Sugar vs. Sugar Alternatives: Impacts on Brain Health, Obesity, and Addiction | Orgain Healthcare Professional Education Series
Sugar has become a staple in the American diet, and most of us are consuming too much of it--at a detriment to health. In addition, the rise in the use of sugar alternatives has allowed individuals to enjoy sweet treats without as many calories. We know sugar causes shifts in the brain's dopamine and opioid systems in way that are like an addition. But what are alternative sweeteners doing to our bodies and brains? And are they proving to do more harm than good when battling sugar addiction? In this presentation, Dr. Nicole Avena will review the latest research on sugar addiction and the effects that alternative sweeteners, including erythritol, stevia, and sucralose, can have on the brain and behavior.
Nicole Avena, PhD
Assistant Professor of Neuroscience
Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Dr. Nicole Avena is a research neuroscientist and expert in the fields of nutrition, diet and addiction. She is a pioneer in the field of food addiction, and it was her seminal research work that jump started this exciting new field of exploration in medicine and nutrition. She is also an expert in diet during pregnancy, and childhood nutrition. Dr. Avena received a Ph.D. in Psychology and Neuroscience from Princeton University in 2006. She then completed her postdoctoral fellowship in 2010 at the prestigious Rockefeller University in New York City, an all-research institution that lays claim to having had 24 Nobel Prize winners on its staff over the years. Dr. Avena presently is Assistant Professor of Neuroscience at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City and a Visiting Professor in Health Psychology at Princeton University. She has published over 90 scholarly journal articles on topics related to diet, nutrition and overeating.
Presenter
Nicole Avena, PhD
Assistant Professor of Neuroscience
Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Course Overview
| Released: | 2/8/24 |
|---|---|
| Expires: | 2/8/27 |
| Duration: | 01:02:41 |
| Level: | Level 2 |
| Available Credit: | 1.0 CPEU |
| Performance Indicators: | 2.1.3; 6.2.3; 8.1.2 |
*This course has been approved for continuing education for Registered Dietitian Nutritionists and Dietetic Technicians, Registered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR).
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