Food Junkies in Recovery: The Truth About Sugar Addiction with Dr. Vera Tarman

Is it really just emotional eating—or could it be addiction? In this week’s episode of Sisters in Sobriety, we speak with renowned expert Dr. Vera Tarman to unravel the science, psychology, and stigma surrounding sugar and flour addiction, and how we can truly recover. As the Medical Director of Renascent, one of Canada’s largest substance abuse treatment centres, Dr. Tarman brings a wealth of clinical insight—plus her own recovery from both alcohol and food addiction. She is the author of Food Junkies: Recovery from Food Addiction and cohost of the Food Junkies Podcast.

What’s the real connection between alcohol and sugar? Why do so many people transfer their addictions to food when they get sober? And what do terms like “intuitive eating,” “emotional eating,” and “abstinence” actually mean in the context of recovery?

Dr. Tarman also breaks down the difference between emotional eating and food addiction, outlines what recovery from food addiction really requires, and offers practical insight into why abstinence—not just moderation—is the key for many. Expect to learn about the dopamine pathways, the food-addiction spectrum, the role of ultra-processed foods, and the concept of “food serenity.”

Finally, Dr. Tarman shares her deeply personal story— her own early experiences with alcohol and marijuana, and how she navigated her own recovery from binge eating and bulimia while practicing as a doctor. Her journey is vulnerable, relatable, and a reminder that healing is possible—even when it’s not linear.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our Substack for extra tips, tricks, and resources.

Time-stamped Highlights

00:00 – Welcome and guest intro: Dr. Vera Tarman, addiction medicine expert and author

01:55 – Her first addiction: sugar or alcohol?

03:30 – Growing up with an alcoholic mother

04:45 – Alcohol and academic life: why she quit in med school

05:50 – Binge eating, bulimia, and how food replaced alcohol

07:00 – “You should stop drinking”—saying it to patients, but not herself

09:00 – Her “aha” moment: reading the first studies on food addiction

10:20 – How food and alcohol affect the brain’s dopamine reward system

12:45 – Is sugar addiction common in people getting sober?

15:10 – Sugar and alcohol as “sisters”—and the medical consequences

17:00 – Liver disease and non-alcoholic fatty liver: the sugar connection

19:10 – Emotional eating vs. food addiction—what’s the difference?

22:30 – Why intuitive eating may not work for everyone

27:00 – Recovery and abstinence: what does it look like?

31:45 – Is it about added sugar or natural sugar?

34:10 – Can moderation work—or do some people need full abstinence?

36:30 – What counts as a relapse with food?

39:00 – Social pressure, stigma, and birthday cake

41:00 – Why sugar is so powerful (and hard to quit)

43:00 – Recovery essentials: more than just stopping

45:10 – Individualized food plans: what worked for Dr. Tarman

47:00 – OA and the growing food addiction recovery landscape

50:00 – Finding support: why community matters

51:20 – Building food serenity and daily recovery habits

53:00 – Her message of hope: it gets easier after 10 days

55:00 – “Day 4 of my reset”—Kathleen shares her moment

Dr. Vera Tarman’s Links

🌐 Website: https://www.addictionsunplugged.com

📘 Facebook Group: I’m Sweet Enough: Sugar-Free for Life

Sisters In Sobriety Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

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