BE AWARE! sugar may act as additive drug.


Most of the times seniors reward children with some candy or chocolates for a good job or well done in school. People add sugar to their coffees, bake it into our favourite treats and breakfasts. Currently table sugar is one of the most used ingredient in modern world.

Regular intake of high sugar creates the feeling of sweet craves. This is subsequently pushing you to become addicted towards sugar. Recently, various health authorities and researches told that excess sugar could be as addictive as some street drugs like cocaine.

In medicinal language, addiction is described to a tragic situation where someone’s brain chemistry has been altered to compel them to repeat substance or activity despite harmful consequences.

• Know how one becomes addicted.

Human body contains a neurotransmitter called dopamine. It is a prominent neurotransmitter for addictive behaviour. When any type of behaviour cause an excess release of dopamine, then you feel a feeling of pleasure.

As the person repeats that behaviour more and more, brain adjusts it to release less dopamine. Meanwhile, sugar also activates the opiate receptors in human brain and affects the reward centre.

During a study on rats, when Oreo cookies were given to them. Those cookies activate more neurons in pleasure centre of rats brain then cocaine does.

According to a study that took place in 2008, found that rats may become dependant on sugar. This dependency could related to several aspects of addictions. Subsequently, will lead to cravings, binging and withdrawal symptoms.

As sugar is much more prevalent, easily available and socially acceptable, it emphasise more addiction towards it.

• What is added sugar ?

According to World Health Organisation, the maximum intake of processed sugar should be less then 10% daily calories. Several other health authorities claim that by doing so, one can lower the risk of becoming obese or overweight and generating life threatening diseases.

Most of the times free sugars also include both sugars, naturally found in honey and fruit juices and sugar added in foods and drinks. Most of the times, instead of added sugar nutrient labels of product have glucose, corn syrup, Brown sugar, dextrose, maltose, sucrose written on them.

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