It is mid February, and Instagram is exploding with humbling pics of people who swore off sugar at the beginning of the year, only to drop the idea real quick.

Why is sugar so powerful, and how can we beat it?

Sugar has an addictive hold on us, it has been shown to have an effect on the brain similar to that of an addictive drug.

In fact, quickly removing it from your diet can cause withdrawal symptoms, including fatigue, depression, headaches and muscle aches. No wonder it isn’t easy to quit.

Scientists have turned their attention in the past few years to the question of why we crave sugar, due to the rise in diabetes and obesity. The answer have lead to some startling findings.

Many sugar cravings stem from a blood sugar imbalance. When your body ingests sugar, your blood sugar spikes and your body releases insulin to lower it to a safer level. If the insulin brings your blood sugar level a bit too low, as often happens, your body craves foods that will raise it and increase your energy. You’re on a blood sugar roller coaster, and it’s hard to get off it. The key to balancing blood sugar is to eat foods that prevent too much insulin from being released, such as protein and healthy fats, and consuming only small amounts of sugar (if any). It’s also important to eat regular meals and snacks, because blood sugar drops when you skip a meal.

The tongue

The modern trend towards making everything very sweet seems to trigger even more cravings for sweet things, and a desire for greater levels of sweetness.

In the past, Sugar was not as available in packaged goods, as Today. The average person consumed an average of 7 pounds of sugar, usually in the form of sweet foods like honey, per year. However, today, it is about 125 pounds of sugar annually.

Artificial sweeteners have actually made the problem worse, with so-called high-intensity sweeteners (HIS) approved by the FDA, such as aspartame, many times sweeter rather than natural sugar, which therefore boost the craving.

The brain

The brain is also re-wired as a result of sugar consumption, leading to cravings. The mechanism isn’t completely understood, but it appears to be a vicious cycle of craving, reward, greater craving, an even bigger reward needed, and so on. The ‘reward’ aspect is both physiological and psychological.

We are rewarded when we eat sweets because they raise dopamine levels in the brain. We can describe dopamine as a ‘feel-good’ chemical that elevates mood and naturally relieves pain. Therefore, sweet things make us feel good. The ‘sugar high’ from eating sweets is therefore not just blood sugar, but mood as well.

We are also rewarded when we are younger. Our parents reward us with dessert if we eat all our dinner. We are rewarded at our birthdays and holidays with sweet treats. We even reward ourselves with food when we complete a task. If we are stressed, many people often manage that stress with food, drink, or both.

The trouble is that the more sugar you get, the more you want, until you start to crave it in the same way that an addict craves a fix.

If you’ve been struggling with a sweet tooth and cravings for sugary foods, it might be time to try a sugar detox to eliminate all sweet things from your diet for a few days to see if you can curb the cravings. Check out the 7day Sugar Detox, to help you. Also try to find other ways to reward yourself that don’t involve food or spending money. Then see how much less stressful and more enjoyable life can be, free of the sugar habit.

xoxo Ilanit BS, CPT, CNC

Getfitima.com