4 Healthy Ways to Conquer Sugar Cravings

Sugar is an empty calorie food, consuming it too much can negatively affect your body. Excessive intake is linked to many diseases including obesity, blood sugar, gingivitis, depression, heart problems and liver damage. Restricting yourself on foods and drinks with refined sugar is non-negotiable when it comes to maintaining good health.

It is advised for women to limit their sugar intake to 6 teaspoons and men to limit it to 9 teaspoons per day, but people consume much more than that.
If you are addicted to sugar, here’s what you have to do to cut down the addiction and improve your health.

• Keep healthy snacks handy to beat sugar cravings:

A great way to control your sugar intake is to always keep healthy snacks handy. This will help you with your craving of indulging into your favourite ice cream, milkshake, or creamy donuts. Keep your refrigerator full of fruits and vegetables. So that whenever you crave for sugar, you draw out a fruit. You can also include raisins, peanuts, dry figs, or dates alternatively.

• Eat timely meals to curb sugar cravings:

Hunger and lack of key nutrients are the two major reasons behind the summons of sugar. Therefore, to prevent hunger, it is important to eat nutritious food at an appropriate time. Eat something every 2-3 hours in order to keep your blood sugar levels stable. Eating at the right time will benefit you and provide you with all the nutrients in your body as per needs.
From protein, and fibre to zinc and magnesium- your body needs a variety of nutrients so that it can function properly. Protein and dietary fibre help you feel full and energetic for a long time. On the other hand, magnesium, and zinc help in the regulation of glucose, insulin, and neurotransmitters dopamine which helps to keep you happy. Any shortage of these can lead to more sugar craving and consumption. Therefore, eat your food on time.

• Hydrate yourself enough.

When you feel a sudden desire for a particular unhealthy food, try drinking a large glass of water and wait a few minutes. Drinking water gives you the feeling that you have eaten something in the brain. In addition, the summons of sugar may also indicate water scarcity in the body. So, drink plenty of water throughout the day as it may reduce your want of sugar.
In addition to this, drinking enough water has many health benefits, like helping you in weight loss, and improving the skin’s quality. Do not have a bottle of soda which is full of artificial sweeteners, quench your thirst. If plain water is too boring then add some fresh mint leaves, lemon slices, and cucumber in it.

• 4) Get proper sleep.

Lack of sleep can increase your desire for unhealthy and high-calorie foods, which are usually full of sugar. The desire for junk food is directly linked to the seriousness of lack of sleep. The more sleep-deprived you are, the more you want junk food. In addition, hunger is largely affected by hormones. Sleep deprivation can lead to hormonal fluctuations, which leads to a strong craving for unhealthy foods and poor appetite regulation. Hence, maintaining a proper sleep cycle is crucial for your mood, appetite and health.

Pro tips:

• Bitter things, such as the inclusion of bitter gourd in your diet, can help to compensate the body’s taste for sugar.
• Eating food that increases the level of serotonin(eggs, pineapple, tofu, and nuts and seeds) in the body also helps to combat sugar addiction.
• Get rid of all sweets in your home as well as in the office.
• Read the label of all foods thoroughly, so you know what you are eating.
• Manage your stress levels to help prevent summons. Use meditation, and other techniques to reduce stress.

Over to you.
Indulging into sugar can be considered, only and only if done once in a while. Otherwise, understand your body’s way if functioning and incorporate the above-mentioned ways to control your sugar cravings.