Sugar Bombs & Food Addiction – Hidden Sugary Triggers

Media

Sugar addiction in popular culture

Though some members of our board and some of our partners are highly accomplished dietitians and nutritionists, the Food Addiction Institute’s policy is not to give nutrition advice. But it is fair to say that one food additive stands out as highly suspect, not only for Food Addicts but for anyone who eats: refined sugar. Popular culture has been been linking refined sugar and addiction for at least 60 years.

Jack LaLanne on "Sugarholics" (1950s)

Jack LaLanne, host of the longest-running syndicated exercise television show in U.S. history (1951–1985), addressed the dangers of sugar addiction in this excerpt. Initially discussing alcoholism, he quickly shifted focus to what he called “sugarholics,” a condition he identified in himself. By changing his diet, he lived to 96 and maintained peak fitness well into his 70s. Learn more about Jack LaLanne on Wikipedia.

John Yudkin and the dangers of sugar (1972)

1972 “If only a small fraction of what we know about the effects of sugar were to be revealed in relation to any other material used as a food additive,” wrote Yudkin, “that material would promptly be banned.” John Yudkin was a British physiologist and the founding nutrition professor at Queen Elizabeth College, London. He gained international attention from his book, “Pure, White, and Deadly,”(1972), in which he identified refined sugar as a health threat. In 2016, The Guardian newspaper in Britain wrote a long piece expanding on Yudkin’s legacy.

Eric Clapton on his first addiction: 1999 Interview

Legendary guitarist Eric Clapton, widely regarded as one of the greatest rock musicians of all time, has been open about his struggles with addiction. In a 1999 interview with Ed Bradley on 60 Minutes, Clapton candidly discussed his battles with drugs and alcohol—tracing the roots of his substance abuse to an unexpected source.

"Sugar, The Bitter Truth" (2009)

In 2009, Dr. Robert Lustig’s lecture to his students at the University of California becomes an internet sensation. By 2025, it had been viewed more than 25 million times

Jeff Garlin's Food Addiction (2010)

While promoting his first book, "My Footprint: Carrying the Weight of the World," Jeff Garlin talks about his lifelong struggles with his eating, describing his experience as Food Addiction.

"Last Week Tonight" episode (2014)

In Season 1, Episode 22 of "Last Week Tonight," (2014), John Oliver tackled the topic of sugar, dedicating a significant portion of the episode to its impact. The segment begins at 8:52, offering his signature satirical take on the sugar industry and its effects on public health.