Why Is Sugar So Addictive?

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What do we do when cravings hit? 

We don’t typically go for a banana or a bag of spinach. We grab some cookies, chocolate, or ice cream that temporarily satisfy that sweet tooth. The key word here is TEMPORARY. You can eat that cookie, but the sugar cravings will be back before you know it…and it will be worse than it was before. Sigh.

But what if I told you you don’t have to quit sugar cold turkey?

As a holistic nutritionist with 20 years of experience, I am about to tell you to break every rule in the weight loss book. Instead of trying to ignore your cravings, feed them. The Raw Truth is that cravings are often our body’s way of telling us that we are lacking in something that we need. Plus, your body needs sugar to thrive - just not from the sugar found in processed foods.

Understanding Cravings and Nutritional Deficiencies

Our cravings have meaning. If you find yourself craving sugary foods, it means you have not had enough calories from fruit. And if you find yourself craving salty things, it means that you are deficient in vegetables, specifically in dark greens.

Get familiar with cravings. Train yourself to grab sweet fruits when those sugar cravings hit. And when those cravings for salt things strike, reach for a green juice. Feed those cravings and give your body what it actually needs: carbohydrates and fuel from fresh fruits and vitamins and minerals from dark greens.

The Stay Skinny Method™ is a program that I designed just for this purpose -it works with your body’s natural cravings, not against them. This method works because it teaches you to feed your body what it actually needs so that you can lose weight sustainably and effectively.

With the Stay Skinny Method, you will get in plenty of greens to satisfy cravings, an abundance of healthy carbohydrates from fruits to stay energized, and the right amount of healthy fats to lose weight. This system works without any heavy restrictions. Here’s How:

  1. Drink one green juice every morning to crush cravings and flood your body with nutrients.

  2. Have a delicious and filling meal replacement shake for lunch.

  3. Drink a digestive shot before dinner to help with digestion and eliminate bloating.

  4. Following our proven clean-eating guidelines for snacking and dinner.

Satisfy Cravings With The Stay Skinny Method™

Natural Sugar

There is a huge difference between the natural sugar found in fruit versus the added refined sugars found in ultra-processed sweet foods. Don’t let fruit fearmongers tell you otherwise.

Natural sugar can be found in whole foods like fruit, vegetables, and healthy carbs like whole grains.

When in its natural form, these types of sugar can be one of the most beneficial things you can put into your body. They’re designed to be the perfect fuel for our bodies, providing energy, fiber, vitamins & minerals, and hydration—everything your body needs to thrive.

Our bodies digest natural sugars at a slower rate, making them a great option that won’t spike blood sugar levels [2]. Tracking your sugar intake can become a thing of the past when you fill your plate with an abundance of real sugar.

Refined Sugars

It’s no surprise that synthetic sugars have slowly crept into the average American’s daily food staples, from our children’s cereal to our favorite coffee creamer. Sadly, it doesn’t end there. These hidden sugars have even found their way into products we wouldn’t suspect, like “healthy” salad dressings, yogurt, and granola.

When trying to be more health conscious, it can seem like there’s no escaping the wrath of refined sugar. Do not be discouraged. There is power in knowing and making informed decisions for your health.

Refined sugars are typically listed as cane sugar (table sugar), high-fructose corn syrup, maltodextrin, and anything ending in “-ose." All of which can negatively affect our overall health and weight loss goals.

According to The American Heart Association, these added sugars have virtually no nutrients, add extra empty calories, and can contribute to obesity and poor heart health [2].

So you may be wondering, “Well, what’s the difference between natural sugar and refined sugars?” The difference is the process.

The Process of Making Refined Sugars

When it comes to sugar, the proof is in the process. Refined sugar undergoes harsh chemical processes before it makes it to your plate. Whether it’s table sugar or high-fructose corn syrup, both are heavily processed.

Table Sugar

Making table sugar is a not-so-appetizing process.

Sugar beets or sugar cane are turned into juice. This juice is heated and mixed with sulfur dioxide and antifoaming agents to preserve it and eliminate impurities. The juice is boiled into a thick syrup that, when cooled, turns into sugar crystals. These crystals are separated from the liquid through centrifugation.

The sugar is then heated and treated again to get its white color by using toxic bleaching and chemicals. It is crystalized and separated once more.

The end product— refined table sugar.

High Fructose Corn Syrup

High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFSC) is another commonly used refined sugar. It is made by milling corn into corn starch and then heating and treating it into syrup. After the syrup is created, enzymes are then added to make the syrup taste sweet. HFSC is made up of 55% fructose and 42% glucose [3]

The issue with corn is that it is a GMO crop, meaning it is heavily sprayed with herbicides and pesticides, adding to the reasons why it should not be consumed.

This sugar, in particular, is used as a sweetener AND preservative in many different kinds of foods, from jams to soda.

Your Health On Refined Sugar

As you can see, these processes are far from simple. Many toxic chemicals are added along the way, making these types of sugar totally different than natural sugar. Almost all nutrients from the sugar beets, sugar cane, and corn are stripped away during the processing. The final product of these sugars is essentially empty calories and a truckload of potential health issues.

Consuming Refined Sugar Regularly Puts You at Risk for the Following:

  • Weight gain & obesity

  • Heart disease

  • Blood sugar spikes

  • Energy crashes

  • Cavities & tooth decay

  • Mood swings

  • Sugar addiction

  • Mental health issues

  • Type 2 diabetes

  • Inflammation

  • Poor gut health

  • Intense cravings

  • Low energy & fatigue

These Refined Sugars Can Be Found In:

  • Cakes, cookies, candy bars & other treats

  • Chips & other snacks

  • Sauces, dressings, jams, & condiments

  • Bread, crackers, cereal & wheat products

  • Protein bars, powders, & smoothies

  • Creamers & coffee products

  • Granola

  • Yogurt

  • Processed & pre-packaged foods

The Not-So-Sweet Truth About Refined Sugar

The most alarming thing about refined sugar is not how your body reacts to it but how your brain does. Consuming refined sugars plays on the same receptors in your brain that opiates do [4]. Sugar excites dopamine receptors in your brain, similar to how drugs do.

This is why when many people give up sugar entirely, they suffer from intense cravings and withdrawal symptoms.

Break Up With Fake Sugar and Stay Skinny

Sugary sweets may feel good at the moment, but the dopamine rush is not worth it. It’s no secret that too much sugar is bad for your health. However it’s not that you need less sugar, you just need less processed sugar.

Break your sugar addiction by focusing on a balanced diet and flooding your system with real, natural sugars.

Shake your refined sugar habit with The Stay Skinny Method™, a weight loss system that can help you lose weight on a weekly basis. Not only will you lose weight, but you will learn how to sustain it by following my clean-eating guidelines.

You’ll learn the truth about how to lose weight and keep it off. Here’s how it works:

  1. The day starts with a craving-crushing dark green juice (Don’t worry - these green juices do not taste green).

  2. Eat all the fresh fruit you like all day.  In fact, the more fruit you eat, the better your results will be.

  3. Drink a tasty and filling meal replacement smoothie for a late lunch. Yum.

  4. Drink 1 Skinny Boost™ weight loss enhancer shot just before dinner.

  5. Eat a full, balanced meal for dinner - and enjoy clean snacking throughout the day as well - all following the simple guidelines that I provide along with the program.

The key to eliminating sugar cravings, salty cravings, and any type of unhealthy food craving is to truly nourish your body with the right foods. 

Plus, when you eliminate fake sugar, your tastes will totally change in the best way. Detox your tastebuds and start living in true wellness with the Stay Skinny Method™ today.

I’m Ready To Try This

 

Sources:

  1. The Sweet Danger of Sugar

  2. Added Sugars

  3. What is Refined Sugar?

  4. Evidence for Sugar Addiction: Behavioral and Neurochemical Effects of Intermittent, Excessive Sugar Intake

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Bio image of article author Lisa Testa, M.S.

With over two decades of expertise in the field of Health & Wellness, Lisa Testa, M.S. is an experienced nutritionist who has dedicated her career to empowering hundreds of clients on their journeys to weight loss and natural healing through the transformative power of raw food nutrition.

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