Are Sugar Cravings a Sign of Addiction?

Are Sugar Cravings a Sign of Addiction?

Chris VanTulleken makes multiple great points when he defines what an addiction is: It is a habit that you are aware is not good for you and has negative consequences and yet you are not able to stop doing it even though you tried a few times. For his new book, the well loved presenter of ‘Operation Ouch’, Chris has been researching the economy of multinational companies. He found that all large Tobacco companies are part of a larger group of companies that are also Food Manufacturers giants. He says ” if you think these companies aim are to feed you, you have got it totally wrong, their aim is to make profit’.

Profits are made by using cheap long shelf life ultra-processed ingredients made out of rice, corn, soy and wheat in a liquid or powder form, inject a few additives, preservatives, flavourings to make an ultra palatable (ie addictive) packet food, that has got no nutrition in it. If it comes in packet and includes ingredients that you would not normally have in your kitchen, then it is an UPF (Ultra Processed Food). Sure it is okay to have them (quite difficult not to these days in fact = most children cereal are UPF) as long as 80% of your diet also includes fresh wholesome foods.

What is fascinating, is that the addiction factor comes from the super quick release of sugar in the body and the brain with its companion hormones such as the quick reward Dopamine. Because those ingredients are UltraProcessed, the body also processes it ultra fast and gets the reward ultra fast, making the foods addictive. Chris suspects that the Food groups learnt those techniques from the tobacco companies upon buying them out.

Another Doctor Deb Matthews explains Sugar Cravings as follows: sugar is a toxin! like other foods, it creates either good and bad bacteria in the Gut. Too much sugar creates too much bad bacteria in the gut in the form of excess Yeast and Candida (a fungi). When the balance in the gut is off, it is called Disbiosis or leaky gut and the Yeast produces ‘Aldeydes’ in the brain, a low alcohol that creates brain fog in the brain. What is more, the Yeast cell then release a chemical to ask for more sugar, which essentially is what a Sugar Craving is!

Besides each sugar intakes creates a spike of insulin followed by a crush and your brain does want more sugar to stabilise blood sugar levels in the brain, this reinforces the craving. Meanwhile the Candida and Yeast in the Gut can create Bloating.

The good news is: this knowledge makes us feel empowered to act, because the addiction does not come from you, but the substances taken and associated biological mechanism. It is within your power to address, for you and your children by ‘simply’ removing them from your kitchen. Easier said that done I know, but isn’t that empowering knowledge. Gratitude to Chris Van Tulleken and Deb Matthews for their explanation. Knowledge is everything.