Why do we love sugar? Because it tastes good, right? There is a drug called naloxone that they give to people overdosing on heroine. This drug binds to endorphin receptors, our so called “pleasure pathways” and stops the drug effects of heroine, eliminating the pleasure caused by the drug, while also preventing the user from slipping into coma and death from the soporific effects of these pathways. Interestingly, experimenters have given naloxone to chocoholics and other sugar-holics in the middle of binges on chocolate and ice cream. The most ardent chocoholic, mid binge, will lose interest in chocolate and stop eating after a few bites as soon as naloxone kicks in.

How can this be? The answer is that our attraction to chocolate, and many other foods, has less to do with the taste, smell, and texture of the food, and more to do with the drug like effects of food on the brain. Sugar itself is a powerful drug, which produces a temporary surge in Serotonin (and blood sugar, which is also critical to mood), promoting feelings of well being. This is why we reach for sugary foods when stressed or depressed. But this short-lived relief comes at a huge cost. In addition to contributing to obesity and disease, sugar causes serotonin levels to plunge after they rise (and has the same effect on blood sugar), actually depleting the body’s stores of this precious neurotransmitter over time. The result is more consistent depression through time, and more reaching for addictive sugar as a source of short term relief.

Sugar is, perhaps, the most drug-like food component in wide use today. White flower closely mimics the action of sugar, and is almost as toxic to mood. In addition to sugar and white flour, chocolate and dairy also exert drug-like effects on the body, mimicking the actions of other feel-good neurotransmitters like dopamine and endorphins. From this perspective, it is little wonder that most people’s binge foods are chocolate, ice cream, baked goods, and pizza, all of which combine two or more of these drug-like food substances. America leads the world in consumption of these foods and, also not surprisingly, leads the world in obesity and depression.

So what is the answer? Eliminating sugar and white flower completely, or, at least, consuming them in moderation is a god-send for many people. Since sugar and flower are highly addictive, breaking poor eating habits can be tough. Relying on artificial sweeteners is also a poor choice. Not only are these artificial chemicals likely toxic and possibly carcinogenic, research has confirmed time and again that people who substitute aspartame and saccharine for sugar seldom actually lose any weight. There are supplements, such as chromium and glutamine*, that can be invaluable aids in overcoming sugar addiction. It is also critical to eat quality low “glycemic carbohydrates”  like beans and whole grains (oats, barley, quinoa, and buckwheat – and not whole-grain breads, which are generally highly processed. If you need a little bread in your life, choose stone ground and/or sprouted grain breads, which are available at health food stores). Dairy foods, while drug like, are far less noxious, and can be a good source of nutrition. Most people do better on cheese and yogurt than milk, and do best on raw cheese and yogurt, which contain beneficial bacteria that help aid digestion.

Finding a nutritional strategy that works is tough. Delicious food is one of the main sources of pleasure in life. Further, for many of us, food is a critical part of how we celebrate, or relax, or interact with friends, or mark special occasions. And all of these things are critically important. A nutrition plan that ignores these variables is doomed to failure. For most people, it isn’t realistic, or even desirable to “eat to live” and no more. Of course, the effects of “living to eat” – meaning eating whatever you want all of the time – are generally even more destructive. We all have to find the right balance. My advice to you is to “Eat to live as well as possible”. Find a way of eating that works best for you in the big picture. Recognize that the effects of food on the quality of your life don’t begin and end with the meal.  Nor is healthy eating simply about avoiding weight gain and lowering the risk of conditions like heart disease and cancer. These are distant goals – the benefits of a healthy diet take weeks to realize if your trying to loose weight, and a life-time to realize if your goal is to prevent heart disease or cancer. But if your goal is to have more energy and more stable moods, eating right can pay dividends within a day or two. Ultimately, all of these goals are worthwhile, and following the advice outlined in this article can help you reach all of them.

* Vanadium, Magnesium, fish oil, and the spice cinnamon also help regulate blood sugar and can control cravings.