5 Tips For Controlling Sugar Cravings

Sugar affects not only your weight but also your mood. When considering reducing sugar consumption and controlling sugar cravings, it can prove to be more challenging than expected because it is common to have sugar cravings.

So how can you control your sugar cravings?

Believe it or not, a person can easily develop an addiction to sugar. This has a huge impact on his or her health and is considered an addiction. Refined sugar can create a chemical addiction where we feel the need to consume it daily.

Below are some tips on how to control sugar cravings.

The consequences of not controlling sugar cravings

1. Sugar destroys your teeth

Carole Palmer, a professor at the School of Dental Medicine at Tufts University (USA), explains that the bacteria that create cavities in the teeth feed on simple sugars.

Then they produce an acid that can destroy the tooth enamel.

2. It can lead to uncontrollable hunger

Some studies have found that fructose (a type of simple sugar) affects leptin, a hormone that controls the feeling of hunger.

These studies found that the chronic consumption of fructose causes a resistance to leptin, which contributes to a person losing control of hunger.

Also read: What are the differences between hunger and anxiety?

3. It increases weight gain

Several studies have shown that although foods with a high sugar content also have many calories, they have little ability to satisfy hunger. Conversely, foods that contain little sugar reduce the feeling of hunger more.

According to these studies, people who want to lose weight are advised to start by reducing their consumption of foods high in sugar. With this in mind, scientists and health professionals agree that obesity is a multifaceted disease and not just the excessive consumption of sugar contributes to it.

4. It increases your risk of diabetes

An important factor in the development of diabetes is the consumption of soft drinks, energy drinks, sweets and other sugary foods. People who consume one or two of these drinks daily have a much higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Apart from diabetes, the consumption of these excessively sugary drinks also causes weight gain.

5. It can lead to malnutrition

People who get over 18% of their calories from sugary consumption suffer from deficiencies in essential elements that the body needs, such as folic acid, calcium, iron and vitamins A and C.

Tips on how to control sugar cravings

Eat more protein to control sugar cravings

Replacing the intake of sugary foods with protein is one of the best ways to stabilize blood sugar levels. Depending on the food, a protein-rich meal can actually reduce the uptake of sugar into the body and prevent rapid rises in blood sugar, reducing your cravings.

However, eating more protein does not mean you have to eat steaks all day. You can also eat legumes, lentils, beans, fish, eggs and dairy products.

2. Increase your fiber intake

It is very easy to choose to eat high fiber foods. However, to reduce the craving for sugar, choose foods that contain many naturally soluble fibers such as nuts, flaxseeds, fruits and vegetables.

The fiber in these foods slows down the rate of digestion, which in turn stabilizes blood sugar levels. This effectively reduces the craving for sugar and the risk of diabetes.

Another benefit of a diet high in fiber is that you feel full longer as this food is digested more slowly.

Also read: High-fiber foods that can help you lose weight

Choose bitter foods to control sugar cravings

When we have a craving for something sweet, one of the best ways to combat that craving is to eat something bitter. Many bitter foods contain many probiotics or organic acids that help good bacteria grow.

Adding lemon or lime to water can also be a good solution. The acids in these fruits help slow down digestion, which helps maintain blood sugar levels and prevent sugar cravings.

4. Rest and sleep well to control sugar cravings

When we are tired, we tend to eat sugary foods to fight fatigue. Therefore, if you rest well, you will remove a factor that helps create sugar cravings.

5. Distract yourself to control sugar cravings

Lastly, every time you feel like something sweet, try to think of something else. This urge generally lasts 10 to 20 minutes, so if you manage to distract yourself, the urge will go away. The more you practice this habit, the easier it will be to forget all unwanted urges.

In general, excessive sugar consumption is harmful to our health. These five tips can help control your sugar cravings and reduce your overall sugar intake.