Can you really be addicted to sugar?

[koki12346]

Can sugar cause an addiction? Some people use sugary foods in ways that aren't healthy, even though it may not be an actual addiction. Some signs: You crave sugar, lose control, and eat more than you planned. 

However sugar is very bad is you take to much of it. It it okay of you take only natural sugar - like fruits. And it's okay of you eat a small dose of it. But if you exaggerate in eating the sugar you may feel some consequences. A lot of sugar isn't good at all, it really can cause some kind of an addiction.

If you ask me, people should only eat natural sugar.

 

[Thoughtful-Sage]

I quit sugar for 10 days once.  I was tired after about a day and a half for about a day.  I craved it but it wasn't the end of the world.

I either threw the sugar snacks out or hid them away.  When I went back to have a snickers it tasted weird.  Like super rich or sweet and it was too much.

I ate about half of it and moved on with my night.  I have sugary stuff about every couple of days now and occasionally more and then I let it go for several days.  

The withdrawal is something I can stand now.  I generally stay away though nowadays.   

[KiraB]

As someone who does not have any expertise in this subject matter, I can only share my own experience with sugar. About a year ago, I went on a diet that prevented me from consuming unnatural sugars. I ended my diet sooner that I had planned because I was showing signs of "withdrawal." I experienced headaches. I was tired and moody. Foods I normally enjoyed were unsatisfactory due to their lack of sugar content. When I was no longer eating sugar, that was all I could think about. My body was functioning abnormally. That dieting experience made me very aware of the high levels of sugar many Americans–including myself–consume. I've never researched this, but it's not unreasonable to believe people can be addicted to sugar. 

[Morgan Keys]

I feel pretty certain that sugar is addictive and that extends to more than just satisfying that sweet tooth.  Although I have not done any real research on the topic, I believe that sugar releases some kind of "feel good" chemical in the brain that is highly desirable.  Normally, I am not a big sweet eater and can go for long stretches of time without any soda, candy, cookies, etc.  However, I recently found some ginger ale at Whole Foods that I really liked and before I knew it, I had a habit of buying a six pack of ginger ale every time I visited Whole Foods. Before I knew it, I had gained close to 15 pounds by simply adding soda to my regular diet without any other changes.  To sum, I gathered that drinking ginger ale over a few months gave me a nice, feel good type of satisfaction that I really did not get from anything else in my normal diet.  Furthermore, I can see a person becoming physically addicted to that feel good place that sugar seems to give you.

[marinabalkandzhieva]

I can't agree that sugar is addictive. I can't even agree that cigarettes, alcohol or any other thing is addictive too(I am not saying anything about medications and drugs).

For me, all this is only personal habits and cravings. I don't believe that if a person really wants to quit on some bad habit he won't find a way to do so. And sugar is a bad habit for those who have disorders. 

I eat a lot of sugar, I always have something hidden at home! Some people say that I am addicted, but I can get up and say that I am not. I can spend a day eating only sweets, but then the other day I will think only of something salty, warm, etc. I've always loved sugar. I clearly remember when I was 10-12 maybe how we ended up one night with nothing sweet at home. My father then prepped something special for me just to be calm.

But then, after 10 years, I found I have blood pressure problems and I have to quit on sweets and coffee. That wasn't even any kind of a decision to take. I just embraced it and spent the next 2-3 years without even thinking of those things.

So I just don't understand, and truly I don't want to, why if someone knows that eating sugar causes them no good, they keep on consuming it. When it comes up to personal health care and wellness there is no such thing as "I am addicted to sugar, I can't live without it". You just stop consuming it right away and focus on your wellbeing.

But on the other side, some people need to taste just a bit of chocolate to boost their energy. For them is quite essential to keep eating it just to feel good. I have a friend with such condition, but again, when she had to stop with sweets, she just stopped, without even thinking twice about it.

I think we are not addicted to sugar as we are not addicted to cigarettes. It is all about personal habits, desires, and needs. If you put on some pressure on yourself in order to get better you can achieve anything, even quitting on something else and dangerous that you are really addicted to.

No, there is no such thing as being addicted to sugar and sweets. They are just so tasty, so delicious, you want to have one more bite. Its absolutely the same with any other food or drink!