Sugar: Is it a Drug?

Did you ever think about sugar? Besides when you’re craving a chocolate bar? Well there are reasons why you have those cravings. Did you know that sugar is in almost everything you eat?

Sugar is not good for you and you should not eat it, I know that I try and avoid it whenever I can. Unless it is from natural food I am eating I try not adding it to anything.

I was reading over at one of my favorite blogs, Paleo Hacks, and I found this article. I was blown away with this information and knew I had to share it with the world. You can click here to read there article, it is worth your time and effort, I promise.

Here is a teeny tiny piece of the sugar-less pie…

“As can be seen, there is a multitude of reasons why soda should be eliminated from the diet. Some studies have shown that intense sweetness is more rewarding than cocaine. Other studies have shown that food addiction is similar to drug addictions. This differs from behavioral addictions like gambling, since in food (and sugar) addiction, there are actually neurochemical changes. The more sugar that you eat, the more downregulated your dopamine receptors become. Besides this scary adaptation, there are other neuronal changes.

This includes: changes in opioid receptor binding, enkephalin mRNA expression and dopamine and acetylcholine release in the nucleus accumbens. Basically, the more sugar that you eat, the more ways your brain changes – for the worse.

Does this sound like a drug exerting its effects? It certainly does to me.

Of course, we must not forget the withdrawal effects of sugar, once the stimulus is taken away. I’m sure we’re all well aware of the “sugar cravings” that ensue, once you decided to go low carb, or after a bad night of sugary eating. The pronounced ‘hangover’-like effect largely comes from fluctuating insulin levels.”

Wow, crazy right! Click here to read the rest of the article.

I also wanted to add this little video, which I found on Paleo Hacks as well. I thought it would be a nice way to wrap up this post and make the final push to read there mind-blowing article.

 

What did you think? Do you think sugar is a drug?