This is Your Brain on Sugar
I’m on that diet where you cut out all carbs, all sugar, and all happiness. – someecards.com
If you’ve ever put yourself on a “diet” of eliminating all sugars, you probably understand the feeling of joy being sucked out of your very being! This initial misery is due to our overconsumption of the white stuff as well as how our brains respond to it.
In the last blog, Sugar – The Making of a Mountain, we learned what sugar really is and how to identify it on a food label. If you have recently spent time reading labels, you may now know just how much sugar you are actually consuming. The Standard American Diet – SAD – is filled with foods that are highly processed, loaded with refined sugars, and devoid of quality nutrients. SAD indeed!
Let’s dive a little deeper now and find out how the brain reacts to sugar and why it’s so darn hard to give it up.
When we eat a meal high in sugar – or quick digesting carbohydrates such as breads, rice and pasta that are highly refined – our bodies react in several ways. Two important reactions that occur are the release of dopamine in the brain and the release of insulin to control blood sugar. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that activates the reward and motivation center of our brains. So when we eat sugar we are flooded with feel-good emotions and ready to tackle the world. Our bodies say “Woohoo, bring it ON!”
At the same time, the surge of sweet stuff causes an equal surge in insulin. Insulin’s job is to shuttle any excess sugar from our blood into our cells to keep blood sugar, and energy levels, stable. This is great…unless, of course, our body overcorrects. A high sugar and refined carbohydrate meal sends our blood sugar skyrocketing. To compensate, insulin rushes that sugar into our cells to protect us. Sometimes, too much sugar is sent to storage and we suffer – energy crashes, we become irritable and shaky, and worst of all we crave more sugar. This rollercoaster ride of spikes and nose-dives wreaks havoc on our energy levels and emotions. We go from being on top of the world to having the weight of the world holding us down.
What happens when our energy tanks, our moods swing down, our control falters and our cravings escalate? We eat more sugar! It was sugar that brought on the dopamine “Woohoo” moments and that is what we remember. So we inadvertently create this perpetual up and down swing without realizing sugar is not making things better, it’s making things worse. Not only does this set us up for a difficult road of trying to maintain optimal energy, weight and mood; it also raises our risk of insulin resistance and diabetes.
We also become ‘resistant’ to the amount of sugar we are consuming. That means we need more and more amounts of sugar to get that surge in energy to bounce back from the crash. In this way, sugar can become like any addictive drug – the body gets used to a certain amount and requires more to get back to the level that sets things right. This can increase cravings, mood swings around food and feeling 'addicted' to sugar.
We are creatures that crave pleasure and happiness, which is our birthright! However, happiness comes in many packages. There are many avenues to seek pleasure and happiness without spiking insulin – accomplishing a challenging goal, cuddling with your partner, laughing, spending time with loved ones, anything that brings pleasure to you increases your dopamine levels. Start reducing your sugar intake and seek out these resources for happiness instead. Easier said than done? Next week we’ll discuss the myriad ways that sugar negatively effects the body and a couple of quick tips on how to start reducing your sugar intake for a healthier body. Stay tuned!
Photo Courtesy of: http://www.ruwhim.com/?p=46434