Sugar, not fat, turns you into a dessert junkie

Ever wonder what happens in your brain to make you hit that second bowl of ice cream against all better judgment?

A new study suggests that what really draws people to sweet desserts is not the fat, but primarily the sugar.

The research, published in the The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, tracked brain activity in 106 healthy teenagers (47 male and 59 female) as they drank three different types of chocolate-flavoured milkshakes. One was high in sugar and low in fat, the other high in fat and low in sugar, and the final one was low in both sugar and fat.

The results found that the high-sugar milkshake activated the reward centre in the brain far more heavily than the high-fat milkshake. And while the low-fat, low-sugar milkshakes activated brain regions connected to taste and sensation, they had zero impact on reward regions.

"We do a lot of work on the prevention of obesity, and what is really clear not only from this study but from the broader literature over all is that the more sugar you eat, the more you want to consume it," lead researcher Eric Stice tells the New York Times. "As far as the ability to engage brain reward regions and drive compulsive intake, sugar seems to be doing a much better job than fat."

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A growing body of research shows that foods high in fat and sugar activate the same regions in the brain related to pleasure and addiction, which are similarly controlled by alcohol and drug use and play a role in compulsive eating.

So what's a gal to do when sugar cravings get to be too much?

Aside from choosing a treat lower in sugar and higher in fat, you could always attempt to cut down your sugar consumption by using sugar substitutes. Both options ensure that you trigger the brain's reward centre less and less.

Stevia, a natural plant sweetener, is a safe option but it has a bit of an unpleasant after taste. It is approximately 100 times sweeter than regular white sugar.

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There is also sucralose, brand name Splenda, that has become a hit among food manufacturers looking to cut down on the controversial sweetener aspartame. While a number of studies have suggested sucralose is safe, a recent study from this summer has thrown a bit uncertainty into the mix. The Centre for Science in Public Interest advises to use sucralose with caution.

It's also worth noting that you should use sugar substitutes sparingly. Recent research implies that sugar substitutes may cause a similar addiction effect as white sugar.

Sweeteners may prevent us from associating sweetness with caloric intake, and consequently we may crave more sweets. One study shows that people who drank more than 21 diet drinks per week were twice as likely to become overweight or obese as people who didn't drink diet soda.

Furthermore, some medical experts fear that people who use sweeteners may replace the lost calories through other sources.