The Scary New Research On Sugar & How They Made You Addicted To It! Jessie Inchauspé | E243

Even without diabetes, most people experience frequent blood sugar spikes that manifest as cravings, afternoon crashes, brain fog, poor sleep, skin issues, and hormonal problems. Over years, these spikes accelerate aging (via glycation), increase inflammation, and raise risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, dementia/Alzheimer’s (“type 3 diabetes”), cancer, and fertility issues such as PCOS. If you feel you “could feel better,” stabilizing glucose is one of the highest-leverage starting points.

When you eat sugar or refined starch, your glucose rises sharply then crashes. This post-spike drop directly activates the brain’s craving centers, pushing you to seek more sugar, often starting with breakfast and persisting all day. Sugar also releases dopamine, making it behaviorally addictive. Inchauspé argues that shame and “lack of willpower” narratives are misplaced: cravings largely reflect earlier food choices and brain chemistry, not character flaws.

Calories were originally measured by literally burning food in a sealed device and seeing how much they heat water—an approach that says nothing about hormones, inflammation, or how you feel. Two 2,000-calorie diets can have radically different effects depending on glucose dynamics: one can produce exhaustion, constant hunger, inflammation and weight gain, while the other supports stable energy and easier fat loss. Learning how carbs, fiber, protein, and fat affect glucose is more actionable than counting calories.

Eating in the sequence “veggies first, then proteins and fats, starches and sugars last” can reduce a meal’s glucose spike by up to ~75% without changing what or how much you eat. A small vegetable starter (about 30% of the meal), rich in fiber, forms a viscous “shield” in the intestine that slows sugar absorption. Adding protein, fat, or extra fiber to sweets (“putting clothing on your carbs”—e.g., cake with Greek yogurt) and avoiding naked carbs like bread on an empty stomach further blunts spikes.

Breakfast is a key determinant of your day’s glucose pattern. Sweet breakfasts (granola, fruit juice, cereal, oats with honey/banana, pastries) create an early spike that leads to all-day rollercoasters of cravings and fatigue. Inchauspé recommends protein-centric, savory breakfasts (e.g., eggs, cheese, avocado, vegetables, some optional starch for taste) and reserving sweet foods—including “healthy” granola or smoothies—strictly as dessert after meals, not as stand-alone breakfast or snacks.