While some people are fortunate to not have a sweet tooth, many more of us have an addiction-like craving for sweets. Is this a true addiction, or are other factors driving the sometimes crazed search for that piece of chocolate or a Mars bar?

The basis for these intense yearnings is trifold, influenced by physiological, psychological, and environmental factors.

While sugar has a bad reputation, our bodies need the calories sugar provides to convert into energy and stored fat that can be drawn on later should we need it.  Our bodies were originally designed to eat foods that provided the best chance of survival when humans expended more energy in their daily lives, and food was scarce.  However, our modern lifestyle leaves little to no chance of having to rely on massive amounts of sugar or our fat stores to prevail. We consume sugar in much larger quantities than our food-challenged predecessors did and far more than our bodies need, with sugar now processed into many foods we eat daily.

So, why do we crave sugar? The physiological source of sugar cravings is the gut microbiota, which sets your cravings to get what it needs, including sugar, carbs, fiber, and fat. Microbes can increase our craving for specific foods by changing our taste buds, increasing opioid and cannabinoid receptors, and producing neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin, which are the feel-good chemicals that make us happy. Since our brains are wired to engage in pleasing behaviors, sugar, and the neurochemicals of happiness it releases become an addiction-like craving.

Psychologically, food preferences are firmly linked to one’s mental state. Your microbiota can create many of the same neuroactive compounds found in antidepressants, anti-anxiety, and recreational drugs. A healthy gut microbiome protects against pathogens, reduces anxiety, and improves our mental state. A disturbed microbiome can negatively impact our eating behavior, leading to less-than-optimal food choices and outcomes, such as obesity, anorexia, depression, and angst.

Environmental causes of sugar cravings include the fact that many processed foods trigger the release of serotonin and dopamine because they are intentionally heavily infused with sugar, which makes them addictive. Good for business but not the consumer. Also, our tolerance for sweet foods increases over time, resulting in the need for more sweets to continue that euphoric state.

Other contributors to sugar cravings include:

Not eating enough, waiting too long to eat between meals, and skipping meals are also sugar traps since your body will then crave the quickest source of fuel it can think of – refined grains and simple sugars, which usually take the form of readily available chips, cookies, and candy.

Stress is another primary driver of sugar cravings. When we’re experiencing physical or psychological stress, increased levels of cortisol are released, which raises blood pressure and insulin production while simultaneously dropping blood sugar. The decrease in blood sugar creates an intense desire for sugary, fatty foods, as does low serotonin levels, so if you’re feeling blue or stressed, sugar can be especially appealing.

Insufficient sleep is also a factor in sugar cravings. Research shows that sleep deprivation influences how your brain thinks about food and manages food cravings. Lack of sleep sends us in search of fast nourishment to keep us going, which does work, but only temporarily. The resulting energy peaks and dips initiate a continuous cycle of intermittent not-so-great food choices.

The good news is that you can reset your gut microbiome quickly by making intelligent and healthful food and lifestyle choices. Of course, that goes both ways – if you revert to eating microbiome-disrupting foods, you can be right back to where you started.

Here are some tips to curb those cravings and restore harmony to your gut microbiome:

• Diversify your diet to include more fiber
• When you’re craving a sweet treat, substitute a sweet fruit instead
• Balance your microbes through exercise. Just walking for fifteen minutes a day can make a difference in the gut microbiome balance
• Try to spend more time with healthy eaters and empty your cupboards of sweet treats. Removing temptations has the power to improve food choices and curb cravings

So, take charge to the extent you can now that you’re armed with scientific information regarding the drivers of your food cravings. After all, knowledge is power!