Sugar: a treat or an addiction?

Can't finish a meal without something sweet? Worried as soon as your chocolate bar supply runs low? Prone to seeking comfort in the cookie/ice cream + Netflix combo?

These sugar cravings are often referred to as 'sweet tooth' – a rather cute little sin, all things considered! Try to break free from these sugary rituals. You'll experience the hidden side of your sweet tooth: a state of withdrawal accompanied by fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and a bad mood.

What if addiction was hiding beneath the love of food?

Let's start with a short glossary of the different types of sugars:

Glucose : with a low sweetening power, it is present in many sweet-tasting plants and in biological fluids such as blood; it is the major substrate for energy metabolism Stored as glycogen in the liver, it is consumed by cells according to their needs.

To measure blood glucose levels, we use the term blood sugar (glycemia), which is regulated by the hormone insulin. It's important to know that insulin is the sole source of energy for nerve cells.

Fructose : with a high sweetening power, it is found mainly in fruits and vegetables but also in the inulin of tubers and roots such as onions and artichokes. Fructose, unlike glucose, is not dependent on insulin.

It is metabolized in the liver to produce lactate, glucose, and triglycerides.

Excessive fructose consumption can cause:

- an excess of lipids in the blood (hypertriglyceridemia);
- a deposit of fats in the liver and muscles;
- a decrease in insulin sensitivity.

Sucrose : Extracted from sugar cane or sugar beets, this is the sugar we know, composed of glucose and fructose. Sucrose represents approximately 75% of added sugars, 80% of which is added by industry (it is found everywhere as a texturizing agent, structural agent, crystallizing agent, stabilizer, or preservative) and 20% by the consumer.

Overconsumption of sucrose can lead to metabolic abnormalities, therefore an excess of lipids, causing overweight and obesity.

Galactose and Lactose : these are sugars mainly found in dairy products.

Refined sugar : This refers to sugars that have undergone a chemical process to be purified and/or decolorized. Refining is an extraction process that results in white crystals. Refined sugar no longer contains vitamins or minerals. This refining process may increase the risk of sugar addiction.

What exactly are “insulin spikes”?

The term “insulin spike” refers to the release of insulin when glucose is released into the bloodstream.

Every time we eat, even vegetables (and not just refined sugar!), the body produces an insulin spike. This spike allows glucose to be stored as glycogen, primarily in the liver. Following this spike, blood glucose levels decrease and regulate.

The “insulin spike” is therefore normal and healthy. (This term is often used incorrectly to describe a dangerous phenomenon).

Warning: Daily consumption of refined sugar (in the form of cookies, sweets, pastries, or soda) can contribute to a metabolic disorder known as insulin resistance or prediabetes. Cellular tissues become resistant to insulin. Glucose is not properly directed between the liver, adipose tissue, and muscles. Blood glucose levels become too high. This condition requires close monitoring and medical treatment.

Learn more by reading the article on metabolism

How much sugar can one consume per day?

The ANSM (National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products) recommends a maximum consumption of 100g/day. This includes both free sugars, i.e. those present in fruit juices and concentrates, and added sugars: sucrose, glucose-fructose syrup, honey, glucose syrup.

The WHO is stricter, specifying that it is recommended to limit sugar intake to less than 5% of total energy intake, or about 25g per day, excluding sugars naturally present in milk, vegetables, and whole fruits. In adults, it is estimated that 47% of sugar intake comes from soft drinks and pastries, and only 14% from fresh fruit.

Note: whole fruit, rich in fiber, will have a much smaller impact on blood sugar than fruit consumed as compote or juice.

For example, average value:

Industrial dry biscuit, cookie type: 7 g of sugar
Square of chocolate with less than 70% cocoa: 5 g
2 teaspoons of jam: 8g
1 serving of breakfast cereal: 12g
1 can of soda: 20g
1 flan-type pastry: 20g
A sugar cube: 5g
This does not take into account possible variations in product size!

How does one become addicted to sugar?

We all know those irresistible urges to snack during the day, those sudden cravings for sweets when we feel tired. And the more we consume, the more we crave. It's the phenomenon of habituation.

What happens in the brain? Consuming sugar releases dopamine, the feel-good hormone. The more we consume, the less receptive we become to dopamine. The result? The pleasurable effects of sugar gradually diminish, and we need to consume even more to feel them. And that's how the cycle of addiction begins.

Quitting sugar has many benefits:

- Reduced risk of weight gain and diabetes
- Reduced risk of hypertension
- Reduced risk of hypercholesterolemia
- Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease
- Lower risk of metabolic syndrome and risk of cardiometabolic diseases
- Bonus: more beautiful skin (less inflammation, redness and imperfections, more glow!)

Quitting sugar: our 5 tips to succeed

A balanced and healthy diet is the key to limiting sugar cravings.

1° We load up on organic and seasonal vegetables at every meal, raw, cooked, they are rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals.

2° On the plate, we play the balance between fresh fruits and vegetables combined with plant proteins found in whole grains and legumes, drizzled with vegetable oils or sprinkled with sesame-type seeds rich in good fats.

3. By aiming for the right level of satiety, we boost our body's ability to assimilate nutrients by providing it with all the essential nutrients, and only those it needs. Satiated and sufficiently energized, our body doesn't feel deprived and doesn't seek more sugars.

4. Learning to accept your emotions, to listen to them and to reflect on them defuses the urge to snack. "What upset me or made me angry? What am I feeling inside? How can I relieve it?"... The more you calm the sources of stress and anxiety, the more you limit your cravings for sweets, which are considered comforting.

5° Keeping a logbook with what you have consumed during the day, specifying if possible the amount of sugar, allows you to visualize concretely if there is an excess.

Anti-sugar cravings beauty foods:

We want a doll-like complexion : a powder without refined sugar, made from 100% berries and plants (raspberry, blackcurrant, baobab, horsetail, ginger). Rich in silica, it boosts the natural production of collagen. To be consumed mixed with water, with or without added nut butter.

Bone Broth : Slow-cooked with premium ingredients, it can be enjoyed hot, plain, or with added vegetables. Besides its comforting taste and very low salt and fat content, this collagen-rich broth soothes and improves skin elasticity. It also aids digestion.