Nutrition For Mortals Sugar is NOT a Drug
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Apr 5, 2023 They debunk the claim that sugar is a drug by tracing where the idea came from and why it spread. They unpack sugar chemistry, evolutionary context, and flawed rat studies that fuel sensational headlines. They call out commercial detox and supplement pitches and explain how physiology, not addiction, often drives cravings.
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What People Mean By 'Sugar'
- People usually mean soda, candy, cake and other added-sugar foods when they say 'sugar addiction.'
- Biochemically, sugar in fruit and table sugar are the same molecules and metabolize similarly.
Sugar Is A Fundamental Energy Source
- Sugar is the product of photosynthesis and a primary energy source shaped by evolution.
- Jen Baum emphasizes that glucose is the brain and muscles' preferred fuel, so the body needs sugar to function.
The '8x More Addictive' Claim Origin
- The oft-cited claim 'sugar is eight times more addictive than cocaine' traces to a 2009 rat study comparing lever-pressing for sugar water versus cocaine.
- The study measured seeking behavior in rodents, not human addiction physiology.
