Do You Have a Sweet Tooth or a Sugar Addiction? The 6 Signs with Dr. Jen Unwin
Is sugar addiction real, and why do so many women swap alcohol for sugar the moment they stop drinking?
In this episode I sit down with clinical psychologist Dr Jen Unwin, a leading expert on sugar and ultra-processed food addiction, to answer exactly that. We unpack why sugar is the hardest addiction to quit, how it wires the brain’s reward pathways from childhood, and why willpower was never the problem. Jen walks us through her CRAVED self-assessment for spotting food addiction, explains food noise, GLP-1 weight-loss drugs and the damage of decades of low-fat diet culture, and shares the practical steps to break the sugar cycle for good.
The big ideasKey Takeaways
- 01Sugar is the hardest addiction to break, and so many women swap alcohol for sugar and secret pantry binges when they stop drinking.
- 02The CRAVED framework is a simple 6-point test to help you know if you have a food addiction.
- 03Being overfed but undernourished drives cravings. Protein and fat help switch them off.
- 04To quit sugar, clear your trigger foods, rebuild your breakfast, and protect your sleep and exercise.
Jump straight inEpisode Chapters
- Is Sugar Addiction Actually Real?
- Why Sugar Is The Hardest Addiction To Quit
- Why Sugar Is The First Gateway Drug
- Hidden Sugar In Foods Marketed As Healthy
- How The CRAVED Test Screens For Food Addiction
- Food Noise And GLP-1 Weight Loss Drugs
- How Low Fat Diet Culture Failed Women
- How Nutrient Dense Eating Kills Sugar Cravings
- How To Quit Sugar And Where To Start
- How To Identify Your Sugar Trigger Foods
- Handling Social Pressure And Finding Support
- The Hidden Self Care Load Women Carry
- How Hormones And HRT Affect Sugar Cravings
- Food Rules: Rapid Fire Q&A
- What Life After Quitting Sugar Looks Like
- Final Takeaways On Quitting Sugar For Good
Tap a chapter to watch from that moment on YouTube
Meet your guestDr Jen Unwin
Dr Jen Unwin is a consultant clinical health psychologist with over 30 years in the NHS and a leading voice on ultra-processed food and sugar addiction. With her GP husband Dr David Unwin, she pioneered drug-free type 2 diabetes remission programs featured in the BBC’s “The Truth About Carbs”.
A food addict in recovery herself, she co-founded the Collaborative Health Community, co-created the CRAVED screening tool, and wrote “Fork in the Road: A Hopeful Guide to Food Freedom”.
- Website: the-chc.org
- X: @drjenunwin
Sarah Rusbatch is an accredited Health and Wellbeing Coach and one of Australia’s leading experts on grey area drinking. Her podcast, Stronger, Bolder, Wiser, is the go-to space for women who are questioning their relationship with alcohol, navigating life alcohol-free, or simply curious about what life could look like on the other side of the bottle.
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