Are you addicted to sugar? You’re not alone. In 2007 a group of researchers found that sugar surpasses what is called “cocaine reward” in most mammals, including rats and humans. The frightening result of this study is the conclusion that sugar is more addictive than cocaine.
Although sugar does not contain opiates (like other addictive substances such as heroin) it does stimulate the release of endogenous opiates. Opiates and their receptors have largely been attributed to what is known as “reward.” When the opiate receptor is filled over and over again, we feel a sense of pleasure and reward. No matter how harmful a food or substance may be to the body, this sensation of pleasure keeps us coming back for more, while at the same time altering our brain chemistry. Read More
