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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that sugar (chocolate) addiction is real?

187 replies

JustCallMeSliths · 03/05/2019 06:37

Not necessarily up there with alcohol and drugs etc (as in harmfullness) but do you think people can be addicted to sugar, specifically chocolate?

I've gone cold turkey on chocolate. I was eating at least 2 family sized bars a day. I tried cutting down but couldn't do it. It's been 3 days and I'm struggling so much. I don't think it is just the sugar withdrawal.

Yes, I'm whinging and need to just do it.

OP posts:
MeltedEggMum · 07/05/2019 21:28

After low carbing for the past few months, if I know have refined sugar it gives me horrendous stomach ache. Good incentive to stay away.

OnlineAlienator · 07/05/2019 22:31

'Horrendous withdrawal' if you don't eat a pudding, really

Lol, no. If i dont keep topped up constantly.

Siameasy · 07/05/2019 22:47

I used to think I was broken because I couldn’t eat starchy carbs without craving more and getting fat. But I’m not broken-it’s the food that’s broken.

We aren’t designed to eat sugar and starch in the quantities we do today. So it’s quite right that my body reacts to a high carb diet by me getting fat around the middle, causing me blood sugar problems and cravings and me being tired all the time. That’s what it should be doing if faced with an unsuitable diet.

SalemSpellman · 10/05/2019 22:38

I fell off the chocolate wagon yesterday, I thought I might find it too sweet after 3 weeks, but noooo I practically inhaled it with the wrapper on.

Freaking0ut · 10/05/2019 22:42

I really need some strategies to stop myself impulse buying/eating chocolate. I can be really good all day but if I have any reason to go into a shop or petrol station then I almost always end up buying chocolate. And not just a bad, a big bag of it. That I then eat as soon as I get back I’m the car. It’s like I temporarily lose my mind and can’t control myself. Even if another part of me is saying ‘don’t do it, you’ll hate yourself after’.. I still do it 😳😕

Freaking0ut · 10/05/2019 22:42

Bar not bad

mooncuplanding · 11/05/2019 07:14

If you really want to deal with the cravings you have to look at all your carbohydrate intake, not just the very sugary stuff

Getting your body fat adapted, ie. using fat for your energy is what will get rid of cravings and like I say it’s the whole range of carbs that are important. Most people consume about 200g of carbs minimum per day. To deal with cravings, you want that below 50g per day, ideally 20g for a month or 2 as your body adapts to its new energy source.

Happynow001 · 11/05/2019 07:52

Add a handful of raisins and natural yoghurt for a yummy healthy pudding.
I love raisins BUT they are really high in sugar. Best to eat fresh berries with your yoghurt and some nuts and/or seeds instead.

TowelNumber42 · 11/05/2019 11:12

bar that's like an ingrained habit. Hypnosis is great for that kind of thing. Also, more simply, rehearse in your mind the act of going into the shop and not buying chocolate. How you walk in, walk past it, keep walking, pay without any chocolate on you etc. Repeat this little play in your mind over and over again over many days. It works.

Toms0909 · 11/05/2019 11:24

Those of you who have managed to give up, how have you started? I mean, I know the obvious point is not eat the chocolate, but have you given up lots of other things too? I ask because I want to give it a try, don't want to set unrealistic goals of overhauling my entire diet all at once, but the more I read the thread the more I'm reminded that there's tonnes of sugary treats out there (and plenty of sugary things that you wouldn't think of as 'treats')
I'm not quite sure where to draw the line!

thenewaveragebear1983 · 11/05/2019 12:10

Toms I have been attempting another stint of being fully sugar free (this is day 13) and it's as it sounds really. No sugar. I have also cut back on fruit as it makes me crave sugar. I have found that I've been reading labels much more and as a result have been eating a much 'cleaner' diet, to avoid sugar as an additive in things (eg ketchup, mayo, sauces, dressings etc). As an example: I've just made 60 cupcakes and 2 chocolate sponges for the pta, with melted chocolate, and I'm genuinely not a single bit tempted. There's a few reject ones which won't be used, but honestly, I don't want one. And I'm saying this as someone who would once have quite happily eaten that cake mix, and those rejects.

Toms0909 · 11/05/2019 12:38

Ok, but 'no sugar' do you mean no desserts, chocolate or pop? Or do you mean no pasta, bread, cereal, alcohol, jars of sauces etc?
The former sounds tough, the latter sounds like I need to try living on a remote island somewhere...

managedmis · 11/05/2019 12:47

There's a reason sugar is added to lots of food : it's addictive, so you buy more.

Gone2far · 11/05/2019 13:01

I cut back on carbs and, yes, sugar. No sweets. the occassional cake. I don't eat processed food anyway. What is striking is how sweet so many 'savoury' foods now taste - like sliced bread.
But what really worked was to work on why I had this relationship with food. I couldn't move on to better eating without it.

thenewaveragebear1983 · 11/05/2019 14:49

Toms, yes sorry- the latter. As in, no pasta, potato etc. However, that's for weight loss and as part of an actual 'diet plan'. You could feasibly give up chocolate and sugar and sugar as an added ingredient and not give up the other carbs. I find that not eating sugar hugely reduces my desire to eat those other things though, especially bread.

Toms0909 · 11/05/2019 15:03

Thanks, I'm not looking to lose weight particularly (a little wouldn't hurt I'm sure, but I'm a healthy BMI and reasonably fit). Low carb eating isn't for me, but I know what you mean about cravings. I might just try and avoid the obvious - chocolate etc - and make sure I've got enough protein in my meals to satisfy my hunger, and see how I get on.

Few years back i tried to reduce carbs as the rest of the gym world did, but realised as a small person with a relatively small natural appetite I just couldn't get enough calories in, I was shocked when I tried tracking it (this is definitely not a problem now!)

Sharptic · 11/05/2019 16:01

I've love sugar (well carbs mainly) and I love/hate alcohol. Over the years I've definitely found it easier to quit alcohol than go low carb.

When dropping all sugar (carbs, fruit, cake, chocolate) I have had awful withdrawal symptoms , banging head that paracetamol won't touch, nausea, irritable. Don't get any of that when I cut the booze out! But the results are better in the long run, I loose more weight cutting out sugar.

thenewaveragebear1983 · 11/05/2019 17:01

Toms I don't need to lose weight tbh, I just want to stop that horrible cycle of being really healthy and low carb all week and then gorging at weekends. I think because I've lost weight and am now maintaining at target, then I need a long term solution so i don't just yo-yo for the rest of my life. For me, low carb (and sugar free mostly) means I can basically eat anything else that I want, without calorie counting, so it seems like a justifiable sacrifice.

Don't get me wrong, a life without sweet food does make me feel a bit sad- but i think how sad I feel when I'm post binge regretting and I think this is the better option.

Tahitiitsamagicalplace · 11/05/2019 17:03

I don't believe sugar addiction is real at all. You're depriving yourself of something, therefore you obsess over it. Give yourself permission to eat whatever you want, whenever you want, and you won't want it as much.

BIWI · 11/05/2019 17:10

In which case, @Tahitiitsamagicalplace you might like to have a read of this

Sugar consumption activates the same reward system in the brain as drugs do - it can be just as addictive.

JingsMahBucket · 11/05/2019 17:34

@alittleprivacy

One thing that might seem odd is to consider if there is a time of year that you crave sugar more. I quit at exactly this time last year and I think part of the reason I succeeded was because I crave sugar more in winter than I do in summer. In summer there is a lot of seasonal fruit and if I was hot then I'd eat a small bowl of frozen blackcurrants when I might normally have ice-cream. In winter I'm much more likely to want to eat sugar as it's cold and dark and going to bed with a baileys hot chocolate, a slice of cake and netflix has always been tempting. So I don't think I could have quit in winter. Once I was 6 months in though, it was a different story. I was aware of the temptation but not dominated by it and when I did decide to treat myself I couldn't actually stomach the sugar.

^ This is main the reason I drop loads of money on out of season fruit at the grocery store. A few years ago when I was trying to cut down on grocery expenses I stopped buying as much berries. But after a couple weeks I realized I was buying chocolate or cake because I would still have a craving. I knocked that on the head immediately and just let myself spend a lot of money on fruit for myself, especially berries. It’s better for my body and mental health than having sugar crashes from chocolate.

I’m not even that addicted, especially compared to OH. If I buy chocolate, I’m able to make it last for weeks, no lie. OH on the other hand is a chocolate monster at times. I really have to be careful not to buy chocolate unless it’s a special occasion because it feels like enabling an addict at times. The only times I kind of crave it or sugar is around PMS and even then I can eat a few squares and put it away for a couple weeks. Ice cream lasts forever in my freezer! (When OH is not around.)

Also I'll say that I was completely shocked how addicted to sugar Brits are when I moved to the U.K. a couple years ago. Between office cake or chocolate culture, the sugar was flowing non-fucking stop. It’s utter madness. Just because there may not be HFCS in it doesn’t mean it’s not highly addictive.

Tahitiitsamagicalplace · 11/05/2019 17:52

biwi I'm no expert. Maybe it's that I thought I was addicted because I did deprive myself, then obsessed. Anyway, turns out I'm not.

BIWI · 11/05/2019 18:25

That's good! I think the other important thing is that even though we might get the dopamine 'rush' - not everyone gets addicted, in just the same way that not everyone becomes an alcoholic.

But as sugar is so widely available, and seems so 'safe', unlike drugs or alcohol, it's very easy for people to rubbish the idea that you can be addicted to it.

Toms0909 · 12/05/2019 11:31

You lot have inspired me, day one without chocolate complete!
Can't say it was low sugar because I had a couple of drinks last night and forgot to ask for diet mixer first time round (did for the rest, though I know alcohol is high in sugar anyway and diet mixers still aren't great). But yesterday was a lot easier than anticipated, it's going to be in the week that will be tough. I'm arming myself with healthy snacks because one of the reasons I crave sugar is going too long without eating because work is busy.

Anyone else giving it a try?

colouringinpro · 12/05/2019 11:55

Yes it is most definitely addictive. I did a low carb diet for a couple of months and the sugar cravings in the first week were unbelievable. I managed to get through them and my addiction was gone. Amazing.

But then Easter and holidays struck. I've tried all week to get back on the low carb woe this week and failed. My cravings are real and powerful. And when I give in I can't just have one biscuit, it's 6 as my body can't get enough of the stuff. I'm going to try again this week...