It’s midnight. I’m working on yet another brilliant, thought-provoking exposé for your favorite food & wine magazine. Pushing the deadline to the limit. Sleep deprived, lightheaded, fatigued. And then it happens. In my weakened state I cannot resist the temptation, try as I might. My will is not strong enough. Though I will hate myself in the morning, I raid the freezer and scarf a half a pint of Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Monkey. For a few precious, blissful moments the world is at peace. Hello, my name is Laurie, and I’m a sugar addict. And most likely, if you reside in the free world, you are too.

I know what you’re thinking. “Addiction” is a pretty strong word to use regarding sugar. It’s ‘natural’, after all… refined from the sugar cane plant. And opium and heroin are refined from poppies… and cocaine is refined from coca leaves. You’re scoffing. You’re thinking that’s hardly a fair comparison. Or is it?

Recent studies have actually demonstrated that refined sugar is “far more addictive than cocaine.” Still skeptical? When laboratory rats were given a choice between sugar and cocaine, a mind-boggling 94% chose sugar… Even the rats that were already addicted to the cocaine! In addition, the rats showed classic withdrawal symptoms, such as the shakes and teeth chattering, when sugar was removed from their access. And rats weaned off of sugar were quick to relapse once they were given the option to consume it again.

Sugar actually stimulates the same parts of the brain (hippocampus, insula, and caudate) as addictive drugs such as cocaine. Brain scans comparing “normal” persons with crack addicts have proven that images of ice cream lit up the same pleasure receptors in the brains of “normal” people that ones of crack pipes did for the addicts. When refined sugar - or addictive drugs - are ingested, the brain releases chemicals called opioids, which create an intense pleasure reaction. It doesn’t take long for the brain to distinguish this feeling and begin to crave it… Presto, an addiction is formed. But we’re talking about sugar here. It’s not as if we’re shooting up or snorting a line. So what if we’re “addicted.” After all, it’s not as if it’s really harmful... Or is it?

Immediately after consuming a food high in refined sugar, the sugar is absorbed into your blood as glucose. This leads to a chain reaction: the pancreas begins to make insulin - which transports the glucose to your cells to be used as energy or stored as fat – in a frantic attempt to bring your blood sugar levels back to normal (the infamous “sugar high”). The sudden overproduction of insulin causes a rapid drop in blood sugar (the sugar crash)… and in reaction to that, excess adrenal cortisone is stimulated to raise blood sugar back to normal. A diet consistently high in refined sugar is like your body being on a constant roller coaster ride, eventually damaging normal adrenal and pancreas functioning... which leads to a host of health problems. The slogan “crack kills” might be adapted for refined sugar - which has been called “dietary crack” by some nutritionists - to “sugar kills, slowly.” Over-consumption of refined sugar has been linked to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, depression, hypoglycemia, hyperactivity (especially in children), diabetes, heart disease, chronic fatigue, premature aging, depressed immune system, mood swings, tooth decay, obesity, and more.

I know what you’re thinking again. Surely that over-consumption group doesn’t include you. You don’t have that big of a sweet tooth, after all. Think again. Examine the ingredients labels on a few items in your fridge or pantry. Go ahead, I’ll wait here. Sugar is found in a majority of commercial foods. Oh yeah, don’t forget to look for sugar’s code names also: dextrose, fructose, sucrose, and high fructose corn syrup, among others. Sugar is in everything from deli meat, salad dressing, ketchup, granola bars, and cereal (even bran flakes!), to spaghetti sauce, yogurt, and even bread! So you don’t have to be a Ben & Jerry’s junkie to be getting more refined sugar in your diet than is healthful.

Still think you don’t have a problem? Consider this. The “recommended” daily allowance of refined sugar (some health professionals insist that the body doesn’t need any) is 10 (40 grams) to 12 teaspoons a day. Or roughly what you might find in ONE can of sugared soda pop. Most people in the U.S. ingest 2 to 3 times that amount every day, and the average American consumes approximately 160 POUNDS of sugar every year!

Bad news, you’re addicted to sugar. (Not convinced? I dare you to try going without any refined sugar for one week.) Here’s the good news: knowing is half the battle. There are steps you can take to reduce you’re refined sugar consumption and consequently improve your health exponentially. Avoid sugared drinks (including juice) and drink water instead. If you’re craving something sweet, reach for a piece of fresh fruit instead of a cookie. Eliminate packaged foods as much as possible from your diet. Avoid artificially sweetened foods, which can intensify sugar cravings. Avoid white rice, white potatoes, and white flour, which create similar effects on blood sugar levels as sugar itself and will make it harder for your body to “detox.” Replace them with brown rice, red potatoes, and sweet potatoes. Eat lots of protein, which will make you feel full longer and possibly avoid the after dinner dessert tray. If you have a sugar craving, distract yourself for 15 minutes until the craving subsides. For an added touch of healthful sweetness, try the herb stevia instead of refined sugar.

Refined sugar may not cause you to turn to crime to support your habit. You may not have to choose between your family and your addiction. You may not be a social outcast if your secret is discovered. And it might take years for your body to show the telltale signs of sugar abuse. But does that mean refined sugar is not a drug? After reviewing all of the evidence, that might be tough argument to win.

*Author’s Note: This article is referring to refined sugar, not the naturally occurring complex sugars found in whole foods, such as fruits.