Are You Addicted to Sugar?

Are you addicted to sugar?

Or, what I actually want to ask is, “Do you FEEL like you’re addicted to sugar?”

Yes, those are 2 very different questions.

We actually can’t be addicted to sugar.

Wait, what!?

Yep, we can’t be addicted to sugar because sugar, or rather glucose, is necessary for our bodies to live. And we can’t be addicted to something we need to have in order to live.

Here’s where the debate on sugar addiction comes from. When we eat sugar, it elicits the part of our brain that signals pleasure. This also happens when we drink alcohol, when someone does drugs, when you have sex… BUT… the same thing also happens in our brain when we get a hug from someone, when we laugh, when we hold our newborn baby.

So, what we know is that eating sugar gives us PLEASURE. But it’s not ADDICTIVE.

But, I know what you are thinking. You FEEL addicted because you feel out of control when you eat sugar and dessert and all the things. You feel like you can’t help yourself, like it has this pull on you like an addiction, you can’t stop thinking about sugar.

And, I’m not here to say that you don’t feel these things. Because you likely do.

There’s a difference, though, with addiction & what I see often with people and sugar.

When people say they’re addicted to sugar, what they actually are saying is they feel guilty eating sugar so they try to not eat it. And then, when they get around sugar they feel this intense desire to eat it.

Like an addiction.

But, again… not an addiction.

Restriction with all foods, including sugary foods, leads to heightened and more intense cravings for those foods. So, even by saying “I’m addicted to sugar” and avoiding it at all costs leads you to feel more addicted when you’re around sugar because you feel more chaotic and out of control around it.

So, how can you not feel addicted to sugar?

It’s the same as with any other food.

Practice full permission, eating sugary things without guilt. Eat the desserts that you really enjoy and skip the things you don’t.

When you take away the guilt around eating sugar, you take away the intense desire for sugar. Our brains work in a survival way where when food is scarce, or more likely in today’s diet-culture when food is restricted, they “turn up” our desire for those foods. It’s a protective mechanism that aims to keep our bodies safe. Our brains don’t know the difference between sugar being restricted and a legit famine that puts us in danger of dying.

Now, don’t misunderstand me here and think that I’m saying sugar is a health food. It’s not. But as we talked about in THIS post on the 5 purposes of food, food has more purposes than just the nutritional aspect. So, we can enjoy even foods, like those with sugar, without guilt. There is purpose for eating these foods. And doing so will benefit you by actually taking away those intense cravings for it. You’ll be able to enjoy sugary foods and desserts and feel at total peace with them.

I’m also not saying that it’s good to eat a whole 1/2 gallon of ice cream every night. If your goal is to be an intuitive eater, you are going to approach sugar and everything through a lens of body respect and self-care which means that you are going to work towards eating in a way that feels good in your body. And I don’t know anyone who feels good eating a whole 1/2 gallon of ice cream every single night.

In the beginning, as you are working on making peace with food and practicing this unconditional permission mindset, you MAY experience feelings of being out of control or wanting dessert every single night and this is NORMAL. When your brain is conditioned to think that dessert is off-limits and bad, it can take some time to essentially prove to your brain that it’s no longer a “bad” food. But, eventually, you’ll get to a place where dessert is just another food. It no longer has power over you.

Action step:

Ok, so if you’re someone who feels addicted to sugar, here’s what to do: Explore your mindset around sugar. Do you feel guilty for eating sugary things? Have you been telling yourself things like, “I shouldn’t eat this”. If you have, this is likely what’s leading you to feel addicted. Start to explore what it would be like to give yourself permission to eat sugary things WITHOUT FEELING GUILTY.

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If you’re ready to have a healthier relationship with food (and sugar), but you’ve tried everything on your own and feel stuck, I can help you. Learn more about my signature 1:1 coaching program & schedule your free consult call.