People who experience a sugar craving feel a strong yearning to eat something sweet and can find it difficult to control themselves around sugary food. This can lead to over-consuming calories. Sometimes, it happens on a regular basis. Sugar cravings may happen due to blood sugar imbalance. Various research shows that sugar cravings are not good at all for health. If you experience sugar cravings, continue reading to know how to combat sugar cravings.
Why are sugar cravings bad for health?
Research shows that sugar has an effect on the brain similar to that of an addictive drug. Therefore, if you want to remove it quickly from your diet, it can cause withdrawal symptoms like fatigue, depression, headaches, and muscle aches. However, it is not easy to quit. Taking too much sugar helps to ride blood sugar dysregulation, and can perpetuate physical stress and ultimately increase sugar cravings.
The journal Nutrients published a report in November 2016 that eating too much sugar can increase the risk for obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, cognitive decline, and certain types of cancer.
Which factors are causing you to crave sugar?
Check below some of the potential causes that are responsible for increasing your sugar craving.
Dehydration
Thirst can create hunger or a food craving. When you are thirsty, you feel dehydration which ultimately helps you to eat anyway.
Poor Diet Quality
Consuming too many carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats or consuming white, refined carbohydrates that are available in processed foods can increase hunger and sugar cravings. Therefore, you need to improve the quality of your regular diet to minimise sugar cravings.
Hormonal Changes
Women feel a craving for sugar due to hormones such as oestrogen, progesterone, and estradiol (or oestradiol). Research has shown that estradiol can be associated with an increase in food cravings.
Stress
Stress also causes sugar cravings. A previous study found that chronic stress had a significant direct effect on food cravings that ultimately had a significant effect on body mass index (BMI).
Nutrient Deficiencies
When you have deficiencies in certain minerals like zinc, chromium, iron, calcium, and magnesium may lead to sugar cravings.
Best Foods to Fight Sugar Cravings
Sugar cravings are common and it is more common among women. If you experience a sugar craving, you will feel a strong urge to eat something sweet and can find it difficult to control yourself around food. However, luckily, you can take the following best foods to fight sugar cravings.
Fruits and Vegetables
Though Fruits are naturally sweet, they also contain lots of beneficial plant compounds and fibre and help you to fix and keep them healthy. To satisfy your sugar cravings, eat fruits and vegetables that are slightly higher in sugar.
Berries
To stop your sugar cravings, you can choose berries that are excellent, and nutritious. They contain fibre contents which are actually quite low in sugar.
Besides, berries have plant compounds rich in strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. These contents may help reduce risk factors for chronic diseases including heart disease and diabetes.
Chia Seeds
Chia seeds are a good source of many important nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, soluble dietary fibre, and some healthy plant compounds. This sort of fibre forms a jelly-like substance in your gut to help keep you feeling fuller for longer and prevent sugar cravings. If you want to lose weight naturally, Chia seeds can be a good choice.
Legumes
Legumes such as lentils, beans, and chickpeas are great plant-based sources of fibre and protein to increase feelings of fullness. Therefore,including legumes in your diet, you can feel fuller and reduce hunger-driven sugar cravings.
Yogurt
Yogurt is considered a healthy snack as it is high in protein and rich in calcium. Besides, it could be a good snack to regulate your appetite and control your cravings.
Dates
Dates which are the dried fruit of the date palm tree are highly nutritious and very sweet. Dates can be your best choice as they are a great source of fibre, potassium, iron, and beneficial plant compounds. Having some dates can minimise your sugar cravings amazingly.
Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are nutritious and sweet. They contain carbs, fibre, and a number of vitamins and minerals along with vitamin A, vitamin C, and potassium. By consuming sweet potatoes, you can reduce sugar cravings.
Meat, Poultry, and Fish
Taking protein like meat, poultry, or fish in your meals may help prevent sugar cravings. Eating ample amounts of protein may be very important for managing your food intake, cravings, and weight.
Eggs
Eating eggs is another way to keep your appetite and cravings in check. Having a high-protein breakfast- eggs may reduce hunger and help people eat less throughout the day.
Whole Grains
Whole grain foods like wheat, rice, barley, corn, oats, rye, etc., are packed with fibre and nutrients like B vitamins, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, manganese, and selenium that may help you feel full.
Oats
Oats are a good source of soluble fibre that helps prevent hunger and can help lower glucose levels and curb sugar cravings. But avoid taking instant oatmeal packets as they are highly processed and high in added sugars.
Avocado
4 ยฝ cups of avocado offer about 8 g of fibre as well as healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and so it is one of the best foods to fight sugar cravings.
Best Drinks to Fight Sugar Cravings
Water
You know well water is vital to our overall health and vitality. Drinking water will keep you hydrated and help to fight sugar cravings.
Golden milk
Golden milk is known as turmeric milk. It has many positive benefits like blood sugar regulation. To get the best result, add turmeric, cinnamon, and ginger but not sugar with milk.
Chamomile tea
Taking chamomile tea also helps you to fight sugar cravings as chamomile improves glycemic control markers in individuals with type 2 diabetes.
Other Ways to Fight Sugar Cravings
Besides food and drink you need to take proper exercise to fight sugar cravings. Fasting also helps you with this issue. Moreover, make sure to follow a healthy diet plan. If you can still feel uncontrollable cravings for sugar then consult with a nutritionist.
Source: United News of Bangladesh