As if the alarming statistics around poor health and obesity weren’t enough, perhaps the dangers of a sugar packed diet can help convince you. For many years I’ve been referring to white or processed sugars as “White Death”. Many people know that sugar is bad for you, but few people actually understand why and know exactly how dangerous it is. I will soon be releasing a brand new ebook packed with information about the dangers of sugar. Be sure to keep an eye out for it.
A recent study done by Magalie Lenoir and her colleagues at the University of Bordeaux in France gives more insight to the beliefs of many health professionals and scientists about how addictive sugar really is. Rats in this study were given a choice between cocaine and highly sweetened water and they overwhelmingly choose the tasty sweet beverage over the cocaine. The end results simply showed us that the sugar was far more addictive and pleasurable than the habit forming drug.
Our over sensitivity to sweet taste and excessive sugar intake in our diets may over stimulate the sweet receptors in our brains, which leads to a loss of control and increases the risk of addiction.
Perhaps the most alarming fact in this study was that when the rats that had learned how to self administer cocaine and become regular users preferred the sugar water over the cocaine each time.
Okay, okay I know….we are not rats, but many of these studies have been proven to hold true with human behaviors. Just look around you at the people who are consuming massive amounts of sugar. I can tell you from my 12 years of experience helping people achieve their health and fitness goals, that sugar was the number one contributor to poor health along with poor exercise habits among the hundreds of people that I have worked with and thousands of people that I have indirectly been involved with.
Are you addicted to sugar? Watch for my new ebook “White Death” How Sugar Will KILL You coming soon.
Came by to drop my card, glance at your post title and thought, “Oh, HELL YES!” There are so many different forms of sugar … most of which are really awful for you. It’s not easy staying “clean.”
Kelly’s last blog post..We’re Havin’ a Party!
Thanks for this post, I found it an interesting read.
I think we tend to take loads of ‘invisible’ sugar. Just imagine the cubes of sugar going into a cup of tea and multiply that by the number of cups per day!
C K’s last blog post..Coconut jam… a.k.a. Kaya
Well, I do pretty good until the evening, then I get hit with the “hey, doesn’t my daughter have a stash of easter candy hidden somewhere?”. Ya, sometimes I can fend it off, and sometimes I can’t.
I think carbs are my downfall (which turn into sugar). I could eat a whole loaf of bread, maybe 3 baked potatoes…wow.
Mommie’s last blog post..Blessed Baby
Refined sugar is highly addictive (I’m addicted to sugar as are many of my readers) and it creates the same reaction in the brain as opiates do - opiates such as morphine and heroin.
Yep, the human body wasn’t built for the sweet white powder and I believe that the fact that refined sugar is present in almost all processed and fast food is a major contributor to the obesity epidemic.
JoLynn Braley’s last blog post..Fit Links at The Fit Shack
Hi Pat, I am a nutritionist and have long believed sugar to be one of the worst health concerns facing us all. I cut out soft drinks and many other sources (especially those containing corn syrup) from my diet. I drink water, unsweetened tea and natural fruit juice. Ever since, I have felt better and had much more energy. Not only is it as addictive as cocaine, it is more dangerous in some ways.
Bobby Revell’s last blog post..Bobby’s Batch #13 - Niche Free
Great feedback everyone.
@ Kelly - It is very hard to get off the sugar when you are used to using it everyday. It’s like anything else though, you have to get used to being off of it and never turn back.
@ Fool - I am glad that you took something away from this.
@ CK - You are correct. There is loads of sugar in many things that people consume daily and don’t even realize it. We have to become more aware of the things that we put in our bodies. Education is power and life in this case.
@ mommie - hehe…it must be difficult with kids.
Carbs are definitely the downfall of many. On the other hand, carbs are a very important part of our nutrition, but we have to educate ourselves on which carbs are good and when. Sugar all together should be a no no! 
@Jo Lynn - You are correct about the effects of sugar in relation to other drugs. I am also a believer that sugar alone is one of the largest contributors of the obesity epidemic. Here’s my top 3
1. Sugar Consumption
2. Fast Food
3. Physical Inactivity
@ Bobby - That is a huge step to cut all those things out. It’s great to have the education that you do as well. You are right about sugar being more dangerous than drugs in many ways. I think people are so complacent and don’t realize the severity of it.
THANK YOU ALL for the great feedback!
how about sugar substitutes like equal or splenda? I already cut my softdrink consumption, by the way
bendz’s last blog post..Peter, Please Answer the Following Questions:
Bendz - There are mixed opinions about these products. From a calorie consumption point of view they are great. Of course some of them are made of chemicals and have been in many controversial studies. No solid evidence either way, but I believe they are a good alternative.
My suggestion would be splenda. It tastes as close to sugar as possible and is actually derived from sugar and of course zero calories.
Hope this helps.