Sugar vs. Cocaine: Which Is Worse for Your Brain?
Did you know you can eliminate brain fog and improve cognitive function if you quit sugar? Discover the surprising connection between sugar and brain health and the amazing benefits of cutting out sugar.
WHY SUGAR IS MORE HARMFUL THAN YOU THINK:
0:00 Introduction: The effects of sugar on the brain
0:22 Sugar and memory loss
0:46 Sugar and brain health
2:17 Quit sugar and eliminate refined carbohydrates
2:42 The benefits of cutting out sugar
4:21 Sugar and refined carbohydrate replacements
Check out more Keto Recipes here:
Butter Chicken Video:
▶️
Sugar creates similar effects to cocaine and heroin in certain parts of the brain. In one study, if given a choice, a lab rat will go after sugar instead of cocaine!
Sugar can alter your hormones and put you in a state of anxiety. It can even cause a mild form of dementia, leading to forgetfulness and memory loss. Sugar affects the hippocampus, which controls memory.
The brain can run on glucose, but too much glucose can eventually hinder absorption. You only need one teaspoon of sugar in your blood at one time, but people consume much more than that!
Excess sugar is stored as fat. Over time, high sugar consumption can lead to insulin resistance, depriving the brain cells of the energy they need. People often consume way more sugar than they know in beverages like juice or due to hidden sugar in the form of starch.
A low-carb diet creates the most benefits for your health. It can reverse diabetes in 10 weeks! You’re no longer feeding your brain glucose when you're on a low-carb diet. A low-carb diet forces the body to mobilize ketones to feed your brain. Once you quit sugar, you’ll notice an improved mood, better concentration and attention, a better ability to learn, improved memory, and brain fog will be gone.
Cutting carbs and quitting sugar will leave many people hungry, unsatisfied, and craving certain foods. The solution is to increase protein! Sufficient protein and fat can help eliminate cravings and decrease the desire to snack. There are also plenty of healthy substitutions that can make it easier to quit sugar.
You do not need to consume sugar to maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Your liver can create sugar from other food sources.
Dr. Eric Berg DC Bio:
Dr. Berg, age 60, is a chiropractor who specializes in Healthy Ketosis & Intermittent Fasting. He is the author of the best-selling book The Healthy Keto Plan, and is the Director of Dr. Berg Nutritionals. He no longer practices, but focuses on health education through social media.
Follow Me On Social Media:
YouTube:
YouTube Shorts:
Keto Recipes:
Facebook:
Instagram:
Spotify Podcast: 🎧
TikTok:
X:
Disclaimer:
Dr. Eric Berg received his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1988. His use of “doctor” or “Dr.” in relation to himself solely refers to that degree. Dr. Berg is a licensed chiropractor in Virginia, California, and Louisiana, but he no longer practices chiropractic in any state and does not see patients, so he can focus on educating people as a full-time activity, yet he maintains an active license. This video is for general informational purposes only. It should not be used to self-diagnose, and it is not a substitute for a medical exam, cure, treatment, diagnosis, prescription, or recommendation. It does not create a doctor-patient relationship between Dr. Berg and you. You should not make any change in your health regimen or diet before first consulting a physician and obtaining a medical exam, diagnosis, and recommendation. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
#health #keto #ketodiet #weightloss #ketolifestyle #intermittentfasting #lowcarb
Thanks for watching! I hope this increases your awareness about the negative side effects of sugar and the connection between sugar and brain health. I’ll see you in the next video.
Sugar’s like a sweet-talking villain, feels good for a second, then wrecks everything. Kicking it is war, but worth every win.
Love this analogy
The truth😮
I NEVER liked sugary things until I went thru menopause. Ugh ! Trying so hard to quit it all ! I know how I good I felt before I started eating sugar
@ Totally feel you. Hormones change the game. but getting back to that sugar-free energy is so worth it. You got this!
Is it worth dropping daily candy bars?
My elementary teachers used to think I had a behavioral problem, but what they failed to realize was that I used to get suspended from school on purpose, to make sure people weren’t using drugs in or around my home! 😂 As I got older, I’ve always made sure that none of the women I’ve been in a relationship with used drugs either! 💯 FACTS! Now we gotta tackle that sugar. 🤷♂️
you got suspended from school as a kid on purpose purpose make sure groen adults weren’t using drugs at home? First of all, how paranoid were you lol and secondly, even if they were, there’s nothing you could’ve done about it.
Are u in drugs now 😅
@reinerb.mugarura8033 no drugs, no alcohol, no prescriptions, no cigarettes, no kratom, no vape, no cbd, no franken-foods, etc.
@@JamieReynolds89 guess I was a wild kid, with a careful old man’s soul
Dude where you live
Sugar is proving harder to quit than nicotine was for me. It’s crazy the more I learn about it.
Facts and weed. Probably because it’s everywhere and not frowned upon
We consume far more sugar than our ancestors from the 1800’s, however our lifespan is higher. 1900 48 for Caucasian, 33 for African Americans
Yeah, nicotine was insanely easy to quit when I truly decided to. I’ve decided to quit sugar about 100 times but still fail :/
Have you tried increasing the quality of your proteins intake? Also, some of his videos on how to stop carbs cravings may help further.
Caffeine is much harder to quit.
Please do sugar vs artificial sweeteners next!
YES PLEASE! Sugar is bad for you but I think artificial sweetners can be worse. Both are still problematic, but that’s also why he prefers keto diet
The body thinks artificial sweeteners are real sugar and you get the same side effects.
Thank you for the video suggestion. For now, please see my videos on artificial sweeteners: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMuu68luxgg&t=148s
Watched a PBS special in the 80’s about “fake” sugar. Rats were given cocaine and fake sugar. Fake sugar was more addictive and the rats developed symptoms close to today’s autoimmune diseases.
I’ve heard both full fat sugar coke drinks and Diet Coke drinks are both really bad for you. Think of Diet Coke as the lesser of two evils.
Excellent breakdown. The connection between excessive sugar intake and cognitive decline is more profound than many realize. The effects on the hippocampus, memory, and even mood regulation are well-documented, especially in the context of insulin resistance.
Reducing added sugars—especially hidden sugars in starches—is a key step toward improving focus, emotional balance, and long-term brain health.
Thanks for shedding light on this critical topic 👏🏼
Dr. Habits – Science-backed health insights, simplified.
I stopped taking sugar about a month ago, I felt ill with headaches, and I did not sleep well for a week. Now I feel great, and my memory is a lot better. Even though I have ADHD 😊
Good for you!!😊
That is detoxing you go through short time with side effects but in long term its good for your body as it shown to you
that was the withdrawal symptoms but I guarantee if you ate a cake now it would taste of nothing jusst sweet and it wouldn’t be remotely satisfying well done!
Ur doing great for urself, keep doing right by ur brain!
Is it okay to eat raw honey in place of sugar? Are any carbs safe?
Keep teaching this, Eric, as people need it drummed into them – Education on Nutrition is so important – Next to it is exercise and a happy, happy outlook, on life
even when things go wrong don’t grab that ice
bun go for a walk in mother nature and breath in the fresh air – it’s all free
and you will feel brilliant if you don’t well perhaps your addiction to sugar get help !!!
One additional layer worth noting is how advanced glycation end products (AGEs)—formed when excess sugar binds to proteins—can contribute to neuroinflammation and accelerate brain aging.
The hippocampus, which is sensitive to both oxidative stress and insulin resistance, suffers early in this process.
This is why managing blood sugar isn’t just about diabetes—it’s about preserving long-term cognitive health.
Dr Robert Lustig focuses on these AGEs in his seminal lecture from 15 years ago entitled “Sugar The Bitter Truth”, highly recommended!
Been doing dr Bergs keto for over 3 years now, 1 meal per day only eating once every 24 hours, raw organic vegetables and rare grass fed beef, l reuteri yogurt, kefir and raw egg yolks, sardines, ect …… feeling good
Do you buy that yogurt?
Me 2 💯
L Reuteri is found in some Kefir products but very hard to find in a yogurt. You’ll have to buy it as a supplement form and make the yogurt yourself.
@@bestjobdaddy6736 thank you
Go online and Dr William Davis. And see his book super gut. L Reuteri the real deal. Fermented strains. @@davids5006
Although I don’t consume sugar, I appreciate Dr Berg’s advice
Getting rid of sugar AND caffeine AND doing long walks improved sleep and got rid of brain fog. Just getting rid of sugar by itself won’t eliminate brain fog. But it’s a start.
I stopped eating sugar 2 years ago. I was not diabetic or obese at all. What I didn’t know is the issue with Starch (which you find in patatos and bread, even with whole bread). So in fact these foods still created glucose. Nobody made it clear to me. I now reduced Potatoes to the minimum. The other big food issue is bread, since a few months I switched to Desem bread. Desem It is fermented yeast. To be honest I enjoy eating more than before. I don’t miss anything. Since I’m a post cancer patient, I found out that glucose love cancer cells.
63 and have been low carb for a year and a half now. Lost 50 pounds and in the best shape of my life. Not on any meds. Energy all day long with clear thinking. Stopped eating processed foods, seed oils and sugar. I found the real fountain of youth.
Yeee haaa good job from one C.B. to another.
WOW! Good for You! Amazing
Have to find my will power
Fantastic! Great job! ✌️
I’m about 15 years in and I started when I was like 23
I lost 45 lbs at age 64 in 2021 by eating low sugar. Have since gained 10 lbs of it back, but am trying to lose 5 lbs of it this summer. I’m 5’5″” and 130 lbs. and walk 2 miles/day, sometimes 3.
I’ve noticed on the odd occasions I use to have sugar the next day I felt awful. Brain fog and anxiety through the roof.
And it reduces joint pain and inflammation. So many people are suffering because of their diet.
That’s true it’s a real silent killer..I lost my brother in March from high blood sugars
@@fidelcatsro6948
I’m so sorry for your loss! Sending you hugs 🫂 and prayers 🙏
I remembered a quote from you :- “a little is ok, alot is not”. That hit me hard and this is applicable on every aspect of life. Thanks Dr berg.🎉🎉
Everything in moderation, but I do wonder what the acceptable level of sugar is. My body/brain seems to punish me if I completely ignore it
Most welcome! Glad it helps. Thanks for watching!
@@Drberg do we need to completely avoid fruits as well ? As fruits have carbs and sugar ?
@@amazynga8868definitely not. Just don’t eat too much.
I’m 41, started zero carbs diet 5 weeks ago, eating only protein and veggies. Absolutely agree with everything dr said. I’ve started with 223 pounds, now I’m 202 pounds. No hunger, no cravings, feel so much more energy, eye-sight got better. Allergy went away. Blood pressure is now normal…. and that’s only 5 weeks in… will stay that way always. Sugar? – no, thanks, I’m done with it. I enjoy life now, not sugar!
Great to hear from you! Amazing results so far. Keep up the good work!
That’s great.
FYI, eating veggies is not zero carb.
I’m tall and slender so I don’t have a weight problem. I’ve also cut sugars and starches. I can see and feel better results in my overall health. Thank you Dr. Berg for this wonderful video to encourage all of us to eat better.
Veggies have carbs so you are not eating zero carbs
@@omamba5105it’s minimal carbs which is better than the heavy pasta and junk food carbs
I had a sugar addiction when I was a teenager. My skin was badly damaged with acne, and it really affected my self-esteem. Now, at 35 and doing keto, my skin is the best it’s ever been—almost no wrinkles! I’ve replaced sugary products with good quality nuts that I eat in moderation after meals. Keep in mind, not all nuts are low in carbs and sugar—almonds are the best choice. Right now, I have a full nut collection at home 🙂
Glad for you! Good job 👍 💙💛
Great to hear from you. Very well done on all your progress. Keep it up!
@ thanks! It’s been a journey, but totally worth it 🙌
@ Really appreciate the encouragement! Your content has been a big part of my journey
I showed this to my mom and she’s now doing it daily. Thank you for helping our seniors!
Anytime! Thanks for sharing with her. Well done!
I was waking up with headaches and noticed heart palpitations. Made an appointment for a physical. It was for March 30. Well they canceled it and rescheduled for end of May. I began eating low carb and cut out sugar, and started intermittent fasting.
After only two weeks headaches and palpitations are gone.
Greatv to hear from you, Diana! Very well done on all your progress. Keep up the good work!