Why Do Addicts Crave Sugar

She has produced a multitude of integrated campaigns and events in the behavioral health and addictions field. Through strategic marketing campaign concepts, Alyssa has established Banyan as an industry leader and a national household name. Sugary foods activate the same receptors in the brain as opioids.

Mitzi Dulan, the owner of SimplyFUEL, echoed Moskovitz and says that it is “very common” for a sugar craving to emerge when you’re not drinking any alcohol. How to overcome sugar cravings, without turning back to alcohol. Although fruits are sweet due to a natural sugar called fructose, they also contain fiber, vitamins, and minerals. The fiber in fruit helps slow digestion, which keeps you full for longer and slows down how quickly the natural sugars enter your bloodstream. Consuming fruit is a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth and reap nutritional benefits.

Have questions about treatment? We’re available to talk or text at any time.

First, alcohol has a high content of sugar in it, which is why your brain makes the assumption that any sugar product could create the same type of euphoric feeling that alcohol did. It is very common for people in recovery from an alcohol use disorder to crave sugar. In fact, you may find yourself wondering if you should be concerned about developing a sugar addiction. It’s because addiction is a lifestyle, as well as a disease. That’s why treatment centers like Silver Maple Recovery offer trauma-informed care and cognitive behavioral therapy. Addressing the underlying cause of your behavior can help you overcome a transfer addiction. It’s not easy to maintain your recovery from alcohol addiction.

They turn to sugary foods when they are stressed, angry, or in need of emotional comfort. Sugar gives them a temporary boost—and they start to unconsciously view it as a “go-to” solution for a wide range of everyday problems. If you’re in recovery, limiting your sugar intake is a smart move because there is a real possibility that sugar could become a substitute addiction. This can make it harder for your body to heal the damage caused by your drinking. There is also evidence to suggest that higher consumption of added sugar will make it more difficult to keep alcohol cravings in check. Whether you’re struggling to stop drinking or have relapsed, we’re here to help. We use a curriculum of evidence-based therapies to help you heal from your alcoholism.

Sugar Addiction and Alcoholism Link

An unbalanced diet is a common trigger for sugar and alcohol cravings in recovery. Is a weekly newsletter from VICE about the personal tactics people use to make the world feel less harrowing. In this edition, Grace Lavery talks about one of the sweetest parts of staying sober. Sign up here to receive an essay about a dealing-with-life strategy via This Is Fine.

These days, there are plenty of mocktail recipes and nonalcoholic drinks meant to replicate your favorite do alcoholics crave sugar boozy beverages. Drinking sparkling water with citrus or berries might also hit the spot.

Health Risks of Replacing Alcohol with Sugar

The following provides an overview of why this occurs, how it affects the body and ways that people in recovery can prevent it from happening. Going cold turkey with added sugar might be your best bet if you want long-term results because whittling down slowly might make you crave those sweets even more, says Dr. Tarman. “If you have a little bit, you’re just going to want more of it,” she says. She warns that the first five days will be hard, potentially with intense cravings, irritability, and sleeplessness. By week two, though, any physical withdrawal symptoms will go away, and by week three you won’t even miss the sugar, she says. The old mindset for rehab centers was that eating sugars would at least keep patients away from drugs or alcohol by mimicking a similar feeling. And while it’s great that someone is abstaining from the substance they’re in treatment for, there are reasons why replacing these cravings with sugar is not the best idea.

Addicts who are used to another drug of choice, such as heroin, may miss the high dopamine levels produced by substances, especially in early recovery. The loss of the dopamine rush from drugs can cause the brain to crave a substitute, such as sugary foods that produce dopamine. Contemporary research has shown that a high number of alcohol-dependent and other drug-dependent individuals have a sweet preference, specifically for foods with a high sucrose concentration.

At 1st Step Behavioral Health, we strive to make your addiction treatment experience as comfortable as possible.

When you’ve dealt with the drinking, you can deal with nutrition and eating healthily. When I stopped drinking, I put a lot of energy and concentration into finding different habits, treats and activities. Sometimes that meant a whole bag of peanut M&M’s and a TV box-set. I wasn’t looking to get a healthy balance right from the start, just to find alcohol replacements. Sugar and other replacement rewards are not enough to break the destructive cycle of a substance use disorder. If you wish to quit substance misuse, please consider professional addiction treatment services to receive a full range of interventions that can help ensure a successful recovery. Eating sweet foods can reduce the intensity of these drug cravings by giving a short dopamine boost, which could be the difference between remaining in recovery or experiencing a relapse.

A poor night’s sleep and craving sugar the next day go hand-in-hand. Meanwhile, leptin (the hormone that lets us know we’re satisfied) is lowered. That’s why we reach for high-energy food like sugar when we are tired. Today is day 27 alcohol free & yes, my sugar cravings are off the charts!