Could your sugar habit be reshaping your mouth’s ecosystem?

 Added sugar consumption reduces oral bacterial diversity by roughly three species for every 5% of daily calories, according to a 2026 study of 5,546 adults.

Researchers found sugar, not overall diet quality, was the strongest dietary factor shaping mouth bacteria composition.

Higher sugar intake correlated with increased Streptococcus bacteria, the primary drivers of tooth decay.

Protein-rich foods and crunchy vegetables support greater microbial diversity in the mouth.

The oral microbiome responds to dietary changes and can be modified through targeted interventions....<<<Read More>>>...

Cutting Sweet Foods Doesn’t Curb Cravings or Improve Health, Trial Finds

A six-month randomized controlled trial found no significant differences in sweet taste preference or health markers among participants assigned to high-, low-, or average-sweetness diets, according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

The trial was conducted by researchers at Wageningen University and Research in the Netherlands and Bournemouth University in the United Kingdom. Researchers said the results raise questions about public health advice that encourages reducing sweet-tasting foods to combat obesity.  

"People have a natural love of sweet taste which has led many organizations, including the World Health Organization, to offer dietary advice on reducing the amount of sweetness in our diets altogether," said Katherine Appleton, professor of psychology at Bournemouth University and corresponding author for the study. "However, our results do not support this advice, which does not consider whether the sweet taste comes from sugar, low-calorie sweeteners, or natural sources." ...<<<Read More>>>...

Think You Eat Too Much Sugar? Here’s What Can Happen When You Cut Back

 Reports state that reducing added sugar intake can trigger withdrawal-like symptoms, including fatigue, headaches, and body aches, according to health officials.

Added sugars are defined as those introduced to foods during processing or preparation, as distinct from sugars naturally occurring in fruit, milk, and other whole foods.

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that women consume no more than 25 grams (g) of added sugars per day and men no more than 36 g, according to its published guidance.

The average American, by contrast, consumes roughly 17 teaspoons of added sugars daily, which translates to about 270 calories, according to a NaturalNews.com report.

Health organizations state that potential benefits of reducing added sugars include improved blood sugar management and weight control, according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA). A growing body of research links excessive sugar consumption to obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, and some studies have connected early-life sugar restriction to lower dementia risk decades later...<<<Read More>>>...

Junk science SUGAR FOOD STUFF wrecks the brain’s emotional circuits, fueling depression, sleep disturbance, social withdrawal

 Depression, one of the world’s most pervasive mental health disorders, affects more than 280 million people globally as of 2025. Characterized by lethargy, disturbed sleep, and social withdrawal, depression significantly disrupts daily life and increases suicide risk.

While current antidepressants mainly target neurotransmitters such as serotonin, they only help about half of patients and often produce side effects. Seeking new biological mechanisms, researchers at the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) have discovered a novel molecular pathway linking tiny sugar molecules in the brain to depressive behavior — a breakthrough that could redefine how depression is diagnosed and treated....<<<Read More>>>...

The DOPAMINE CORRELATION: How alcohol, sugar, caffeine, nicotine, and hard drugs all have one common underlying effect that keeps consumers ‘hooked’

  There are many addictive substances on planet earth, and most consumers never meant to become so hooked that they can’t find a way to quit, or even cut back. As with most addictive substances, the more often the frequency of use, and the more potent the substance, the more dopamine is released in the brain, but over time, this fuels serious mental and physical health issues.

When trying to cut back or quit addictive, dopamine-heightening substances, a person’s dopamine levels are quite low, waiting for the addictive ‘crutch’ to assist, and that’s when stress, depression, and anxiety drag most people right back into their bad habits.

Dopamine is a chemical released in the brain that helps nerve cells send messages that are important for both the brain and body. This ‘feel good’ hormone is regulated by the body, but addictive substances disrupt normal production, causing dysfunction of neurotransmitters, and can create a roller-coaster effect of thrilling highs but intolerable lows....<<<Read More>>>...

The truth about sugar addiction

[Mercola]: When you eat sugary foods, the reward center of your brain, known as the nucleus accumbens, is stimulated through increased signals of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that plays a role in your perception of pleasure.

Because eating sugar makes you feel good, you're likely to eat it often. As you consume excessive amounts of sugar on a regular basis, your body's dopamine signals become weaker and you develop tolerance, so you have to eat more sugar to get the same level of reward, eventually resulting in sugar addiction.

This is why manufacturers use sugar to drive your behaviour.

There have been many studies regarding the addictive potential of sugar. For instance, a 2018 review published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine states that "sugar has been found to produce more symptoms than is required to be considered an addictive substance."

It exhibits drug-like effects such as bingeing, craving, tolerance, withdrawal, cross-sensitization, cross-tolerance and cross-dependence. Another study published in the journal Neuroscience states that intermittent bingeing on sucrose and abusing drugs can both increase extracellular dopamine in the nucleus accumbens...read more>>>...