If you really love something, even a certain food..

[Melanie717]

Would you call that an addiction?
Suppose you eat this one particular food daily, and it takes up 70% of your diet..
Are you addicted to it? Or do you really just happen to love it. Thoughts?

 

[Dr. A]

You wouldn't believe but sugar is the most addictive substance that human consume. Why do you think that subtly, almost everything contains some amount of sugars. So if you are uncontrollably binging on something sweet, yes, it could be an addiction.

 

[Melanie717]

You wouldn't believe but sugar is the most addictive substance that human consume. Why do you think that subtly, almost everything contains some amount of sugars. So if you are uncontrollably binging on something sweet, yes, it could be an addiction.

I agree. The food industry knows exactly what it’s doing. Also, when people go on keto and carnivore diets, they go through “keto flu” blamed on the fact that their bodies are switching over to ketosis. However, I believe there is actual sugar withdrawal going on as well.

 

[Shree]

That’s a great question! The line between love and addiction can be blurry, but here’s how I see it:

Love means you enjoy it deeply, but you could walk away if needed (e.g., for health, convenience, or variety). It adds joy without controlling you.

Addiction means you depend on it, mentally or physically, and feel distress or dysfunction without it. If skipping it causes anxiety, cravings, or harms your well-being, it may be an addiction.

Eating one food 70% of the time could be a strong preference, but if it crowds out nutrients, causes guilt, or feels compulsive, it might lean toward addiction. A good test: Could you comfortably take a break?