Do You Have a Sweet Tooth or a Sugar Addiction? The 6 Signs with Dr. Jen Unwin

<p>Feeling like alcohol has quietly become your default way to unwind, reward yourself, or take the edge off?</p><p>Join my October Reset Challenge, a supportive, guided reset to help you break the daily drinking habit, reconnect with yourself, and prove you can feel good without the glass of wine.</p><p>Join the October Reset →<a href="https://programs.sarahrusbatch.com/sales-page-alcohol-reset?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=program+launch&utmc_placement=show+notes&utmc_funnel_stage=consideration&utmc_offer_type=online+program&utmc_offer_name=alcohol+reset+challenge+live+&utmc_content_pillar=promotional&utmc_messaging=program+sign+up+or+purchase" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer"> https://bit.ly/4gJyKSY</a></p><p>Is sugar addiction real, and why do so many women swap alcohol for sugar the moment they stop drinking? In this episode of Stronger, Bolder, Wiser, I sit down with clinical psychologist Dr. Jen Unwin, a leading expert on sugar and ultra-processed food addiction, to answer exactly that.</p><p>We unpack why sugar is the hardest addiction to quit, how it wires the brain&#39;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. From trigger foods and protein-rich breakfasts to sleep, exercise, hormones and HRT in midlife.</p><p>Key Topics Covered</p><ul><li><p>Why sugar is the hardest addiction to break, and how childhood exposure wires the brain for it</p></li><li><p>Why women who quit alcohol so often swap it for sugar and secret pantry binges</p></li><li><p>The CRAVED framework: a simple 6-point test to know if you have a food addiction</p></li><li><p>How ultra-processed &quot;triple threat&quot; foods (salt, sugar, fat) override your natural off switch</p></li><li><p>Why being overfed but undernourished drives cravings, and how protein and fat switch them off</p></li><li><p>Practical steps to quit sugar: clear trigger foods, rebuild breakfast, protect sleep and exercise</p></li></ul><p>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&#39;s &quot;The Truth About Carbs&quot;. A food addict in recovery herself, she co-founded the Collaborative Health Community, co-created the CRAVED screening tool, and wrote &quot;Fork in the Road: A Hopeful Guide to Food Freedom&quot;.</p><p>Website:<a href="https://www.the-chc.org/"> <u>https://www.the-chc.org/</u></a>X:<a href="https://x.com/drjenunwin"> <u>https://x.com/drjenunwin</u><br></a></p><p><strong>Timestamps:</strong></p><p>Sugar addiction and whether it&#39;s actually real (00:00)</p><p>Why sugar is the hardest addiction to quit (01:38)</p><p>Why sugar is the first gateway drug (08:16)</p><p>Hidden sugar in foods marketed as healthy (13:00)</p><p>How the CRAVED test screens for food addiction (18:19)</p><p>Food noise and how GLP-1 weight loss drugs affect cravings (29:28)How low fat diet culture failed women (32:12)</p><p>How nutrient dense eating kills sugar cravings (36:35)</p><p>How to quit sugar and where to start (44:13)</p><p>How to identify your sugar trigger foods (47:45)</p><p>Handling social pressure and finding support quitting sugar (51:53 )The hidden self care load women carry (57:52)</p><p>How hormones and HRT affect sugar cravings (59:31)</p><p>Food rules Q&amp;A in a rapid fire round (01:05:57 )</p><p>What life after quitting sugar looks like (01:11:57)</p><p>Final takeaways on quitting sugar for good (01:14:39)</p><p>***</p><p>Download my free guide &quot;100 Things to Do Instead of Drinking&quot;, a toolkit for sitting with those feelings instead of reaching for a glass of wi