Sugar more addictive than cocaine

First spotted on Dr. Joan Bushwell's Chimpanzee Refuge of ScienceBlogs:

This PLoS paper from researchers at the University Bordeaux shows that when rats where given a mutually exclusive choice between saccharin and heroine, they overwhelmingly chose saccharin, a common sugar substitute.

First sentence of the conclusions:
"Our findings clearly demonstrate that intense sweetness can surpass cocaine reward, even in drug-sensitized and -addicted individuals."

The researchers hypothesize further that the relatively sugar-poor diets of our ancestors sensitized the brain to trace amounts of sweet tastants. In our modern day society, where sugar-rich diets are common, the "supranormal reward signal in the brain [has] the potential to override self-control mechanisms and thus to lead to addiction."

Sorry Caroline. You're addicted to cotton candy.