In the section Food under scrutiny we share a scientific view on nutrition and health. The internet is full of claims about these two broad topics, but is that information accurate? We offer clarity with the help of various experts. With today: how addictive is sugar really?
We all get a lot of it: sugar. But is sugar really as addictive as they say? And why is getting a lot of sweets a problem? Metro spoke about it with Kim Brouwers, dietitian at the Diabetes Fund.
Added sugars in your diet
We ingest a lot of added sugars unnoticed, says the dietitian. “It is about 20 kilos of added sugars per person per year. Those sugars come from soft drinks, biscuits and sweets, but also from products that you would expect less. Think of ready-to-use spice mixes, pasta sauces, soups, sauces, spreads… Even products that are not sweet often contain added sugars.”
According to Brouwers, added sugars are mainly found in products that we do not need for our health. “If we left those kinds of products more often, our health would be a lot better. It is better to exchange these sugar-rich products for products that benefit your body: fruit and vegetables, dairy products, whole-grain cereal products and sufficient water.”
How addictive is sugar?
Many Dutch people consume a lot of sugar on a daily basis. Can we also say that it is addictive? Not quite, says Brouwers. “When using stimulants such as alcohol and drugs, we see that a reaction takes place in the brain. Dopamine is produced, a happy hormone that makes you feel good. We also see this with the use of sugar, which stimulates us to eat sugar more often.”
According to the dietitian, that is why we often talk about a sugar addiction. However, she says that the term ‘addiction’ is not entirely accurate, because with sugar we do not need more and more of the product to experience the same feeling of euphoria. This is the case with other stimulants. “That is why we cannot scientifically label sugar as an addictive substance. But that does not alter the fact that the happiness hormone is produced, and it is therefore very difficult to stop eating sweets. ”
Eating less sugar: this is how you do it
Would you like to take a closer look at your sugar intake yourself? Brewers gives a number of tips:
Read the label more often and check the nutritional values. Note: there are more than 50 different names for sugar. Brouwers tip: “Does an ingredient end in -ose, syrup or syrup? That means that there are added sugars in the product.” All designations can be found here. Try to eat as fresh and unprocessed as possible, and to use as few packages and bags as possible. Make a meal plan, and do weekly shopping. “Get healthy food at home, so that you don’t go to the supermarket hungry every night. We all know that we are not making healthy choices.” Put unhealthy products with added sugars out of sight, so you’re less likely to grab them when you walk through the kitchen. Participate in the National Sugar Challenge of the Diabetes Fund. During this week, the participants try to eat no added sugars at all for a week. This year, 72,000 people have already participated. “The results show that people are fitter and more energetic at the end of the week than before. The participants really notice that it is better to avoid added sugars,” says Brouwers. Participate? Sign up here On. Don’t be too hard on yourself. “It is important to learn a good diet that you can maintain in the long term. Take small steps, completely stopping eating added sugars at once is not realistic. See which habits are easiest for you to change and start with that.”
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2023-07-29 16:04:41
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