The Scary Thing About Sugar #2 and #3

Oh sugar…how we love your sweet sticky goodness. Did you know there is a biological reason why we love sugar so much? Think about it…you probably have never been so passionate or so crazily hit with cravings for a piece of broccoli have you?

So we come to the scary thing about sugar reasons #2 and 3: Humans consumed sugar in order to store fat and sugar makes us addicted to it.

Your tongue has tongue has two sweet receptors in it, which evolved during the early times, when our ancestors ate a typically low-sugar diet. This area was most likely biologically developed to encourage consumption of higher glycemic (sugar) load foods. Why would that be if sugar is so bad for us? Because back then, our ancestors rarely stumbled upon sugar containing foods. These foods were only available seasonally (as in fruit) or by the off chance of finding and attaining it (honey hives). Because sugar is a great source of energy for storing fat, our biology designed biological mechanisms to encourage the consumption of sugary foods for one reason: to store fat. Our ancestors very survival depended on their ability to store fat and sugary foods helped them do that, although these occasions were not very frequent. In fact, eating sugar triggers production of natural opioids in your brain. These hormones aid in relieving pain, feelings of euphoria and lethargy. This is the same effect that drugs and alcohol have on the brain. And of course, we like those feelings, so we are more inclined to seek those experiences to bring those happy feelings back. These biological systems were not much of a problem for our ancestors, because no matter how much they wanted to have more fruit or honey, most likely, their access to it would be very limited.

Cut to modern times. Sugar is IN EVERYTHING. not only is it in everything, its more distilled, concentrated and stronger than anything our ancestors ate. Thus, creating a much stronger reaction in those addictive areas of the brain. Thus the feedback loop of sugar addiction. We can have it 24/7. Even the fruit we eat is 5 times larger and genetically modified to contain more sugar! (p.s. eat organic fruit only to avoid this!)

What can you do about this? There might be a sugar addicts anonymous near you. Just kidding. Join the Fire Team Whiskey 90 Day Fight The Fat Holiday Challenge. Our eating plans gradually wean you off the carbs and sugar that keep you locked into the fat storage eat more feedback loop. Our eating plans will take you gradually in 30 day progressive steps to optimal nutrition where you are free from your sugar addiction and are able to enjoy it on occasion without starting down a eat a whole sleeve of girl scout cookies binge session.