Our brains are wired to love sweets. Moments after you indulge in sweet treats, your brain's pleasure center releases opiate-like substances.
The same brain chemicals that create narcotic highs also keep you coming back to sugary treats. Beyond the physiological addictive qualities, sweets are highly associated with comfort and pleasure.
For most of us, the problems start in childhood, when we are rewarded with sweets for good behavior, setting up a lifetime association between sugary treats, reward and soothing.
Underlying feelings often drive food cravings as well. My clients will often say "it's easier to stuff my feelings with food than to feel them."
