Can we ever fix our love-hate relationship with sugar?

Love it or hate it, there’s no avoiding sugar in our everyday lives—so here’s how you can make peace with it instead

In the world of healthy eating, sugar is the horrible-terrible-no-good-very-bad guy to stay vigilant about. Yes, you know the theory already—giving in to your cravings can wreak havoc on your fitness plans, cause a spike in acne flare-ups and trigger an energy crash once that initial rush has subsided. But there is something about the crinkle of a candy foil wrapper or the satisfying crunch of a chocolate chip cookie that can turn all your well-intentioned resolutions to mush at the end of a long, hard day. Advice on staying strong in the face of a binge, meanwhile, is never in short supply. Armchair experts on the Internet want you to cut out all forms of sugar from your diet, even as self-help books extol the virtues of munching on fruit instead to keep unholy cravings at bay.

While sugar has been vilified as the enemy of a healthy diet, the solution doesn’t lie in depriving yourself of all forms of sugar but rather in partaking in foods in a mindful manner and observing portion control. The real key to keeping unhealthy bingeing at bay then lies in fixing our relationship with food so as to avoid an impulse for overeating, as opposed to refraining from consuming sugar altogether and then caving in with a guilty binge. To unpack the relationship between the two, we called upon the experts, and here’s what we learned about why we love to hate sugar.

Why do we crave sugar?

With greater awareness of healthy eating in recent years, there is no denying that our relationship with sugar has soured. However, not even a long history of medical evidence linking sugar-laden foods to heart disease and obesity can dim the allure of a frosty cupcake as a midnight snack. So what is this impulse that can brandish veto power over decades of scientific research? Noted nutritionist Samreedhi Goel explains, “Sugar is a simple carbohydrate that provides a quick burst of energy during the day. If you find yourself craving sugar out of boredom, it is usually because of an imbalanced diet as refined and processed foods can cause the sugar levels in your blood to fluctuate. As a direct response to a dip in blood sugar levels, you’ll find your mind wandering towards simple sugars, such as candy and sodas, as a quick energy source.”

This problem is further exacerbated by the brain’s ability to recall foods that reward you with a quick energy boost when you are feeling low. Indeed, nutritionists have confirmed that the hippocampus region of the human brain logs memories of foods that enhance your mood, which is where cravings originate when you are having a bad day. Long story short? Each time you bite into a chocolate bar on a stressful day, the brain’s synapses are fired up in response, developing a pattern of craving high-sugar foods to improve your mood.

Can we fix our relationship with sugar?

If your brain has already been programmed to crave sugary foods, is there a way to break through the cycle of guilt that follows a binge session? Yukti Malik, therapist at The Mood Space, believes that the answer lies in reframing the narrative and bringing about positive associations with the food we eat. She elaborates, “When you find yourself craving sugar, take a moment to think about whether you are truly hungry or if it is coming from an emotional need—are you bored, stressed or upset?—or habitual space, such as eating sugar before an important presentation.” If it is a hunger-driven need, she recommends being intentional about how much sugar you wish to consume, such as an apple, two bananas and a cupcake, and only carrying that much to your room. She adds, “If the craving comes from a place of emotion or habit, don't restrict your cravings or police your thoughts. Instead, examine what triggered this feeling and attempt to mindfully address that instead, so the feelings of helplessness and guilt can eventually fade out.”

Addressing sugar cravings in a healthy manner

All experts are in agreement that wanting to binge on sugar-laden foods isn’t an unnatural impulse. However, with some conscious effort and cognitive restructuring, you might find that you can feast on your favourite foods in a mindful manner without any guilt. To help you navigate this minefield better, we asked the experts to devise a blueprint for handling sugar cravings in everyday situations:

The instinct: “It has been a difficult day at work and it is okay for me to stress-eat some candy bars just this once.”

The response: “Since I am running low on energy after a long day at work, it is natural for a candy bar to appear as a convenient way to satiate my hunger. But it would be more helpful in the future to pay attention to my hunger cues throughout the day, so I can consume food in a more controlled manner without bingeing.”

The instinct: “I have made it through an important presentation at work and I am going to treat myself with some cake on the way back home.”

The response: “While feasting on my favourite dessert will offer that feel-good feeling after making it through an important task, seeing sugary foods as a ‘reward’ for work can be a risky pattern. Instead, I will have a full meal at home and order a cake if I still feel hungry afterwards.”

The instinct: “I’m not really hungry, but I’m going to sip on cola because I have nothing to do.”

The response: “Since humans are creatures of habit, it is alright to want to reach out for the same go-to drink when bored. However, I can work by reducing my mental attachment to sugary beverages, such as switching to a fresh lime drink next time, or by giving my hands something else to do when I find myself bored.”

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