There was a great panel discussion on KQED’s Talk of the Nation that is definitely worth a listen. Two of the panelists discussed research in rats that indicate that sugar is addictive, in a similar manner though milder than alcohol and other addictions. The third panelist discussed Buddhism and conquering food addiction, which I found less compelling.
The upshot was that our foods contain more sugar than ever, and it’s harder to get sugar out of our environment. Eating sugar does help us feel better for a short amount of time, but ultimately an addictive cycle sets in that requires us to eat more sugar to get the same effect. And sugar substitutes might produce the same effects.
It’s taken me a loooong time to pull out of my sugar addiction; really, I can’t say that I have totally. But it’s a far cry from what it used to be. I used to make homemade fudge (and it was damn good!).
Making my own food has definitely helped; I’m not getting a dose of corn syrup at every meal. But I still want some sugar after lunch, and I usually have a Skinny Cow bar after dinner. Not much, but I wonder if I’m keeping the addiction alive.
How do you deal with sugar?
