Why SUGAR cravings can feel so automatic, and the unusual trick I sometimes use before doughnuts.
I’m a recovering sugarholic or perhaps I’m still in the process of becoming one.
When I wanted a quick hit of comfort or reward, sugar was my first choice. Shopping for clothes came second, followed by alcohol.
Why Can Sugar Feel So Hard to Resist?
From an evolutionary perspective, humans developed a preference for sweet, energy-dense foods because food wasn’t always readily available. Finding ripe fruit or honey provided valuable energy at a time when our ancestors didn’t know when their next meal might come.
Fast forward to modern life, and food is now abundant in many parts of the world.
In fact, it can feel too abundant, especially when supermarket checkouts are lined with confectionery and sugary drinks. And damn it, if you’ve gone shopping hungry, that purple chocolate wrapper seems to call your name.
During the low-fat era, many packaged foods had fat removed and sugar added to maintain their flavour. This created shelves full of products promoted as “low fat” that weren’t necessarily lower in sugar or better for our health. Today, sugar can be found in some surprising places, including sauces, condiments, cereals, flavoured yoghurts, drinks and premade meals.
Is Sugar Actually Addictive?
The science is more nuanced than simply calling sugar an addictive substance. Sugar and highly processed sweet foods activate the brain’s reward pathways. When we repeatedly turn to them for comfort, energy or relief from stress, our brain can learn to associate particular situations with that reward or what we might call “a special treat.”
Your habit loop might look like this:
Cue: You feel tired, stressed or overwhelmed at 3pm.
Response: You reach for something sweet.
Reward: You experience a quick burst of pleasure, comfort or energy.
The more often this happens, the more automatic the response can become. That doesn’t mean you lack willpower or that your brain is permanently “rewired.” It means your brain has learned a pattern and learned patterns can be changed.
What Can Too Much Sugar Do to the Body?
Regularly consuming too much added sugar can:
Cause blood-sugar spikes followed by energy crashes, hunger and cravings
Contribute to inflammation and disrupt the balance of bacteria in your gut
Increase the risk of weight gain, insulin resistance, fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes
Worsen acne or trigger headaches in some people
Cause tooth decay
Sugar doesn’t directly cause cancer. However, a high sugar diet can contribute to excess weight, which increases the risk of several cancers.
This isn’t about fearing fruit or never enjoying dessert. It’s about noticing how much added sugar may be accumulating across your day and how it could be affecting your energy and health.
You Don’t Need to Cut Out Every Grain of Sugar
That would be a mammoth task and it isn’t necessary. Instead, become curious about where sugar appears regularly in your diet.
Choose one everyday item, such as a sauce, cereal, flavoured yoghurt or drink, and compare it with another option. Could you choose one with less sugar, make your own version or use herbs and spices for flavour?
Stevia or monk fruit can be a helpful replacement, but the longer-term goal can simply be becoming comfortable with foods tasting less sweet.
My Little Sugar Trick
If I know I’m going somewhere where doughnuts, cookies and chocolate will be waiting, I sometimes use Gymnema sylvestre drops beforehand.
Gymnema contains compounds that can temporarily reduce your ability to taste sweetness. Sweet foods can suddenly taste surprisingly bland, which removes some of that immediate reward. Early research suggests this may reduce the desire to continue eating sweet foods, although more research is needed.
Your health doesn’t depend on never eating sugar again. It’s about noticing what drives your choices, making conscious decisions and gradually putting yours
elf back in control.
If you're ready to curb that sugar tooth I'd love to help. Book a complimentary 30-minute discovery chat with me and let's talk about where you are now and how I can support you. Contact
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