Processed sugar addiction is real! A low-carb diet is one of the ways people can defeat it. Our bodies require healthy fats, proteins, and carbohydrates to function optimally. There is no physiological need for processed sugar in our bodies. It does not provide any nutritional value to the human body. Processed sugar is a recreational drug.
Research has discovered that a diet that is filled with processed sugar is directly linked to obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and many other health issues. In some cases, processed sugar addiction has been compared to cocaine addiction. Addiction describes a tragic situation where someone’s brain chemistry has been altered to compel them to repeat a substance or activity despite harmful consequences.
How Sugar Addictions Work?
Our brains use the most energy in our bodies. Its primary source of energy is glucose. Consuming large amounts of processed sugar sparks our nucleus accumbens. This is the area of our brain known as the “reward center”. When the nucleus accumbens is stimulated it releases dopamine and we start to feel very good quickly. The more processed sugar our food contains, the more dopamine is released. The more dopamine the bigger “high” we experience. This is the same process that happens with cocaine or other addictive drugs. As time passes our brains will require more processed sugar to generate the same high. Our dopamine receptors become less sensitive to the presence of sugar and the addiction to sugar grows stronger.
Some people even experience physiological changes within the brain when they eat foods with added sugar. Their brain changes and their sugar addiction get stronger. If you are finding it hard to resist sugar, do not be too hard on yourself. It has nothing to do with your willpower or desire to change. Your body has learned to depend on processed sugar. You will experience similar withdrawal symptoms to a drug addict trying to defeat their addiction. I have been there before, trying to remove sugar from your diet may feel impossible.
A Low-Carb Diet Will Help You Defeat Sugar Addiction.
I was addicted to processed sugar from an early age. I loved all things sugary. My problem was so deep that I have three teeth taken out due to my sugar addiction. My weight struggles were directly linked to processed sugar. After I took the #90DaysWithoutSugar Challenge, I stopped struggling with losing weight or eating healthy. Quitting processed sugar was one of the best decisions I ever made.
There is hope for you if you want to defeat processed sugar addictions. One of the ways to defeat sugar addictions is by changing your diet to low-carb and eliminate processed sugar. When you eat a high carbohydrate or high processed sugar meal, your blood sugar rises and then falls when insulin gets released from your pancreas. At times you release so much insulin that your blood sugar dips too low, which causes the cycle of sugar cravings to continue. When your blood sugar goes up and down frequently, it causes fatigue and your body starts to crave more sugar.
A low-carb diet switches your body to use fat as a fuel source rather than sugar. Your body will take a couple of days, sometimes weeks to adjust to the change. Some of the withdrawal symptoms you may experience when you start eating low-carb: fatigue, depression, headaches, poor moods, body aches, or lack of quality sleep.
How Low-Carb Cures Sugar Addictions.
Firstly a low-carb will help you beat sugar cravings. When you start eating foods that are healthy, you will start to feel satisfied and sweets cravings will be reduced. Secondly, a low-carb diet will improve your blood sugar levels. Healthy blood sugar levels will help you to control your appetite. Finally, a low-diet will help you improve your energy levels by accessing your fat stores. You will no longer need processed sugar to give you energy. I thought the only way I could get energy was from processed sugar. When I found out that healthy fats could give me energy, quitting sugar was made easier. You can defeat your sugar addiction if you eat healthy low-carbs, moderate protein, and high fats.