When I’m working with my clients, I often need to have one of two conversations with them. One is alcohol and the other is bread. These two things are triggers for many people and they never want to give them up. I hear things like, “Can’t I just have a little piece of bread with my eggs?” or “I can eat healthy, except I don’t think I can give up bread.”
I felt the same way when I was eating the SAD (standard American) diet. Every year, I looked forward to St. Patrick s Day because I could buy a loaf of Irish soda bread and eat it up with some soft butter. It felt comforting to me.
Bread is one of the hardest things for people to eliminate from their diet because they don’t want to give it up. It’s like an addiction.
Why is Bread So Addictive?
Bread is addictive because of the high starch content that makes it almost impossible to stop eating once you’ve started. You see many people go through a sort of chemical process that makes them want to eat more. The more you eat it, the more you want it.
The thing is most bread is made from “reminded white flour” which is highly processed. White bread is high in sugar so it can be very addictive. This is why most diet programs frown about eating bread. It raises insulin and makes it difficult to lose weight and get healthy.
Some signs of Bread Addiction is:
- Cravings for bread or crackers. Also, cravings so cookies and cakes.
- You would rather have these bread products than any other kind of food.
- You can not stop eating even when you are full. Perhaps you keep going back for more.
- Later on you feel guilty and frustrated. “Why can’t I stop eating bread?”
- You must have bread products with every meal. No way will you have cheese without crackers or eggs without toast.
Does this sound familiar? If so, you may be addicted to bread. It did to me because I was addicted not only to bread, but any starch that was high in sugar. I also had terrible side effects… It made me fat. In fact, it was probably one of the main reasons I was so unhealthy.
The bottom line is, you are not alone with your struggles to give up bread. In fact 75% of obese people are addicted to carbs.
Bread Gives a Sugar High
Although bread isn’t sugar, it raises insulin which stimulates appetite which makes it really easy to over-eat and makes it difficult to stop eating. Bread sort of gives you a sugar high. It feels good emotionally to eat bread. And when you do stop, later on, you feel sluggish. Some people even refer to the need for a nap as a crash.
Eating too much bread can cause insulin resistance
Over time, the more you eat bread products, your body can develop insulin resistance which is not good. This means your body isn’t using insulin correctly and it causes too much in your blood. This is when doctors often warn people that they are “borderline” diabetes. Or pre-diabetic. Down the road this way of eating can cause Type 2 diabetes.
Bread is comfort food?
The other issue is the emotional side of eating bread. Many of us look at bread or cookies as comfort food. It is what many people reach for when they are feeling sad, stressed, bored etc. But of course even though at the time, it is enjoyable to eat. Emotional eating is often followed by regret.
I remember the frustration of feeling out of control.
If you want to take back control and eliminate bread from your diet, I highly suggest following a Low carb diet. There are many benefits. You will lose weight and feel better.
Here’s my Tips for Starting a low carb diet.
Are you addicted to bread? How do you deal with the struggles of carb addiction?
