Sugar Addiction or Just a Sweet Tooth?

Sugar addition or just a sweet tooth?
  If you have ever thought about how much sugar you are eating and tried to cut back, you have most likely been subject to some pretty intense cravings. I recall what it was like when I decided to kick my caffiene habit... ugh! It sucked! I recently started looking into sugar addictions and the side effects of too much sugar. I have 3 children, ages 16, 13 and 12. They are junk food junkies any chance they get. Mostly because they think I am depriving them of a normal childhood because our home is almost all "health" food. I know I can not have much more than 3 grams of sugar per 100 calories otherwise I suffer from some ill effects. But, if you take a look at the average American consumptions of sugar filled foods and soft drinks.... the quantities are out of control!
   According to ShareCare.com, they quoted Cardiologist Dr. Mehmet Oz, MD, as saying "The average person consumes 150 pounds of sugar per year–compared to just 7 ½ pounds consumed on average in the year 1700. That's 20 times as much! When typical slightly overweight people eat sugar, they on average store 5 percent as ready energy to use later, metabolize 60 percent and store a whopping 35 percent as fat that can be converted to energy later.Interestingly, 50 percent of the sugar we consume today comes from high-fructose corn syrup in fat-free foods like salad dressings and regular soft drinks." 
  "The World Health Organization is dropping its sugar intake recommendations from 10 percent of your daily calorie intake to 5 percent. For an adult of a normal body mass index (BMI), that works out to about 6 teaspoons -- or 25 grams -- of sugar per day.Many people don't realize much of the sugar they take in are "hidden" in processed foods, according to WHO. A can of soda may contain up to 10 teaspoons or 40 grams of sugar. A tablespoon of ketchup has 1 teaspoon of sugar." Per the cbsnews.com article titled World Health Organization lowers sugar intake recommendations from March 5th 2014.
  So, do you have any idea how many grams or teaspoons you are actually getting everyday? It can be tricky to calculate the actual amounts but honestly most people just don't care. They really don't! They make excuses like "I drank only 3 diet sodas today, so eating this will be okay" SparkPeople pose the quesion "Why Should You Care? Is Sugar Actually Bad for You? Well, aside from the increased bulge around the waistline, diets high in sugar are strongly linked to an increased risk for type 2 diabetes, elevated triglycerides, low HDL (good) cholesterol levels, and heart disease. Sugar intake has also been linked to depression, migraines, poor eyesight, autoimmune diseases (such as arthritis, and multiple sclerosis), gout and osteoporosis. Recent research has shown that a high intake of carbohydrates, including sugar, releases a feel good chemical in the brain called serotonin. Think of how you feel after indulging in a high sugar meal or treat—almost euphoric, right? The high of a sugar rush is temporary though. After a few hours—or even a few minutes—you start to crash and you become tired, fatigued and lethargic.Although sweet foods are tempting and delicious to most people (blame Mother Nature for that!), the more sugar you eat, the higher your tolerance becomes. So if you have a strong sweet tooth or intense cravings for sugar, chances are not that you were born that way, but that your dietary habits and food choices created the sugar monster you may have become."
  I have even found websites that compare Sugar to cocaine! There was even a interesting video on HuffingtonPost.com called "What's Worse For Your Brain: Sugar Or Cocaine?" By Abigail Wise from May 7th 2014. I included the link so you can watch it if you want. But the articles I found state sugar is 8 times more addictive then cocaine! That thought is scary to me!
  I have excellent self control when I comes to sweets (not bragging, just stating a fact) I don't frantically search through cupboards in a desperate attempt to fill my face with something sweet when i am stressed. However, I do still enjoysweets but, I have learned that I honestly enjoy a juicy pear or strawberries over a chocolate bar. Yet, I do keep sugar free candies on hand as a tiny reward or when my children have polished off all the fruit in my home.  I have done a good job of educating my children on healthy choices and for the most part it has stuck. LOL! But, I will admit school lunches are undermining my attempts.... my kids are so ravenous by the time 3:10 rolls around that they often take their money to the gas station around the corner from the school and load up their pockets with candy because they know that they will not find any of it in our cabinets at home. No candy. No soda and only sugar free koolaid for my bunch. I have protein bars I will share but they seem less enthused about eating one.hehehe.
  Do worry about trying to break your addiction cold turkey. Lord knows it is one of those things you developed a taste for over time. It's going to take time to end the hold sugar has on you as well. I did look up some pointers for you.... one such article is called "How To Break Your Sugar Addiction -Understanding sugar's power over you can help to set you free.Published on March 31, 2014 by Susan Biali, M.D.  I will let you click the link and ready it instead of copying it all down on here.
  Basically, I am saying it is something hard to break but very much possible. Just takes time to make your plan and execute it. You can't just jump into it blind. You will need to have a back-up plan as well, being educated and prepared is going to be your best weapon. How many people do you know can stop drugs cold turkey? Without support? Without a plan to be successful? EXACTLY!!! And if what is being said is true about sugar being more addictive than coke.... don't feel defeated if it takes several attempts to finally get the beastly cravings under control! 
  You got this! I have faith in you!!!! I will keep reading up on sugar addiction and how to combat it and post more if you want to hear more on it. So, just let me know! :)