How sugar affects the brain - Nicole Avena

When you eat something loaded with sugar, your taste buds, your gut and your brain all take notice. This activation of your reward system is not unlike how bodies process addictive substances such as alcohol or nicotine -- an overload of sugar spikes dopamine levels and leaves you craving more. Nicole Avena explains why sweets and treats should be enjoyed in moderation.

Lesson by Nicole Avena, animation by STK Films.

[evek]

Brain is the most powerful organ in the body.
-said brain

[hevesat]

4:43 “A wedge of cake wont hurt you”. Thats how we all started long ago.

[ms-htcj]

"Drugs like alcohol" I love that you said that. People still think it's not dangerous, while it's a drug the same as others.

[denise-obrien]

It's really hard to stop. The addiction is real..

[II-cqgb]

Trust me sugar addiction is real...i somehow feel like it's my responsibility to finish all the sweets that are lying around in my house.

[Synapse]

"Sugar acts a little bit like a drug"
"A cake once in a while won't hurt you"

[Peter_]

The best way that I can describe sugar withdrawal is that it feels kind of like when you are extremely thirsty, and feel a great urge to drink water.
Sugar withdrawal is similar to that - kind of like you are "thirsty for sugar" - and this is definitely quite unpleasant to go through during the first couple days.

[MotorsportCreative]

To those struggling with the effects of sugar like myself, I hope you find balance. It’s not easy at all.

[danapalmario]

"Too much of everything is bad for you..."

[CataBodyTable]

When you stop eating sugar for about a month, you stop craving it. I personally don't even enjoy sweet tasting things anymore; it's amazing how we just crave what we eat on a regular basis.

[dezzydayy]

As a new pastry chef I can clearly see the effects of sugar on my brain since I entered sweet industry. I want to consume sugar regularly and when I dont have something sweet for a longer period of time I feel hungry and restless. It's hard af to concentrate on things like studying. So bad.

[dorothyzoe]

Whoever animated this is doing a WONDERFUL job!

[squidwardfromua]

Me: Put 2.5 spoons of sugar into tea.
Me: Watch the video.
Me: Put 2.49 spoons of sugar into tea.

[ragemanoj]

So working in a sugar factory makes you crack dealer.

[yessumify]

To give some encouragement to anyone struggling with eating habits and too much sugar, I was increasingly becoming insulin resistant and developing many conditions that come with it! It surprised me enough that I decided to find out how to reverse it. You can have a low sugar diet and be satisfied and healthy! The conditions have reversed that were affecting me since I've lowered sugar intake, increased protein, fiber, and exercise. It's such a relief and I'm so grateful to have my health 🙏 💛 😌 💓 i hope you all are healthy too!

[AmiraKrim]

That's why you are the best channel on YouTube, so well explained. Thank you ❤️

[TheSlimmshadyy]

I gave up eating anything with processed sugar 15 years ago. That means no cookies, no cakes, no soft drinks or smoothies. The only sweet things I eat are fruits and I feel very active. It takes discipline but you get used to it.

[NFC]

I had an ED and sugar was always a trigger - I stopped eating sugar 2 years ago ( stopped desserts and I limit as much as possible added sugar) for medical reasons because they also can trigger my mood swings, and I never, ever get sugar cravings, it's an awesome feeling to look at cake and be like "meh, i genuinely don't want that". It benefits the body in so many ways and a bonus is that I've naturally stayed lean!

[MintyXa]

I had a sugar addiction, it really can be called that. I had been buying myself a bar of chocolate or a candy bar for a year or more on a regular basis (every couple of days), this is if you don't count the sweet tea that I constantly drink. I just couldn't do without it, I couldn't concentrate on anything until I ate the damn sugar... and yes, my teeth are affected too. The problem was getting worse, and I decided to finally end it.
I did not completely give up sweet purchases (I have already said why above), but I reduced the dose gradually, and now buying sweets is an exceptional rarity for me.
Saving money and saving your health is what you will have if you prevent sugar addiction.

[edithamato]

4:41 the conveyor belt of all of the sugary food is really amazing to see how each item of sugary food like cake, cookies traveling through the body is showing us how easy it is to get addicted and how your body is reacting like a machine blindly contining to eat the high fructose food to get our quick addiction fix.