(23-07-12) Is white sugar the gateway drug to alcoholism and obesity?

by D Holt

(NaturalNews) As a species, we consume almost 2,204 pounds of white sugar each
year, this equates to an average of approximately 81.4 pounds per person. Many
health professionals have noted the negative health effects of sugar, from
excessive weight gain to diabetes. It has also been reported that children who
have a tendency towards eating large amounts of sugar, are more likely to have
alcohol dependency issues later in life.

Gateway drugs are substances that create an initial dependency, and are
usually commonly found, legal or socially accepted. These types of drugs often
give the user a boost in levels of serotonin, this makes the user feel good.
Sugar boosts levels of energy and serotonin, and so enhances mood, but it wears
off quickly as the body regulates the blood sugar level with insulin.

Sugar begins the addictive cycle
The user then seeks more sugar as cravings take hold, and as the levels of
serotonin drop so does the mood which can lead to depression. The user becomes
less sensitive to the effects of sugar over time, due to increased insulin
levels. When a sugar addict drinks alcohol, it similarly boosts their serotonin
levels and gives a "high." Sugar and alcohol are interchangeable, calorific
addictive substances. They are also similar in that they both cause liver
damage, diabetes, dependency, tooth decay and depression.

It has been discussed that it is not marijuana, but alcohol that is the first
gateway drug to get people into an addictive cycle. With the consumption of
sugar being at such high levels, and considering the effects of sugar on the
levels of serotonin, it must be argued that it is sugar that is the gateway
drug. Once the cycle of artificially boosting mood, feeling low and needing a
boost is established, it is easy for a potential addict to find chemicals to
lift their mood.

Sugar is a highly processed substance, not a "natural" food as packaging
suggests
Although it can be said that addiction is normally routed within emotional
weakness, it can also be said that without sugar training the young into
addictive behavior, the addict would not have the experience to lead them in
the direction of seeking mood enhancing substances to feel better. Sometimes
the addict stays addicted to the sugar, overeats and becomes obese. In other
circumstances the addict moves on to bigger "highs." Either way, the cycle
begins with eating enough sugar to cause a high and a low. The use of aspartame
in diet drinks does not help those addicted to sugar, as the effect of
aspartame is to lower serotonin levels, making the addict feel low, whilst also
increasing appetite.

The addictive effects of sugar can last for up to four weeks, coupled with its
inclusion in so many products from breads to canned vegetables, it is a
difficult substance to get out of your system. It is not natural to take a
substance from a plant, process it to such an extent that it is unrecognizable,
and then consume it. To label sugar as natural and therefore healthy, is just
the same as processing poppies into heroine and saying it is good for you
because it comes from a plant. Because we are so used to sugar as an everyday
substance, we assume it is safe, when it could be responsible for the ill
health of millions of people.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.suedzucker.de/en/Zucker/Zahlen-zum-Zucker/Welt/
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-symptoms-of-sugar-withdrawal.htm

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In evidenza

"L'informazione presente nel sito serve a migliorare, e non a sostituire, il rapporto medico-paziente."

Per coloro che hanno problemi di salute si consiglia di consultare sempre il proprio medico curante.