How Sugar is like Heroin

June 26, 2010

I have been reading Eating For Beauty, by David Wolfe. I have really enjoyed reading it and learning more about raw food. I want to share this passage from the book about refined sugar:

Heroin is produced by taking the juice of certain poppy varieties and refining it into opium, then morphine, and finally into heroin. Similarly, refined sugar is produced from taking the juice of sugar cane or beet and refining it into molasses, then brown sugar, and finally white sugar….

Refined sugar is a drug that causes artificial highs, mood swings, depression, and energy crashes. In the sixteenth century, refined sugar was considered to be a recreational drug in the royal courts of Europe.

It takes 1.1 kilograms of sugar beets to create a mere 0.14 kilograms of refined sugar. Refined sugar is essentially a concentrated, crystallized sugar.  - page 38

I love the analogy between sugar and heroin because sugar is absolutely addicting and destructive, yet Americans continue to eat more and more eat year- esp in the form of the more processed and likely more dangerous- high fructose corn syrup.

If you eat a lot of sugar, it can be very difficult to quit, you can absolutely expect cravings and withdrawals. Hopefully being armed with understanding and knowledge will give you the strength you need to free yourself from sugar’s nasty grasp.

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  • HeidiASanchez
    I like that you mentioned "the likely more dangerous- high fructose corn syrup." I hate the commercials that have been on lately that are trying to make it look like high fructose corn syrup isn't bad for you!!! Like the American public needs to start believing that lie!!! Sugar is a horribley difficult to try and quit and seems to be hidden everywhere- especially "fat free" food items! It pays to check your labels and avoid it as much as possible!
    Thanks for the awesome comparison! Definitely the motivation I need to hear as I am trying to lose all this baby weight!
  • Jenwilliams07
    I am trying to order your book but am unable to do so on Amazon. How can I order it?
  • Hi Jen- thanks for trying to buy my book- I am sorry that you had a hard time with amazon. Try it again- you have to buy it for the independent seller- sourced media books. If you have trouble again, let me know and I will ship you one personally.
  • dmc
    Thanks for the sugar to heroin comparison...Wow.
  • Great article. We've excluded so much sugar at our home over the past few months and I definitely can tell a difference. And the best part is that I don't crave it the way I used to, but we definitely had some "withdrawals" at the start.
  • Good for you for cutting back on sugar at your house, that is such a great thing for everyone in the family. It can be tough sometimes to fight off the "withdrawals" at first, so good job!
  • Kellyc
    Wow, I learned something new today! And so very interesting too! I had NEVER thought of sugar like a drug, but now it all seems so very clear!
    Thanks for enlightening me!
    I found your blog via The Girl Who Ate Everything Blog...glad I did too! I just added your blog to my favorites!
  • Thanks Kelly! So glad you found me!
  • Dusty
    This makes absolute sense. I do go through withdrawals as I have tried to quit eatting sugar or things made with sugar and it is super hard to do. I do feel like I'm going through withdrawal. I am glad to have finally read something that is proof. Thank you.
  • I know how you feel- I had major craving when I started to cut back on sugar- on the bright side, though, once you are off sugar, you are free!
  • laura
    yes...and unfortunately I'm addicted! I think I'm going to blame sugar for all my troubles!! ha ha!
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