Just recently the Daily Mail published an article by Jerome Burne on the possible addiction to starch and sugar.  He referred to an piece of research from New Zealand.

It seems acceptable to most people that eating  sugar can cause cravings but what hasnt been readily accepted is that notion that the same will apply to starch.  This is interesting when it is clear that the body struggles to tell the difference between some starches and sugars.  When you bite into a cheese sandwich ( not known for its sugar content )  your saliva will immediately start turning the starch into simple sugars to aid digestion. Within minutes your body is getting the same sort of kickback that it would get from sugar without the sweetness.

For those of you that think this nonsense ,   stop eating sandwiches for lunch just for few days and notice how different you feel especially if you dont replace the sandwich with a pasta salad or another starchy choice.  At first you will feel tired and miserable but by day 5 you start to notice real benefits. No more mood swings and if you eat a lunch high in protein your energy levels will be sustained for longer.

Working with lots of different people who give up the immediate highs of starch and sugar offers real insight into what is happening.   Even without this piece of research I would have said that sugar and starch can be addictive but what I really dont believe is that we are addicted to carboydrates which includes innocent foods like nuts seeds and leafy green vegetables.

Perhaps less silly headlines and more real debate would be helpful.