According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the average American consumes 156 pounds of added sugar per year.
Did you know that refined sugar is far more addictive than cocaine? Refined sugar is one of the most addictive and harmful substances currently known. Over 94 % of rats who were allowed to choose between cocaine and sugar water, chose sugar. Even the rats who were addicted to cocaine switched their preference to sugar.
Published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation and titled, Increased sugar uptake promotes oncogenesis via EPAC/RAP1 and O-GlcNAc pathways, researchers addressed a common perception (or misperception) in the cancer research community regarding sugar’s relationship to cancer: namely, “increased glycolysis [sugar based metabolis] is frequently viewed as a consequence of oncogenic events that drive malignant cell growth and survival.”
A new study published in this month’s Physiology & Behavior reports that sugar withdrawal is also linked to impulsive behaviour. Initially, rats were trained to receive water by pushing a lever. After training, the animals returned to their home cages and had access to a sugar solution and water, or just water alone. After 30 days, when rats were again given the opportunity to press a lever for water, those who had become dependent on sugar pressed the lever significantly more times than control animals, suggesting impulsive behavior.
Refined sugar consumption damages health much more than we realize. It suppresses immunity and causes weight gain.
Research has linked sugar consumption to numerous health conditions, including:
• Premature aging
• Various cancers — breast, ovary, prostate, rectum, etc.
• Diabetes
• Digestive problems, including chronic indigestion
• Fatigue and low energy
• Heart disease
• Hyperactivity and concentration problems
• Loss of muscle mass
• Nutritional deficiencies, including decreased ability to absorb calcium and magnesium
• Osteoporosis
• Tooth decay and gum disease
• Yeast infections
Here are some of the symptoms of sugar hangover
- Fuzzy thinking or foggy mind
- Fatigue or sleepiness after meals
- Gas, bloating or extended stomach after meals
- Headache
- Joint pain
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Skin problems
- Allergy symptoms
- Mood swings
Knowking the symptoms, and preparing to deal with sugar withdrawal, may help you reduce your sugar intake permanently . But it is important to realize that a craving is NOT the same as hunger.
Craving is not your body’s calling for energy, it is the brain calling for something that releases a lot of dopamine.
You need to be determined and disciplined and here are a few things you can do to help you overcome these cravings:
- Eat sour foods. Sour foods, like apple cider vinegar, will naturally curb your cravings for sugar.
- Eat fermented foods and probiotic beverages. They are full of beneficial bacteria, which drive out disease-causing bugs that increase our desire for sugar.
- Keep a bottle of stevia close by. Though stevia is sweet, it is not sugar. It can play a trick on the tongue that will curb your sugar cravings.
Reference: http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/106/4/523.full