Sugar Shakedown Video 1 - WHY Sugar is SO Addictive

Have you heard this before? Sugar can best be described as The Crack or Meth of the Food Industry. This is the simple explanation for why we become addicted to sugar!

It’s everywhere; Sugar is literally Hidden in the food and beverages that so many of us consume. We are getting a steady stream of sugar consumption, even if we think we are avoiding it, by avoiding the common culprits, such as sugary beverages, cookies, cakes, donuts and candy. 

It is a Legal, Lethal, Drug -  A Silent Killer.

This global problem, if it hasn’t already, will soon affect everyone on the planet - personally.

We live in a sugar economy.

We reward children with it when they behave or for a job well done.

It’s often handed out by teachers as a reward.

We reward ourselves with it after a stressful day, to celebrate a birthday or a special success.


We practically dedicate holidays to it. Halloween? Hello!


And, the mommy wine culture, which is essentially sugar in a bottle? Don't get me started.

The average American consumes 152 pounds of sugar and 146 pounds of flour per year. Imagine consuming that much cocaine in a year!

Sugar is like dopamine - it's the pleasure hormone.


We all like pleasure.


Sugar stimulates the brain’s pleasure or reward center, delivering hits of dopamine just like other addictive drugs. 


When a certain behavior causes an excess release of dopamine, one feels a pleasurable “high” that we are inclined to want to re-experience, and so we are driven to repeat the behavior.


This is essentially what an addiction is. A repeated behavior for a gain of feeling good, or numbing out something.


Thus, we become more addicted to sugar.

PET Scans, or brain imaging show that high sugar and high fat foods affect the brain just like heroin, morphine or opium.

Michael Pollan, author of - In Defense of Food - States “We have become Biologically Addicted!”


Next up - Why This Sugar Addiction is NOT your fault!

Want the whole series including my favorite healthy, delicious recipes, fitness tips and more?