Sugar has been branded more addictive than heroin, according to a new study.
While foods high in fat were once accused of increasing our waistlines, experts said it was foods high in sugar, such as cereals and yoghurts, that are making us fatter and more prone to long-term illness, the Daily Telegraph reported.
Nutritionist Jacqueline Alwill said foods high in refined sugar increased our risk of diabetes, caused us to age faster, sapped our energy levels and often led to obesity.
She said that the impact of sugar on our hormones is a huge issue and we can see this with the increasing number of individuals with obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease.
The average Australian consumes about 53kg of sugar per year, or 29 teaspoons a day, according to health fund NIB.
Alwill likened our dependency on sugar to a junkie's drug addiction - with each hit only feeding a craving before the body screams out for more.