Do you have a love/hate relationship with sugar that beckons EVERY day?
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Whether it’s that energy-kicking morning caramel latte, pick-me-up afternoon chocolate bar or evening sneaky bowl of ice-cream, you just can’t seem to break the habit.
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Why is it so damn hard to give it up?
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I’m NOT surprised at all – it’s addictive – so let yourself off the hook and read on!
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Whenever an experience provides more pleasure than expected, your brain releases dopamine. This is the brain’s pleasure producing chemical. We would expect this huge dopamine hit with drugs like heroin, cocaine, alcohol and nicotine.
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However, manufacturers invented chocolate, cheese, cookies, donuts, diet drinks and a plethora of processed foods that stimulate the same part of the brain!
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This doesn’t mean you need rehab, it just means you have developed an intense motivation/desire to keep having it.
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How does sugar work on the brain?
- Sugar triggers the release of natural opiates within the brain.
- Although sugar alone causes the release of opiates, manufacturers have found that whipping in a bit of fat accentuates the effect eg. Chocolate.
- These opiates within the brain which make you feel good but also increases the appetite driving effect – you just want to eat more of what has just passed your lips!
- Also the gluten in bread, and the casein in milk has a mild opiate effect – this is why cheese is so addictive, because it’s concentrated milk!
It’s important to understand that when a person is hooked on carbohydrates they are really hooked on foods that release sugars rapidly into the bloodstream, rather than slow-release carbohydrates like beans & lentils, whole grains and vegetables.
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So you don’t need to be afraid of complex carbohydrates – it’s the sugar.
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When you work with me, we definitely don’t ditch all things sweet!
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We get smart.
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If you have a sweet tooth like me – go and check out my current favourite – Black Bean Brownies.
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If you would like more information about why a healthy post-cancer diet needs to minimise sugar, you can read this blog.
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