When it comes to addiction, people think of caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol. But many people are addicted to sugar. Unfortunately, sugar addiction can raise your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and weight gain. It can also block your path to losing weight and reaching your ideal weight, sinceAre you unsure if you're addicted to sugar? Here are the most common signs of sugar addiction:
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You hide how much sugar you eat:
Even though an addict might know their sugar intake is too much, there are always excuses. They tend to hide sweets and any clear signs of addiction, and lie to themselves and others about it.
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You can't get enough sugar:
When you need more and more sugar to satisfy cravings, that's full blown addiction. Erin Aki, a nutritionist and chef, said needing more sugar to satisfy cravings is a clear sign of sugar addiction. It means you’ve gotten used to eating lots of sweets over time. Sadly, sugar binges are often followed by blood sugar drops.
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There is always room for dessert:
Many women tend to eat because they're bored or stressed or as a reward, not because they're hungry. Even a heavy meal isn't a reason to skip dessert. Lisa Rachel Snyder told me in an online intuitive eating and self-love course called the Beautiful Detox method that craving sugar when you're not physically hungry is a sure sign of addiction.
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Strong cravings for salty foods:
Since a sugar addict's body lacks the nutrients it needs, it craves salty foods. Lisa Richards, a nutritionist who created a low sugar, anti-inflammatory diet called the Candida diet, said that strong cravings for salty foods are the body's way of telling you to take a break from sugar and eat something more nutritious.
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Stopping sugar intake causes withdrawal symptoms:
Eating too much sugar isn't healthy. A sugar addict might try to quit. But since sugar use is both a behavioral and chemical addiction, the body will likely show signs of distress or withdrawal.
"Some common sugar addiction symptoms include headaches, tiredness or feeling sluggish, intense cravings, muscle pain, nausea, gas, bloating, and even insomnia," noting that it's better to reduce sugar gradually over a long time.
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Eating sugar to calm down:
While some people smoke a cigarette when stressed, others grab donuts or fast food to rely on sugar’s "feel-good" effect. Apparently, eating sugar to cope with life stress or other issues is a psychological sign of sugar addiction according to licensed addiction specialists.
Getting caught up in sugar for emotional comfort is really unhealthy because it stops you from feeling or dealing with your emotions the right way.
If you’re dealing with some or most of those symptoms, you should start a sugar stop diet right away and check out our next article on how to quit sugar addiction..
