What's in a Name?
For some of us, sugar and starch (carbohydrates) are literally every bit as addictive as cocaine or heroin. The self-destruction which results from excessive use often progresses quite gradually, but it can end up being equally devastating — and equally deadly.
Like all other addictions, it’s actually a disease of our brain’s reward system. I refer to this disease as Carbohydrate Addiction, although you may hear it referred to elsewhere by other names.
Why call it Carbohydrate Addiction? Pinpointing the true nature of the problem helps us more clearly see the true nature of the solution.
In my view, the name Sugar Addiction falls short of the full implications of the disease. For many of us, this name feels like a “bait and switch” sales tactic. Sufferers are initially told, “Your problem is sugar, so just quit eating sugar.” That sounds fairly simple, and do-able, right? But soon they hear, “Oh, and by the way, you’ll probably also need to eliminate bread, crackers, chips, and all foods made from processed grain (flour).” If you find it easier to start down the road to recovery by focusing only on the worst aspect of the problem, then the name Sugar Addiction may be right for you. In that case, the other culprits will reveal themselves in due time.
I, myself, would rather know what I’m dealing with up front.
As I see it, the name Food Addiction is far too broad. Although I do still occasionally refer to this disease as Food Addiction (old habits die hard), I’ve come to believe that the problem centers primarily on one specific category of food – the sugars and starches known as carbohydrates. It’s true that some other types of foods (or ingredient combinations) can be triggering for addicts. However, the food category of "carbohydrates" (encompassing both sugar and starches) includes most of the worst triggers: pizza, french fries, chips, pretzels, bread, candy, crackers, cookies, doughnuts, pasta, ice cream, cakes, pies, cereals, pancakes, waffles, popcorn... the list is endless.
The name Ultra-Processed Food Addiction is actually a fairly good characterization of the problem. However, as the disease progresses, even natural (unprocessed) foods can trigger some of us to eat self-destructively. Examples of natural/unprocessed foods (that are nonetheless addictive for some people) include honey, agave nectar, potatoes, rice, corn, etc. Over time, it's possible to become addicted to supposedly "healthy" complex carbohydrates, and/or anything that tastes sweet, whether it contains calories or not.
Contrary to popular belief, adults don't really don’t need to eat foods containing high (or even moderate) amounts of carbohydrate to be healthy. Our bodies can make every bit of the fuel we need from healthy fats, proteins and low-carb fiber sources. Learning more about Carbohydrate Addiction helps us understand that the category of food which causes the most damage is also truly unnecessary for our health and nutrition.
I believe that pinpointing the name of this disease as Carbohydrate Addiction makes it easier to identify all the remaining types of nutritious foods (such as healthy fats, proteins and low-carb fiber sources) that most addicts can eat, enjoy and thrive on.
