A customer asked me if I could recommend something to reduce her sugar craving. The answer is, of course, no. Still, her question gave me the opportunity to discuss how such cravings are indicative of how badly sugar – and sweetness in general – can affect our health. Think about it. The words craving, withdrawal, and addiction demonstrate just how powerfully our bodies react to a substance. We are fully aware of the addicting characteristics of cocaine, heroin, nicotine, and caffeine, but how many of us have seriously considered that sugars can be almost as bad?

I suggest that many of us are actually addicted to “sweetness”. We add sugar to our cereals, ice tea, and coffee. We consume pastries at breakfast, candy bars during the day, top off our dinner with a dessert, and often have an ice cream sundae in the evening. I actually heard a radio program on which one of the speakers mentioned that he buys a couple of bags of sugar every month because he likes his coffee “really sweet”. He’s killing himself with sweetness!

We’re aware of the connections between sugar consumption and tooth decay and diabetes – and sugar calories are often part of our weight problems. In response, the drug makers have been offering us all sorts of artificial sweeteners that are supposed to quench our desire for sweetness without the major drawbacks from real sugar. I’ve written often about the negative effects of aspartame, for example: The Dangers of Aspartame.

I recently saw television advertising that is refuting some of the negative information about another “natural” sweetener, fructose. The ad clearly makes a point that fructose (even as high fructose corn syrup) is natural, found in fruits and vegetables, and similar in most respects to “regular sugar”.

Yes, fructose is natural and is sometimes referred to as “fruit sugar”. That does not automatically mean that it is safe in any amount. Dr. William C. Douglas II points out that the dose determines the toxicity. Here’s a quick example: we all need iodine. Without it we will die. Yet, in amounts slightly above our needs we can die from iodine poisoning. Sugar is like that as well. In small amounts and on infrequent occasions, it is harmless. Still, the facts about craving sugar and that association with addiction, many of us consume sugar in amounts that are clearly unhealthy.

As evidence that the addiction is growing, several articles report that the average U.S. citizen consumes well over 100 pounds of sugar each year. Do a Google search on “sugar consumption” to review that vast number of reports. This is likely a combination of all sugars, including fructose (as fruits or high fructose corn syrup).

In the body, fructose is converted to uric acid. That’s not good news for people who suffer from gout. Consider each can of soda (with HFCS) as fuel that can make gout pain worse. Fructose can also damage the liver. It is also linked to hypertension (high blood pressure). Dr. Deborah McKay, ND has recently posted a good review of the dangers of fructose – even as it comes to us in fruit, honey, and agave syrup. Please take the time to read her article.

Would you like to reduce your sugar (sweetness) consumption? I did and it took effort. The change did not happen quickly – it has taken years to wean myself off sweets. I started by not adding sugar to my iced tea and I make lemonade with just lemon slices and water. Today, I eat Cheerios and oatmeal without sugar – and I usually skip desert at the restaurant.

Read more about the dangers of artificial sweeteners: