Ever Wonder If You've Got A Low-Key Sugar Addiction?

1.You Have Constant Cravings

One sign that sugar addiction may be a very real issue in your life is, that you never seem to be able to get enough of it. I mean, no matter how much candy, juice, and carbs (more on that in a sec), you consume, you can always take in more. The reason why this happens is that, when you binge on sugar, that actually causes your blood sugar levels to tank because the insulin in your body will push the sugar into your cells in order to prevent sugar-related damage. And when your sugar levels are low, you end up wanting to eat more of it as a direct result. Kinda crazy, isn't it?

2.You Can Never Get Enough Carbs

Carbs are a vital energy source; there's no doubt about that. But when you eat them, your digestive system actually converts that food into glucose, which is sugar. Unfortunately, because carbs typically don't have enough fiber or protein in them, your body is unable to slow down how quickly carbs are able to turn into sugar, and, without protein and fibrous foods, you can find yourself craving carbs all the time (which basically means you're craving sugar all of the time). By the way, foods that are high in carbs that work against you include cereal, desserts, canned fruits, chips, bread, and fast food. High-carb foods that are actually good for you include quinoa, oats, bananas, sweet potatoes, blueberries, and apples.

3.Your Energy Levels (and Moods) Are a Roller Coaster Ride

While caffeine is sho 'nuf a stimulant (a drug, in fact, because it is something that stimulates your nervous system), I once read that sugar is a "false energizer" because, right after it gives you a surge of energy, it can cause you to lose it just as fast. Not only that but because sugar can also have your blood sugar levels all over the place, it can give you some pretty nasty mood swings as well. So, if "roller coaster" would be a good word to describe how you feel most of the time, that's another indication that you just might have a sugar addiction.

4.Whenever You Don’t Eat “It”, You Feel It

Whenever someone tells me that they don't have a caffeine addiction but then turn right around and says that the reason why they need 2-3 cups of coffee in the morning is that they will have a killer headache if they don't, I'm often like, "Umm…yeah. That means you've got an addiction going on." The same thing applies to sugar. If when you try and go a few days without it, you notice that you're feeling extremely drained, nauseated, you've got muscle discomfort, headaches, or even that you can't sleep much or well—all of this points to your body going through mild withdrawal symptoms.

This is why, if you are trying to consume less sugar, it's best to wean off of it slowly. It's also a good idea to keep in mind that the withdrawal symptoms usually don't kick in until 24-48 hours after you step away from sugar (some people say they actually do feel anything until they're two weeks in) and typically last between 2-14 days.

5.You’re Bloated Often

It's pretty common for us to get a little bloated, right around our period. That's because, when our progesterone and estrogen levels shift, leading into our menstrual flow, our body's cells start to retain both salt and water. Well, did you know that something else that can trigger bloating, pretty much right after you eat, is sugar? That's because sugar has a way of disturbing the balance of our digestive tract once it ferments into our system. As a result, sugar is able to feed the bacteria in our digestive system which can cause bloating (and eventually yeast infections too).

Plus, 80 percent of our immune system is in our gut, so that's just one more reason to limit your sugar intake.

6.When You Miss a Meal, It’s a BIG Deal

While it's definitely a good idea to eat three square meals a day (because it can help to give you the energy that you need while preventing you from overeating or binge-eating unhealthy foods), our bodies are actually designed to be able to go hours without feeling like we're gonna die (or kill someone) if we don't eat something. Problem is, when you're a sugar addict, you feel like you need to be eating something all the time; especially salty foods which is a heads up that your body isn't receiving all of the nutrients that it needs.

Again, you need to eat a good breakfast, lunch and dinner. But if you happen to miss one of those meals and it's got you literally climbing the walls, well—you already know what I'm about to say. Right?

7.You’re Suddenly Packing on Body Fat

Here's something that you may or may not know. Were you aware of the fact that your body stores up energy in its fatty tissue? And here's the thing—since it takes fatty tissue a significant amount of time to break down into energy, that's why eating sugary foods creates bulges where you may not want them to be (this is also why it's so much easier to put on weight than it is to lose it). Not only that, but sugar also gets stored into your muscles in the form of glucose too. Until your body feels like you need to use that stored up energy, it will keep it in the form of fat—whether you like it or not.

8.You’re Exhausted

One more. Some of you might remember when a huge news story broke that sitting all day, for months at a time, had become "the new smoking" when it comes to what it does to our health. The reason why is because a sedentary lifestyle affects our posture, blood circulation, and breathing—and all of that can result in major health issues up the pike. Well, to that, if you haven't been moving about (or exercising before or after work), you know that you've been consistently getting no less than six hours a night, and still, no matter what, you feel worn out 90 percent of the time, this could also be a sign that you're a sugar addict.

When your system is reliant on large amounts of sugar in order to give you the energy that you need, if you're not consuming it, your energy levels drop which makes you want to go to sleep.

So, what if you happen to see yourself in any of the signs of sugar addiction that I just shared? First, as I briefly already mentioned, going cold turkey isn't smart. Since you've still got to earn a living—and going through sugar withdrawals can make you moody as hell—it really is best to ease off a little bit at a time.

Here are some ways to do that:

• Don't put extra sugar into or onto your food.
• Have only 1-2 glasses of un-water drinks a day (the rest of the time, drink water only).
• Go totally without fast food.
• If candy is your thing, get some dark chocolate that is made up of at least 65 percent cocoa.
• When you crave sweets, opt for protein instead (it will help to curb the desire). Some good protein snacks include peanut butter, coconut, unsweetened Greek yogurt with fresh fruit, tuna, pumpkin seeds, and almonds.
• Read food labels before making a purchase (because remember, you need less than 25 grams a day).
• Have a slice/piece of something sweet rather than several.

Having a sugar addiction is nothing to be ashamed of. However, the reason why it's so important to take this seriously is that too much sugar increases your chances of having heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer, experiencing breakouts, becoming depressed, and, of course, gaining weight.

A little sugar is cool. Just make sure not to overdo it, OK? Being addicted to anything is problematic, so choose your foods (and drinks) wisely.