Sugar and all of its forms, including the high-fructose corn syrup found in many processed foods, is associated with obesity and many other ailments. It impairs your immunity. Sugar and its cousins are the epitome of the "empty calorie" because the body does not need simple sugars at all. Nonetheless, some folks have a hard time giving up sweet foods. If you do, chances are you have a blood sugar imbalance. However, hormonal and emotional factors can play into sugar cravings as well. There are steps you can take to reduce your cravings.
Step 1
Avoid using artificial sweeteners. These substitutes are sometimes 200 times sweeter than actual sugar and will aggravate your sweet tooth. It may not be possible to keep them out of your diet entirely because foods like low-fat dairy have them, but you can eschew non-nutritious options such as diet soda, advises nationally known nutritionist Anne Collins.
Step 2
Quit adding sugar to fruits, drinks, cereal, tea or coffee and other things that you consume. Include honey, dextrose, brown sugar and powdered sugar in this ban, advises Ann Louise Gittleman, author of "Get the Sugar Out."
Step 3
Cut your consumption of "instant," packaged and processed foods. Manufacturers add extra sugar, fat and salt to make these products taste better. However, especially watch out for "fat-free" foods because these often have twice as much sugar as the regular version of that food. Cutting intake of this "invisible" sugar, while upping your intake of natural fruit sugars, will steadily reduce your dependence on sugar, advises Collins.
Step 4
Choose sweet options that are healthier. These can include whole-wheat bread with 100 percent fruit spread, fresh and frozen fruits, and low-fat yogurt. In general, the more natural the food is, the better it is. Gittleman advises choosing oranges over orange juice or apples over applesauce, for example.
Step 5
Exercise to release brain chemicals called endorphins into your bloodstream. This will boost your mood and help you control your urge for sugar. Work in 30 minutes of exercise daily. If your cravings tend to hit at a certain time of day or month, schedule your exercise session so it coincides with these times, recommends Collins.
Step 6
Eat meals that are regular and balanced, advises Gittleman. This old-fashioned advice helps you avoid having blood sugar levels get too low. That state can lead to binges and overeating, agrees Collins. It's best to eat about every three hours, though you may extend that to five. You don't need to eat a large amount, either, to keep cravings at bay. Gittleman advises each snack or meal have 40 percent carbohydrate, 30 percent protein and 30 percent healthy fat. Pick low glycemic index carbs, which are best to control blood sugar. In general vegetables, beans and fruit have low GIs and white flour and high-sugar foods have high GIs.
Member Comments