Why American Diabetics Love Donuts!
If you’re a fan of the cartoon character Homer Simpson, you must be wondering when FOX will air an episode titled “Homer Gets Type 2 Diabetes.” In an episode of The Simpsons, Homer even leaves an idyllic world where he is rich and successful because there are no donut shops. Many Americans with type 2 diabetes are almost as addicted to round breakfast treats as Homer Simpson is believed to be!
What is the reason for this addiction?
The reason type 2 diabetics find donuts addictive has to do with sensation and sensory memory. Eating a donut is an experience that fills the senses… and it’s round. Your field of vision is round, so when you pick up a donut, it’s all you can see…especially since she has a little bullseye in the center.
A donut is an addictive combination of sugar and fat. The combination of sugar and fat triggers the production of dopamine in the brain. This causes the same chemical change in her brain that occurs during play or sex.
What are donuts sweetened with?
Most donut makers sweeten the dough with high fructose corn syrup, also known as HFCS. This type of sugar short-circuits the production of adiponectin, so you eat more and more HCFS-sweetened foods without a hormonal signal reaching your brain that you’re full.
And because white flour is also used in the dough, donuts are a potent source of mu-opioids. These are fast-acting chemicals that bind to the same receptor sites in your brain that can be occupied by opium or morphine. You feel relaxed, there’s nothing in your body that tells you you can’t eat more and more, and you get a pleasurable high for less than $1.
This combination of effects leads to out-of-control blood sugar levels and weight gain. It’s also why many diabetics find donuts the hardest addiction to kick.
Can you kick the habit?
There’s no 12-step group for donut addiction yet, but you can kick the habit. If some kind soul in your office brings donuts once a week, find other productive things to do that don’t take you to the break room… well, at least not until all the donuts are gone.
If your morning routine includes a stop at the donut shop after your morning workout, take a different route home. Just say no to donuts. They are just as dangerous for type 2 diabetics, their blood sugar levels and their weight control, as any drug.