These days, sugar often gets a bad reputation. It’s frequently called “toxic” or labelled as “as addictive as cocaine.” Many people ask, “Am I addicted to sugar?” It’s a common question in the KWN clinic, and some feel this is true for them. This sense of being “addicted” to sugar can lead to feelings of losing control around sugary foods. In this blog, we’ll explore the nature of sugar and whether it can truly be addictive.
Do we need sugar in our diets?
Let’s start with the basics: Do we need sugar? The body breaks down carbohydrates into glucose, its preferred source of energy. So yes, carbohydrates (and therefore sugars) are essential, but the type and amount of sugar matter. Consuming too much added sugar can lead to tooth decay, obesity, and increased risk of chronic diseases.
Discover whether eating carbohydrates can lead to weight gain by checking out my blog post here.
Types of sugars:
Natural sugars: Sugars which are naturally occurring in foods such as fruits, vegetables and dairy products
Added Sugars: Sugar that are added to foods and drinks during preparation or processing or at the table (including added syrups or honey.
For health, most carbohydrates should come from nutrient-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and dairy products. These foods not only provide natural sugars but also important nutrients like fibre, vitamins, and minerals. The concern lies primarily with added sugars, which many of us consume in excess.
We are recommended to eat a maximum of 30g added sugars a day which works out as less than 5% of your total calories. However, the average intake is significantly higher at around 9-12.5%, reducing this intake can improve overall health.
So of course, you know me by now- I am not here to start encouraging you to remove all sugary foods and drinks from your diet, there is no need, but I do think this issue around sugar addiction is important to address so that those that would like to feel more in charge of their food choices and improve the health of their diet by reducing sugar intake know the facts and feel empowered to make a change.
What is a food addiction?
There is currently no official diagnosis of food addiction in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). However, some argue that food addiction might meet the criteria for behavioural addiction, but as it stands the overall evidence would not support a definition of food addiction.
Research shows that certain foods, especially those high in sugar and fat, can activate the brain’s reward system similarly to drugs like cocaine. This is where the idea of sugar being “addictive” comes from.
However, many things activate this reward system—hearing your name, petting your dog, listening to music—yet we wouldn’t call those things addictive. Plus, much of this research is based on animal studies, so it’s unclear how applicable it is to humans.
Why does sugar feel addictive?
Even if sugar is not technically addictive, that does not invalidate the experiences that many people have around certain foods feeling addictive and there are several reasons for this:
Overeating and lack of control
Feeling like you can’t stop eating certain foods can feel like addiction. One reason for this is that some people are more sensitive to food-related cues or triggers, like seeing an ad for chocolate at a bus stop. These cues can spark cravings and cause overeating by activating appetite hormones and parts of the brain related to food rewards. How responsive we are to these cues is influenced by a mix of genetics and our environment. This is why some people push for less advertising of high-fat, salty, and sugary foods, as well as changes to how products are displayed in stores. For those who are more sensitive to food triggers, constantly being surrounded by these cues can feel overwhelming, leading to overeating and feelings of guilt, frustration, and a lack of control.
Sensory properties of food
Some foods are intentionally designed to make you want to eat more. In fact, food companies hire people to create products that are ‘moreish,’ meaning they’re hard to stop eating. The taste, texture, and balance of fat, salt, and sugar in these foods are carefully crafted to make them easy to eat quickly and in large amounts. This is called “hyper palatability.” These foods are so enjoyable that they override your body’s signals of fullness, so you keep eating even when you’re no longer hungry. This doesn’t necessarily mean you’re addicted, but rather that the food is doing exactly what it was designed to do.
Sugar often gets blamed when people overeat these kinds of foods, but it’s usually the combination of sugar and fat that makes them so irresistible. Think about chocolate, ice cream, cakes, and biscuits. If sugar alone were addictive, people would crave plain sugar, but that’s not typically the case. This idea challenges the notion that sugar itself is addictive.
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Food Cravings and sleep
Many people experience strong cravings for sugary foods, and the urge to eat them can feel almost addictive. There are several reasons for these cravings, some of which are tied to emotions, as we’ll discuss later.
One common reason for craving sugar is simply being tired. Lack of sleep has been shown to increase calorie intake, cause “hedonic eating” (eating for pleasure rather than hunger), and trigger cravings for hyperpalatable, sweet foods. Since glucose is the body’s preferred energy source, it’s no surprise we crave sugar when we’re low on energy. Sugary foods can give a quick boost, but this energy doesn’t last long because the body digests sugar quickly. In contrast, meals with fibre and protein provide a more gradual release of energy, helping you feel full for longer and reducing that cycle of craving more sugar.
Food Cravings and restriction
Cravings are often caused by restriction. The more we try to avoid certain foods, the more we tend to want them. You might find yourself constantly thinking about that “forbidden” food, which can make you feel like you’re addicted. Labelling sugary foods as “bad” or off-limits puts them on a pedestal, but it’s the restriction that’s actually driving the cravings, not addiction. By removing strict food rules and allowing sugary foods as part of a balanced diet, those foods will lose their power over you, and the cravings will start to decrease.
Emotions and eating behaviours
Our emotions and how we eat are closely connected. When we’re tired or stressed, it’s harder to make conscious food choices, and many people use food as a way to cope with tough emotions. This behaviour can become automatic, leaving people feeling out of control and questioning whether they are addicted to sugar or food. They often turn to high-sugar or high-fat foods that temporarily distract or comfort them by activating the brain’s reward system.
However, this relief is short-lived, and the difficult emotions return, leading them to reach for more food. This creates a cycle of eating for comfort, followed by guilt and frustration. Some may even start eating in secret, feeling ashamed and unable to trust themselves around certain foods. While this pattern can feel like an addiction, it’s actually a sign of unmet emotional needs and a lack of healthy coping strategies.
This isn’t the person’s fault, and the sugary foods are just a symptom of a deeper issue. Food is more than just fuel — it can carry emotional meaning, like sweets from childhood memories or cultural traditions, making our relationship with certain foods more complex than just being about cravings or addiction.
Self-limiting beliefs
I’ve worked with clients who believe they’re addicted to sugar, and this belief often becomes self-limiting. When faced with sugary foods like sweets or chocolate, they feel powerless, thinking they have no choice but to eat them because they’re “addicted.” By challenging this belief and helping them understand they always have a choice, they become empowered to make decisions rather than feeling controlled by the idea that food choices are beyond their control. While there’s more to consider in helping them make that choice in the moment, the starting point is changing the belief and supporting them in taking control of their decisions.
We talked earlier about how some people might be more responsive to food rewards, making it harder for them in environments filled with tempting foods. However, we’re not slaves to this reward system. We balance it with a cognitive system called executive function, which includes skills like impulse control, focus, and emotional regulation. I love the analogy of the reward system being the horse, and executive function the rider — the rider directs and controls the horse, applying the brakes when needed.
The interaction between these two systems can determine whether someone eats the food or not. You’ve probably seen someone at the office who can easily say no to cakes, and it seems like they have incredible self-control. This likely means their executive function is working well, managing the constant competition between reward and rational thinking.
The goal isn’t to always say no to the cake but to make an informed choice based on logic rather than an automatic emotional reaction. Stress and fatigue make it harder to engage these cognitive processes, which can create a sense of losing control, making behavior feel addictive.
In my clinic, I work with people to strengthen their executive control through various strategies, including habit-building, emotional regulation, stress management, mindfulness, and self-compassion. Once they have the right tools, their trust in themselves grows, and they feel more in control around foods they once felt powerless to resist.
How Can I Reduce Sugar Cravings?
If you feel out of control around sugary foods, there are strategies that can help:
- Prioritise Sleep: Getting 7-9 hours of sleep per night can reduce cravings and improve decision-making.
- Eat Regularly: Skipping meals or under-eating during the day can lead to intense cravings later. Eating balanced meals at regular intervals provides steady energy, helping you avoid sugar binges.
- Practice Mindful Eating: Slow down and really experience the taste, texture, and satisfaction of your food. Mindful eating can help you recognise when you’ve had enough and improve your relationship with food.
- Allow All Foods: By giving yourself permission to eat sugary foods as part of a balanced diet, they lose their “forbidden fruit” appeal. Over time, you may find you crave them less.
In Summary
There is currently no strong evidence to say sugar is truly addictive in the clinical sense. However, many people experience sugar cravings that feel addictive. Understanding what might be driving those cravings—whether it’s lack of sleep, emotional eating, or food restriction—can help you develop strategies to feel more in control.
If you struggle with sugar cravings or feel out of control around certain foods, reaching out for support can be a great first step toward changing your relationship with food.
This blog is for general information only. If you are concerned about your mental health, menopausal symptoms or that you may have an eating disorder please seek medical advice.
