Comments on: Sugar Addiction – Yes, It’s Real

By: Robyn

Robyn — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:11:27 +0000

The thing that did it for me was knowing the glycemic index of foods. I eat low glycemic foods and try to combine with protein most of the time. It’s a miracle. I don’t crave sweets or refined crap anymore and I’m always full and satisfied.

By: Robyn

Robyn — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:06:44 +0000

Ive been off sugar and refined foods for almost 2 weeks and it’s much easier than I thought it would be. I have no desire for it because it’s not in my system. I agree…sugar is stupid. There is no reason for it.

By: Jonni

Jonni — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 20:02:35 +0000

I'm just curious - did you watch Dr. Lustig's video? He seems to disagree with you about the sugar issue. He's done a lot of recent research, and I try to talk everyone I know into watching that lecture.

By: Juwei Nam (@MengChiao)

Juwei Nam (@MengChiao) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 18:18:35 +0000

Chocolate has far less sugar than anything of equivalent foods that is vanilla flavored or strawberry or any other flavor. In fact chocolate is high in anti-oxidants. Have you ever had 100% chocolate? No. I thought so.
It is bitter and dry as hell. You might as well use 100% chocolate for coffee. People blame chocolate far too much for their own over indulgence when fruit juices and other flavors like strawberry/vanilla have far more sugar than the ones ADDED to chocolate. In fact chocolate itself is good for your teeth. It’s the sugar they pour into chocolate desserts that’s not. I’ve had mint flavored ice creams. Does that make mint the enemy now? NO. It is the sugar added to it.
Eat everything in moderation.
In fact a good diet is one you don’t think-is also one where you eat FATS. Fat curbs hunger and is essential to ABSORBING nutrients in vegetables (because really our bodies can’t do it themselves). If you can’t absorb essential nutrients your body is going to call out for more food WITH those essential nutrients because it still hasn’t gotten them even though you ate more than enough calories.
In fact they did a study on people who drank whole milk as opposed to 2% and no fat. The no fat were the least healthy and the majority were overweight. same goes with 2%. But the whole milk were healthy, vital, and good weight.
There’s types of fats too. Saturated and Unsaturated (poly and mono). Saturated fats are the bad kind of fats and Unsaturated are the good kinds of fats.
You need fat. You need sugar. You need everything in moderation.
My mother eats quite a lot of meat, but she’s anemic STILL. Did you know that in order to absorb a certain mineral you need a certain amount of a type of vitamin to absorb it (and vice versa). Just because the box says blah blah grams of iron and vitamin D doesn’t mean if you eat that much you get that much. If you don’t eat the other necessary fat and vitamin/mineral to absorb it, your body will still hunger for more and this is where the overconsumption comes in.
By the way ALL carbohydrates are sugar. Complex or simple: in the end it is still broken down to sugar in your body. You need carbs-loads of it. You cannot avoid eating sugar because just about everything has carbs and if it doesn’t then it’s probably an unhealthy food/drink.
By the way energy drinks that say it has 0 calories are lies. Calories=Energy.
Even people who mostly consume salads (crazy anal retards) there’s a big difference in who is healthier. The ones who ate the fatty dressings were the healthier of the bunch.
Blaming chocolate when in fact real 100% is as sugarless as coffee beans is a terrible way to think. Having chocolate once in a while is FINE. Having chocolate candies laden with heavy sugar everyday four times a day IS NOT.
I drink a ton of milk-and I mean a lot, but I barely get any calcium from it.
Hahaha-yes I know. It’s mostly because of the tea I drink a lot. Both tea and chocolate have oxalic acid which decreases the absorption of calcium. Makes you think twice about chocolate milk.
Here’s something to surprise you:
Phytic acid, found in whole grains, nuts, and legumes, can bind to calcium to form and insoluble complex, thereby decreasing the absorption of calcium.
Oxalic acid, found in spinach, beets, celery, pecans, peanuts, tea and cocoa, can bind to calcium and form an insoluble complex that is excreted in the feces also decreasing the absorption.
So even those REALLY HEALTHY foods can hinder you. Everything in moderation. If you eat little of this, then you’re fine. If you eat a lot of any one of these or a lot of many of them. You’re in trouble.

Sugar is not the enemy. It’s how much you eat of one food that is. If you have varying and MANY foods throughout the day, then you will be much better for it.
I did take Nutrition Science so there’s a lot more about this article that it’s keeping from you.

By: Jonni

Jonni — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:50:31 +0000

I’m so glad you brought up the self-control problem, because I read an article yesterday about a new book about the science of willpower. It’s on my wishlist so I haven’t had a chance to read it yet, but evidently, willpower requires a certain amount of energy, and that energy comes from the brain using glucose. We all know that eating sugar causes the body to react by pumping out excess amounts of insulin, which overshoots and actually scours too much glucose out of the blood. Then we feel shaky and antsy, and head to the cupboard for more sugar.

So, if we have a sugar crash we also don’t have the fuel our brain needs to say “no.” I’m quite happy about this finding, because I’ve suggested so often that if you want to stop eating sugar, you should substitute healthy carbs to cut down on symptoms and cravings. It looks like I was right.

And maybe it’s the sugar that’s keeping you from turning off the computer, too…

By: i_love_vinegar

i_love_vinegar — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 15:57:37 +0000

The longest i have gone without candies is 4 days…Those 4 days were around 3 months ago. I really want to kick this lifelong habit. Surprisingly, I am thin and supposedly healthy, but I eat around 2 “pastries,” 1 chocolate bar, and maybe 5 ice cream cones per day And that’s a good day…I usually eat my ice cream cones at night time, and am already feeling the withdrawal again. It’s painful…I do not feel full nor hungry very easily, but enjoy eating…I would love to learn self-control!!! I even have to block my own internet :’(

Good luck to everyone!!!

By: Kris

Kris — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 07:58:13 +0000

Here are some suggestions, some of which you’ve probably tired:

- replace the sweets with something sweet yet something that you’d rather eat for health reasons, like a juicy fruit salad prepared during the day, this would probably work best if you didn’t have any oreos and what not in your house, you’d be attracted to the ‘second best thing’ – the fruit salad

- I don’t know you and what you like, but I would personally wake up, have the craving, and just sit on my bed, breathe via the belly, and observe the craving and the thoughts that go on – a sort of meditation, allow the craving to be there, see, maybe a solution or a better understanding of what’s going on could surface. This way you might start retraining your body to be without the unnecessary sweets. If it’s very hard to go without sweets, take some, but slow down when you eat, breathe, be aware, don’t beat yourself up… But this might not be your way of doing things… I’d understand that.

- If you have the financial resources, I’d visit a sports nutritionist. Studying nutrition myself, I can say that protein powders are often unnecessary if you eat meat, even if you do strength training. From your description of your diet it seems you do not consume enough of complex carbs during the day, which as you probably know are the primary source of energy during exercise, especially cardio. After you exercise it is recommended to eat a meal consisting of carbs to replenish the lost glycogen stores (carbs stored e.g. in muscles for energy) and some protein (milk, cheese) to provide the amino acids for muscle repair and growth. So I’d say, don’t shy away from potatoes and wholegrain pasta during the day, maybe your cravings will diminish…

By: Jonni

Jonni — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 01:58:40 +0000

I’ve found that the vegan Forks over Knives diet helps with sugar cravings, too. But everyone needs to do what works for their own body.

By: Merilu

Merilu — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 00:08:42 +0000

Hello! Didn’t any of you sugar addicts see my post dated February 5, 2012. This had nothing to do with a decision to give up sugar or will power. Read it again if you haven’t already. The vegan diet has less protein, not more.

By: Bev

Bev — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:49:33 +0000

Hi – have you tried only eating protein/fat when you start getting the cravings at night? e.g. hard boiled egg dipped in mayo or Ranch dressing or plain preferably, bacon rinds (bought in potato chip section), beef jerkey, bacon etc. I know that’s not like dipping into the goodies, but I read that you can eat it and eat it until you think you’ve had enough. Then if you wake up hungry eat more of same. Each night you will eventually get less hungry.
Could be that most carbs are making you even hungrier. Google low carb. Also fruit can make you crave sweets….