How to stop those sugar cravings?

 Who doesn’t like some sweets and treats?  Like most people, I like dessert and I like candy.  It is when we have sugar cravings and overindulge that can lead to problems.  High sugar foods can crowd out healthier choices and may add way too many empty calories to your day.  EatThis, NotThat! has an interesting article about sugar cravings:  7 Effortless Ways to Crush Sugar Cravings Throughout the Day, Say Dietitians.  They noted that you are not alone in the sugar craving department.  The Frontiers in Psychiatry looked at sugar addiction and stated, “… we analyze how nutrients like sugar that are often used to make foods more appealing could also lead to habituation and even in some cases addiction thereby uniquely contributing to the obesity epidemic.”   The study found that when we eat more sugar our brains begin to signal “eat as much as you want”.  Cleveland Clinic list 3 reasons you may be craving sugar:

1. “You are starving yourself” – get too hungry and your body starts to crave the empty calorie foods like candy, cookies, chips.  Starve yourself in the morning by skipping breakfast and having little or no lunch and the cravings begin in the afternoon or evening.
2. “You don’t realize how addictive sugar and salt can be” - As one relative said, “I can’t eat just one Pringle chip, I eat the entire container.”  Some people even admit they are “sugar addicts.  Processed foods are loaded with sugar – try to find a process food that has no sugar added. 
3. “You are not listening to your body” – Are your tired but not really hungry?  Are you stressed?  Being overly tired or stress can lead to “bingeing on salty snacks” or sugar.  Are you thirsty?  Drink some water as being thirst can stimulate cravings for salty foods or sugary foods.

And there is added sugar in so many foods.  I once read an Ann Tylor novel and one of the characters was trying to eliminate added sugar in his diet.  He said he even had to give up catsup.  I looked at the catsup bottle in our fridge and yes, there was added sugar as an ingredient.  Today the added sugar in catsup is often high fructose corn syrup. Thus, one doesn’t have to indulge in desserts to have added sugar in their diet as so many processed foods contain added sugar. 

What can you do to stave off those sugar cravings? 

• Eat breakfast:  Yes, it is true, Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  (See:  The #1 Best Breakfast to Curb Sugar Cravings Throughout the Day.  Include in your breakfast a high fiber food like oatmeal, whole grain toast or a whole grain bagel or English muffin.  Add some high-quality protein like eggs, cow’s milk, or yogurt.  My husband likes Greek yogurt (high in protein) and fruit at breakfast.  I make my oatmeal with a cup of real cow’s milk for added protein and for more of a protein boast, I add some chopped walnuts.  Eating some protein and high fiber foods at breakfast can help keep your blood sugar more stable throughout the morning.

Enjoy some blueberry, apple and walnut baked oatmeal.

• Snacks:  skip the high in added sugar snacks like a candy bar, but focus on carbs high in fiber and again on protein.  I often like some yogurt and a piece of fresh fruit as a snack.  Snacks with fiber slow digestion so you don’t get the spike in blood sugar.  Protein also takes longer to digest so a combination of foods with fiber like fresh fruit, whole grains and some protein will help stave off afternoon hunger pains and cravings.  A Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich on whole grain bread is a great after-school snack for kids.
• Don’t get too hungry: or you may find yourself reaching for anything to stave off that hunger like the nearest candy machine.  Skipping meals can lead to hunger and cravings.  Some people don’t enjoy a mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack and then feel really hungry and grab something sweet to eat.  Plan your snacks at work or at home.  Bring something healthy to snack on at work.  At home, I like fruit or popcorn for a quick snack.
• Replace the “sugar-high” with exercise, going outside.  Some people find sugar gives them “instant gratification” and helps them feel good.  Replace the sugar with exercise or some sunshine.  “Exercise and exposure to sunlight can elicit happy feelings too, and it may possibly help cut your sugar cravings for good,” says dietitian Manaker. 

Exercise outside and get some sunshine.

• Get enough sleep:  Feeling tired from lack of sleep can lead to cravings for carbs, and quick carbs like high sugar foods.
• Add more magnesium-rich foods to your day.  Your cravings for sugar may be due to a lack of some vitamin or mineral.  In fact, lacking magnesium can lead to sugar cravings.  And many Americans have diets low in magnesium because they have few or no whole grains in their diet.  WebMD notes, “Almost half of Americans don’t’ get enough magnesium from their diet.  Over time, low levels of the mineral may set the stage for a variety of health issue, including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and migraines.”  How can you add some magnesium to your diet?  Enjoy a handful of nuts, add some avocado to a salad, enjoy some guacamole, add more whole grains to your day.  Other ways to add magnesium:

• Yogurt (cow’s milk yogurt)
•  Peanut butter
• Nuts:  Cashews, almonds, peanuts
• Baked potato
• Banana, raisins
• Whole grain bread, whole grain bagel, whole grain English muffin

We can enjoy some desserts and sweets.  But if you find yourself craving sweets and want to cut back, the above are some things to try.  Find what works for you.  Bring some healthy snacks with you when running errands or on vacation.  When I am on a tour, I have some healthy snacks with me like nuts, fresh fruit, a granola bar, a box of raisins.  So many healthy snacks are easy to pack and bring with you. 

 

Sources:  7 Effortless Ways to Crush Sugar Cravings Throughout the Day, Say Dietitians , Frontiers in Psychiatry , Cleveland Clinic , The #1 Best Breakfast to Curb Sugar Cravings Throughout the Day , magnesium     Image Sources:  oatmeal , Magnesium . Exercise