The other day I was out having brunch with a girlfriend at a cute little cafe in downtown Indy. Right when you walk in, the shop has beautifully crafted, fresh-made patisseries. Cute little macaroons as far as the eyes could see! Then BOOM, it hit me. The sugar craving pulled me through the checkout with ten macaroons (2 of each flavor) in hand. I had not planned on buying treats; I had told myself NOT to buy any sweets. But there I was, walking out into the blistering sun with a box of delectable goodies in hand. The whole experience posed a question: Does sugar somehow affect my brain? Our brains?
The short answer is yes, sugar does affect our brains. Before I dive into how sugar affects our brains, let me briefly describe what sugar is. Sugar is a class of molecules known as carbohydrates. Our bodies take that "sugar" and use it for energy. With that being said, It's important to note that sugar is in EVERYTHING, literally. And not just sugary treats like the macaroons, but ketchup, coffee drinks, fast food, bread, and so on. A lot of this sugar is added, unlike fruit which is naturally occurring and is unrefined (more on differences between refined and unrefined sugars coming in the next blog).
Now, how exactly does sugar affect the brain? Oddly enough, by starting with our gut. Our gut contains sugar receptors, which send signals to the cerebral cortex (the part of the brain that processes different tastes like bitter and sweet). Our cerebral cortex is also in charge of our reward system. So when we consume sugar, our gut tells our brain that carbohydrates are coming in, and our cerebral cortex tells "us" that these sugars or carbohydrates are yummy. Since our brain labels these carbohydrates yummy, our reward system releases dopamine (our "feel good" chemical) which tells us to eat more.
I'm sure you have heard of the adage that too much of a good thing is never good. The same saying applies to consuming too much sugar. The more the reward system of our brain is activated, the more sugar it will take to get the same feeling. So, instead of three cookies to signal your brain that it's yummy, it takes five cookies. Overconsumption of sugar, in extreme cases, can lead to addictive brain behaviors. Primarily, overconsumption of sugar causes excessive weight gain and fatigue and can lead to type two diabetes or even heart disease. Is one slice of cake going to hurt you? Well, no. But the key is everything in moderation, including our favorite sweet treats.
Autumn Hawkins has received her ASIS in Communication through Indiana Wesleyan. She is also a certified Yoga instructor (YTT 200) and received her certification for nutrition counseling through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. Autumn cares about improving individuals' lives one healthy choice at a time.