Addicted to Food?

Ever wondered why we crave certain foods so much, almost like a drug that we need a fix from? Well that is no accident. Much like the cigarette industry, the food industry has worked hard to create products that we cannot get enough of. As you try to cut some of these unhealthy foods out of your diet, it’s helpful to know WHY you crave them so badly.

The answer is most likely SUGAR! An item that once was a hot commodity is now used in excess to lure us to certain foods and keep us coming back for more. There was a time when fruit was considered sweet enough for dessert, now that is considered a part of our actual meal! The main misconception though about sugar is that it is only in “sweet” foods. Unfortunately, sugar can be found in many, if not most, common pantry foods such as peanut butter, cereals, ketchup, granola bars, juice, soda, dipping sauces, jelly/jams, bread, frozen meals, crackers, and the list goes on. This causes two problems: First, we are so used to tasting sugar that we feel we need higher and higher quantities to satisfy our craving. Second, sugar is infused in so many regular food items that even if we give up “sweets” we are still taking in sugar, therefore precipitating the cravings.

Sugar is so addictive that it has been shown to be more addictive than crack-cocaine to rats. Sugar has also been shown to produce the same response in our brains that many drugs do and to have the same addictive properties as alcohol and tobacco. It even produces such a powerful response in our brain that it is used for pain control in infants.

Why does it matter? It sounds extreme, but sugar is likely the leading cause of our obesity epidemic. When we ingest sugar, our body releases insulin to process that sugar. Insulin causes new fat tissue to be created, and therefore we gain weight. So… if we are constantly taking in sugar, we are almost constantly creating new fat tissue.

What do we do about it? First, eliminate all overtly sugary items like desserts, pastries, candy, juices and sodas. Second, transition your regular foods to more real foods to avoid the infused sugars. Be prepared to feel amazing once you have eliminated sugar, but maybe poorly during the process. Some people experience near flu like symptoms when eliminating sugar from their diet. Once this subsides (usually in a week or so), you will likely have more energy and clarity than you can imagine! Also, the cravings usually greatly diminish or even disappear after one to two weeks with no sugar.

Think about your own food choices, what types of food/drinks do you crave? Do they fall into this category of sugary or made with hidden sugars?

For more information on weight loss topics, please visit the National Institute of Health (www.nhlbi.nih.gov).

Resource: “Why We Get Fat and What to Do About It” by Gary Taubes