EPISODE I: why do we have sugar cravings? Are we hopeless victims?

There are two distinct parallel neurological pathways in our brain and body that lead us to crave sugar. One of the parallel pathways has to do with conscious perception: it is devoted to getting you to seek out sweet-tasting things.

The other parallel pathway is related to the nutritive component of sweet foods independent of their sweetness. This second mechanism gets you to seek out foods that increase your blood glucose. Remember that all the cells of your brain and body run on glucose.

It happens that the foods that lead to big increases in blood glucose typically are associated with that sweet taste.

The sweet pathway is hardwired. It exists in every mammal, it even exists in fruit flies.

So when you think you want chocolate or a piece of cake, you are craving the taste and your neurons are craving the nutritive components that arrive with that taste.

The way that sugar interacts with our nervous system at a subconscious level, without our awareness makes us want to consume more sweet things but also other foods look more appetizing.

THEY MAKE US WANT TO EAT MORE.

But you can undermine these circuits. Understanding these mechanisms can allow you to circumvent some of the sugar cravings that you might otherwise be a complete hopeless victim to.