by Y Tian

Created on: April 09, 2011   Last Updated: April 10, 2011

Addiction may seem to be too strong a word to be applied to sugar. However, for some people, sugar addiction is a real problem. While eating small amounts of this sweet substance is not too worrying, excess consumption of sugar can be a serious health hazard. Not only can too much sugar lead to diabetes mellitus and its numerous health complications, sugar can also suppress the immune system, cause premature aging and increase the risk of heart disease. So how do you know if you are addicted?

1. You can’t say no to sugary food

Chocolate; lollies; ice-cream. It doesn’t matter what it is, as long as it contains sugar, you want to eat it. The higher the sugar content, the more your mouth waters at the prospect of eating it. You enjoy eating sugary food so much that if anything sweet is presented in front of you, you simply can’t say no. You can rarely walk past a donut store or the local bakery without going in and grabbing a bite to eat. You probably have a sugar stash stored in your kitchen pantry. Simply put, you love sugar and you can’t say no to it.

2. It is impossible to control your sugar intake

Having some sugar in your daily food consumption is completely normal. However, you just can’t seem to deny your sweet tooth and often overindulge. When you open a packet of chocolate cookies, how long does it last? If you baked a cake, can you stop yourself at just one thin slice? Or do you have to eat enough until you are satisfied? Sugar addicts often find it difficult to control the amount of sugar they consume. For them, one bite could lead to consuming half a packet.

3. When you try to cut back, you don’t feel so good

When you try to reduce your sugar intake, do you find yourself more cranky or tired than usual? One of the classic signs of sugar addiction is discomfort when your sugar level drops. Typical withdrawal symptoms include headaches, nausea and moodiness. Of course, such discomfort discourages sugar addicts from cutting back their sugar intake.

4. Sugar cravings – all the time

The discomforts that sugar addicts experience prompt their sugar cravings. And if you are addicted to sugar, you may find yourself craving something sweet – all the time. Your constant hunger for a sugar high will make it difficult to cut back on sugar. However, it is important to know that once you make the active decision to stop bingeing on sugary food, the discomfort and sugar cravings will eventually fade.

If you suffer from the symptoms listed above, then you probably are addicted to sugar. But all is not lost! Being aware of your problem is the first step. Cutting back on your sugar intake may be difficult to start with. However, once you adapt to a healthier lifestyle, you won’t regret it.

Resources:

http://www.fitwatch.com/weight-loss/signs-that-you-m ay-be-addicted-to-sugar-749.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar_addiction

http://commonsensehealth.com/Diet-and-Nutrition/Suga r_Addicts_Guide_to_Overcoming_Sugar_Addiction.shtml

http://rheumatic.org/sugar.htm

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