me. I have no plan to eliminate sugars from my diet, but I know I'll need to view the "food pyramid" in a different way and monitor myself for the rest of my life. Just my two cents' worth.