Over the holidays we have all consumed a lot of food and drinks with a high sugar content. Those tins of biscuits and sweets were not going to eat themselves. Thanks to Nicole Avena, we now know just what sugar does to our bodies, particularly our brain, as the neuroscientist breaks down the effects in this latest TED-Ed video.
The animated video explained that consuming sugar sends signals from our tongues to the cerebral cortex, activating each individuals “rewards system,” which then encourages us to eat more.
This system releases dopamine in our brain, helping make us feel good, which can prove extremely addictive.
Some of us are guilty of activating our “rewards system” just a little too often.
The description summary reads: When you eat something loaded with sugar, your taste buds, your gut and your brain all take notice. This activation of your reward system is not unlike how bodies process addictive substances such as alcohol or nicotine — an overload of sugar spikes dopamine levels and leaves you craving more.
Watch the clever animated TED-Ed instalment here.
Video via YouTube/TED-Ed
