Would You Rather Have a Donut or Sex?

U.K.’s excessive sugar consumption continues to affect a large number of people, says a survey by SimplyHealth, which polled 2000 people in the UK. 41% said they’d rather give up sex instead of giving up sugar. Now to some over 60, that may not be a big surprise … but for younger folks? Another finding was that one in 10 people said they could not go a single day without sugar. Talk about an addiction! In fact, 11 percent considered sugar one of the most difficult foods to do without. 10% felt that giving up sugar is just another health food craze perpetrated by social media. 25% said they would have no interest in doing without sugar. While 33% were worried about diabetes, and 39% were concerned about sugar’s deleterious effects on their bodies and weight overall.

The research revealed that 36% of the studies’ participants were worried about tooth loss, while only 22% were concerned about developing gum disease, with another 19% had concerns about bad breath.

Dr. Henry Clover, Head of Dental Policy at SimplyHealth, told the Daily Mail online, “Every time we have something sugary to eat or drink, bacteria in our mouths feed on this sugar and produce harmful acids, which can cause tooth decay. It then takes our saliva around an hour to neutralize these acids and return our mouths to normal. This means the more times a day you expose your teeth to sugar, the more you increase your chances of tooth decay. This research suggests that many people find going ‘cold turkey’ on sugar particularly difficult because the sudden change in lifestyle can cause mood swings, problems concentrating or low energy levels. By gradually decreasing our sugar intake we are dramatically reducing the risk of oral health problems. In addition to healthier teeth, people who cut-down on sugar may also experience weight loss, improved skin, and increased energy levels. Going totally sugar-free isn’t always easy but there are websites such as sugarswapseptember.co.uk that are packed with hints and tips on how to make sugar swaps, sugar-free recipes and charts to help you track your progress.

The outcome of this study are similar to the launch of the Sugar Swap September initiative: which states: “Brits are also more willing to choose sugar over Facebook”.

Their findings revealed that 16% of survey participants consider themselves “addicted” to sugar, as opposed to 18% for both alcohol and even Facebook! It seems to be very similar to drug addiction. 37% were able to quit sugar for longer than 12 months, compared with 55 percent of people trying to give up Facebook for 12 months.

A mere 9% said sugar was easy to give up … 91% … not so much. The study showed 56% tried to give up sugar but failed, and 14% actually sought professional help to eliminate sugar from their diet. Ask any diabetic how hard it is and if they cheat; too many admit to failure of elimination and to cheating weekly or daily.

Survey data noted that 37 percent of respondents reported feeling irritable after quitting sugar, while 27 percent said quitting made them feel depressed. Amazingly 62% were able to quit sugar for good. 39% felt that if they had more knowledge of sugar substitutes and recipes for low-sugar meals, that they might be able to reduce their intake.

No matter what the outcome of this and countless more studies around the world, sugar is addictive, and damaging and should be curtailed. It’s everywhere and in everything. Diabetes is now a world-wide epidemic, and while sugar is not the only reason, it is the major culprit.

“We all know it’s a lot easier to find a candy bar than the perfect partner,” joked Dr. Ronald Klatz, President of the A4M.