We all have a topsy-turvy relationship with sugar. Some people can do okay with having a couple of cookies, but others experience chronic sugar cravings, and as these cravings are driven by our brain’s need for a reward, it is vital that we have a system when it comes to stopping these cravings. Let’s show you a few things that can help you.
Balance the Unhealthy With the Healthy
When we have a craving, it can help us to give in a little bit. If you eat a tiny bit of what you’re craving, this can help you to stay away from that feeling you’re depriving yourself. Making sweet treats yourself can go some way to ensure that you don’t give into eating the entire thing. When we purchase sugar cookies from the store, it’s easy enough to eat the entire packet because we have not put in any effort, but if you find a sugar cookie recipe and you create the food yourself, it may be a little psychological trick to ensure that you don’t go overboard, but even combining unhealthy foods with something like fruit can help. For example, mixing almonds with chocolate chips or dipping some apple chips into peanut butter can be enough.
Chewing Gum
Research has shown that chewing gum can reduce food cravings because it activates your digestive enzymes, which means that if you are starving and you need a sugar hit, this might be all you need, and if you give yourself a little bit of time, you may find that you don’t want anything sugary at all, especially after you’ve had incredibly minty gum.
Eat a Filling Meal
Craving is not the same as hunger. When you are hungry, there is a far different sensation to when you want something naughty. The problem is when we are craving sugar and are hungry at the same time, but a healthy meal that fills you up is going to go a long way to help you. Ensuring that you eat meals rich in protein can help you to curb your craving because it dampens down that appetite. When it comes to having protein, if you’ve already had a filling meal but you’ve been particularly good going to the gym this week, you can benefit from a handful of nuts because it gives you that protein hit and is full of good fats. It is critical that we remember that fat comes in different forms, and fat does not make you fat, but it’s carbohydrates that do this because these are the things that metabolize into sugar inside your body.
Getting Adequate Rest
When we are tired, our body is craving additional energy, which is why we want sugar. If you can get a good night’s sleep and avoid excess stress, this can prevent cravings, and this also includes the stress that comes with craving calories or having an unhealthy obsession with health.
With so many different types of diets out there it can be tough to try and find something that minimizes our unhealthy habits. At the end of the day, the most important thing for you to remember is that sugar is very unhealthy, despite being all around us, so it is something we must learn to minimize.
