According to Merriam Webster’s Dictionary, addiction is defined as the “compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming substance characterized by tolerance and well-defined physiological symptoms upon withdrawal.” Sugar addiction is an epidemic in the United States. The problem begins with the fact that sugar is found in many processed foods. Sugar can be extremely harmful for the body. Sugar is an addictive substance that provides negative consequences to those who excessively consume it. Sugar hasn’t always been an addictive substance. For instance, in a video interview on Youtube, which was uploaded by the company, Mercola, Joseph Mercola is interviewing Doctor Robert Lustig, a Professor of Pediatrics. Lustig explains how sugar was first …show more content…
The suggested amount of sugar a person should consume daily is 25 grams, while the average American consumes around 80 grams of sugar. Excessive sugar consumption can lead to the fatal situation of addiction. For instance, in the article I Was So Addicted to Sugar, Dietitian Cassie Bjork explains how she was addicted to the sweet substance. Bjork describes, “Sugar owned me. It had a stronghold over my life. I couldn’t go a day without thinking about it. Sometimes, I couldn’t go a minute” (Bjork 1). In her statement Dietitian Bjork indicates how her life was impacted by her addiction; she couldn’t go very long without thinking about sugar. Similarly, 30-year-old Marie Dozier shares her experiences with sugar addiction in the article, Marie Dozier Conquered A Sugar Addiction And Lost 143 Pounds. Dozier states, “What started as a problem with overindulgence and lack of moderation became a full-fledged addiction. For about two years, I suffered my emotions down by filling myself with food: cheap, easily accessible, nutrient-deficient junk food. I ate from fast-food restaurants daily and made frequent trips to grocery stores for chips, candy, and cakes.” Later on in the article Dozier explains how she finally “snapped” and made the decision to change her lifestyle. Dozier mentions how she experienced withdrawal symptoms including cravings and feelings of detox for many months (Klein 1-2). Dozier’s withdrawal symptoms indicated that she had a true sugar addiction. While some people believe that sugar addiction is an overstatement, there are studies that provide evidence of the
There are many different definitions in which people provide regarding addiction. May (1988) describes that addiction “is a state of compulsion, obsession, or preoccupation that enslaves a person’s will and desire” (p. 14). Individuals who suffer from addiction provide their time and energy toward other things that are not healthy and safe. The book
Another contrast between the article How Candy Conquered America and This Cupcake is Trying to Hurt You is how our health is affected by our sugar intake now and back in the 1800’s. According to the article, Too Much Can Make Us Sick (http://www.sugarscience.org/too-much-can-make-us-sick/), “Heart disease”. Diabetes. These chronic conditions are among the leading causes of death worldwide.
Addiction is defined simply as a strong and harmful need to regularly have something (such as drugs) or do something like gambling (Addiction, 2016). Addiction can be crippling and can control all aspects of your life to the point of not being able to function as a productive member of society. Addicts can have a life long struggle, even once sober, or clean, from the addiction.
Sugar is considered a toxic poison. Sugar leaches the calcium out of the skeletal frame of a human’s body. Sugar literally sucks the calcium straight from our bones; therefore it is known to many as a “skeletal poisonous powder.” There are thousands of individuals struggling throughout the United States with sugar addiction. Sugar is a leading cause of a number of health-related issues. Sugar causes health issues such as, fibromyalgia, diabetes, obesity, and osteoporosis. Like me, many individuals have no clue that they are addicted to sugar. Up until this single subject design, I thought my eating habits were quite normal. I honestly did not realize how much sugar I was taking in everyday. This single subject design has truly encouraged me to live a healthier lifestyle. The purpose of this study is to indirectly determine my sugar intake, by counting calories daily and reducing my caloric intake.
HFCS can be habit forming since it is a sweet replacement for sugar and in his article Peretti mentions that David Kessler said “sugar, through its metabolisation by the gut and hence the brain, is extremely addictive, just like cigarettes or alcohol.” People enjoy the taste and because of this they consume large quantities, which lead to health factors such as: obesity, diabetes, heart problems, infertility, liver problems, and so on. Our limited perspective may cause us to lose sight of how much of a risk HFCS possesses.... ... middle of paper ... ...
For years doctors have been saying that refined sugars are empty calories and consist of absolutely no vitamins or minerals that people need to survive. Dentists warn that sugary foods encourage tooth decay. Many people avoid sweet food because it can lead to obesity, heart problems, diabetes and cancer. These negative responses by people’s bodies are actually warnings. Maybe people eat sugar for other reasons than the sweet taste. The human body's negative responses to sugar may be a similar purpose to the reason kids feel pain when they are playing too roughly. People’s consumption of sweet foods might also serve as a sign of defiance against their bodies’ health limitations. What many people do not realize is that their tasty treats can affect their mind and emotions.
Main Point: What defines an addiction? According to Psychology Today, “Addiction is a condition that results when a person ingests a substance…. or engages in an activity….that can be pleasurable but the continued use/act of which becomes compulsive and interferes with ordinary life responsibilities, such as work, relationships, or health.” This can range anywhere from drug use to eating disorders, to gambling, to even texting in today’s generation. Shocking to say the least, especially when most people do not even know they are addicted or are an addict until they realize this definition.
Addiction is a very strong word that brings along many negative connotations. When we think of an addiction we imagine someone who depends on a certain substance, most likely alcohol to have their needs met. Addiction is defined by the Webster dictionary as, "a compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming substance (as heroin, nicotine, or alcohol) characterized by tolerance and by well-defined physiological symptoms upon withdrawal." Even though our society sees addiction and only applies the word to drug addicts and alcoholics, there is a much wider range of subjects that fall under the umbrella of what an addiction truly is. An addiction is a dependency on any kind of materialistic object that you use on a day to day basis that brings
Addiction is a chronic brain disease characterized by compulsive drug and substance use. Despite its harmful consequences to the human body, addicts continue to seek for more drugs to keep their systems active. Millions of people abuse drugs and substances in the world today. As a result of substance abuse, addicts can easily lose control of their actions. Addiction is a long-lasting brain illness that disrupts the normal body functioning. It holds the brain hostage.
A large amount of the research has found a variety of similarities between excess food consumption and addiction. In humans, obesity and addiction have been both linked to neural markers. Finally, many behavioral indicators of addiction also appear to be common in problematic eating behaviors, such as loss of control, and an inability to cut down excessive use.... ... middle of paper ... ...
We are all familiar with sugar. It is sweet, delicious, and addictive; yet only a few of us know that it is deadly. When it comes to sugar, it seems like most people are in the mind frame knowing that it could be bad for our health, but only a few are really taking the moderate amounts. In fact, as a whole population, each and everyone of us are still eating about 500 extra calories per day from sugar. Yes, that seems like an exaggerated number judging from the tiny sweet crystals we sprinkle on our coffee, but it is not. Sugar is not only present in the form of sweets and flavourings, it is hidden in all the processed foods we eat. We have heard about the dangers of eating too much fat or salt, but we know very little about the harmful effects of consuming too much sugar. There still isn’t any warnings about sugar on our food labels, nor has there been any broadcasts on the serious damages it could do to our health. It has come to my concern during my research that few
Addiction is the dependency of a particular item or substance. In other words the nervous system gets dependent on the substance, creating a psychological need for it. People can be addicted to drugs, alcohol and just about anything. It is considered a disease that starts within the brain and affects your whole body and everyday life. Millions of people are affected every single day because of drug abuse and addiction with that number growing.
When a person gains weight, they think the main cause is the fat that is included in the food they eat. They are terribly mistaken. According to the video Hungry for Change, they say, “ In the 1900’s, an average person only consumed about 15g of sugar a day. But in the present, modern adults consumes 70-80g of sugar a day, and teens consumes about 120-150g”. Sugar is not only a unhealthy diet and obesity, but it is the main cause of overweight. Sugar does not contain fat, but when people eat more calories than they burn, the remaining calories stays as fat. By being overweight, it can impact a person’s entire quality of life. In the physical health, the right kind of food gives you the strength and energy to make it through in your everyday lifestyle. In other words, by eating the wrong kind of foods, you won't get the energy you need in your life. In the mental/emotional health, a little stress is good for your body because it gives ...
Through various observations and assumptions, there have been conversations on whether or not overconsumption of food is an addiction. However, many have come to the conclusion that food is an addiction if it is overconsume excessively than it is necessary for an individual’s diet. Nevertheless, food addiction can create health issues that can affect an individual’s body. Even though, many individual may have such knowledge of overconsumption of food; however, many may choose to ignore the consequences that comes with food addiction. Becoming a food addict is harmful and dangerous to an individual’s health.
So, yes, there are food “addictions” but not 100% similar to that of drug addictions. There are consequences to eating too much of one thing, but the point here is that it might not be that individual’s fault.