Are you getting that familiar craving
too often? You hate cigarettes, you do not drink alcohol, and you do not do
drugs. You may not even like coffee. But, you sure love eating a lot of
chocolate and sweets. Well, anything sweet or delicious. Or both. Yes, you may
be addicted to sugar.
A common indication that you are
addicted to sugar is the frequency in which you find yourself craving for
anything sweet and comforting that would give you a boost. In this case the
energy boost drops pretty soon after and you end up craving for something sweet
once again. It’s a vicious cycle. Is this you?
If yes, it is no wonder. Stores are
loaded with tempting and innocent sugary delicacies. However, these are far
from being innocent.
Some believe that sugar is as
addictive as crack cocaine. You may be thinking, “Yeah ok, but sugar is not as
detrimental to my health as much as an illegal drug, right?” Maybe not at the
beginning, but you may not be quite aware of the damaging effect sugar has on
overall health.
Why should you avoid sugar?
1.
Let’s start with the most obvious reason. It is highly
calorific, and not very filling. We bet that you are not satisfied after eating
only one Krispy Kreme doughnut. This is why most people over-eat sweet things.
2.
Sugar affects immunity. Consuming sugary foods and drinks
on a daily basis stops the immune system from working properly.
3.
Sugar induces inflammation, which leads to pain, diabetes,
cancer and heart disease.
4.
Sugar damages teeth and causes tooth decay.
5.
Sugar hinders the release of human growth hormone, and
thus accelerates aging.
As scary as those points were, don’t
feel too ashamed of your sugar habit. We’re only humans, and there’s no shame
in admitting that now and again – we like to snuggle up in front of the TV with
a tub of ice cream.
However, you should be careful of
what you put in your body. So read the following that may help you quit sugar
and feel both happy and healthy.
Tricks to avoid sugar for good:
1.
Eat regularly
Because we are often very busy, we
tend to eat irregularly. For many people, if they don’t eat regularly, their
blood sugar levels drop, they feel hungry and are more likely to crave sugary
snacks. Eating three meals and two snacks or five small meals a day will help
you to maintain normal blood sugar levels.
Eating a good breakfast is essential
to prevent sugar cravings. Instead of having carbs and sugary foods for
breakfast, include in your breakfast protein, healthy fat, fruits or
vegetables. Try to include healthy fat and protein with each meal, as it helps
control blood sugar levels.
2.
Detox your body
When people do a detox and eliminate sugar from their
diet, it often decreases their sugar cravings. Although the initial reaction is
sugar cravings, which can be overwhelming, our body adjust itself and the
desire for sugar will disappear. If you want some interesting detox tips, check
The Detox Guide for more useful info. This guide
will help you cleanse and energize your body naturally without any side
effects.
3.
Emotional eating
Every time you are in a bad mood, stressed
or anxious, it seems like you need to drown in sugar. The most important thing
is to be honest with yourself and carefully manage any emotional issues around
your sugar addiction. Be fully aware of the food you eat, and ask yourself some
important questions – are you eating out of boredom, or because you are worried
or stressed.
If the answer to your question is
“yes,” seek for another solution instead of eating. You can go for a walk,
read, drink some coffee with a friend, do yoga, watch a movie, listen to some
music, or walk your dog. Do the things you love, find someone you love and care
about. Each of these will decrease your desire to eat sweets.
4.
Avoid processed foods
These are packed with sugar. Some
foods that seem to not have any sugar actually contain more sugar than sweets.
Carefully read the labels and have a closer look at what you put in your body.
5.
Mineral deficiency
As explained on Livestrong website, trace mineral deficiency, including
lack of chromium, vanadium, magnesium and zinc may be the reason for your sugar
cravings. These minerals are largely involved in glucose metabolism and insulin
production.
Chromium deficiency causes intense
sugar cravings. Lean meat, asparagus, cheese, molasses, brewer’s yeast and
whole grains are some of the richest natural sources of chromium.
Magnesium regulates glucose and
insulin. If you lack magnesium, you probably deal with cravings for sweet
stuff, especially chocolate. Spinach, Lima beans, almonds, hazelnuts, oat bran
and brown rice are the richest sources of magnesium.
Your muscles need vanadium to obtain
enough glucose and energy and it also regulates insulin production. Vanadium
deficiency is also the cause of sugar cravings. Vanadium is highly concentrated
in shellfish, mushrooms, dill, parsley, wine, beer, and whole grain products.
Zinc aids in proper insulin and
glucose utilization. Zinc deficiency decreases insulin levels which leads to
sugar cravings. Zinc is contained in beef, pork, oysters, lobster, yoghurt,
chickpeas, almonds and oatmeal.
6.
Sleep enough
For those who try to maintain a healthy weight and quit
sugar, lack of sleep is not recommended at all. Fatigue makes people hungrier,
and people who don’t sleep enough hours tend to consume hundreds of calories
more a day (much of it in the form of unhealthy sweet foods). You can find here
more information about the damages of sleep deprivation.
7. Watch out for sugar
substitutes
This includes ‘healthy sugar’ too,
such as honey, maple syrup, or molasses. They may contain more nutrients than
the refined white stuff, but unfortunately, sugar is sugar, and once it is in
your body, it turns into what? You said it – sugar. Using stevia leaves is the
best option, although some people don’t like the taste of it.
8.
Think twice before buying dried
fruits
They seem like a healthier alternative than cake and sure
provide many health benefits, but a lot of calories and sugar as
well. Although they are a healthier option, try and avoid a high intake of
dried fruits.
Our point is to be aware of portion size and not exaggerate the amount
you eat. If you cannot handle your craving, eat some fresh fruit instead. It
will keep you satisfied and it is a lot healthier
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