Sugar Cravings vs Hunger: How to Regain Control of Eating Decisions | Dr. Nicole Avena |

Описание: Sugar Cravings vs Hunger: How to Regain Control of Eating Decisions ?

Why does everything taste so sweet, especially in the U.S.?

And can taste alone drive overeating, addiction, and long-term health issues?

In this episode, Dr. Nicole Avena, Associate Professor of Neuroscience and author of Sugarless, explains how taste, dopamine, and ultra processed foods drive sugar cravings and long-term eating behavior., we unpack the science behind sugar cravings, taste preferences, and food addiction with insights from ongoing global research across the U.S. and Europe. This conversation goes beyond calories and willpower and dives into how sweet taste, dopamine, ultra processed foods, and modern food culture are reshaping eating behavior worldwide.

🎙 Hosted by Sandeep Misra, Co-Founder & Chief Growth Officer at Heald

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Why no drug, including GLP-1 medications, is a panacea

How sweet taste alone (not digestion) triggers dopamine release

Why artificial and zero-calorie sweeteners may perpetuate cravings

The difference between nutrient-driven hunger vs hedonic cravings

How food culture outside the U.S. protects against food addiction

Why American food culture has become centered around junk food

How ultraprocessed foods hijack taste preferences over time

The role of the prefrontal cortex in cravings and self-control

Practical steps to pause, identify cravings, and regain control

Why reducing dependence on sweetness is key to long-term health

We also explore how global health data (including WHO frameworks) can be used to educate, not shame, helping people make better food decisions through clarity, not restriction.

This episode is essential listening for anyone struggling with:

Sugar cravings

Food addiction

Emotional or compulsive eating

Ultraprocessed food dependence

Diabetes, insulin resistance, or metabolic health challenges

Chapters
0:00 – Recap
1:45 – Is Sugar Addiction Real or Imagined?
3:30 – Taste, Dopamine, and the Brain’s Reward System
5:20 – Why Sweetness Triggers Overconsumption
7:10 – Ultra-processed Foods and Cultural Conditioning
9:00 – Artificial Sweeteners: Help or Harm?
11:00 – Hunger vs Hedonic Cravings Explained
13:00 – The First Real Step to Breaking Sugar Cravings

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