Do you have an uncontrollable craving for dessert and can't stop thinking about it? Do you think you have a real sugar addiction? Recent research shows that this substance acts directly on certain brain mechanisms to stimulate cravings. The craving for sugar is often stronger than the craving for other nutrients, such as fat. Because? The sugars allow first of all to release the hormones of good mood, including serotonin and endorphins. These chemicals induce a brief increase in energy and often improve mood. The factors that cause cravings are subjective, but are generally associated with the temporary benefits of sugar, such as a good mood and increased energy. In any case, there are ways to combat these cravings.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Identify the Causes
Step 1. Look for emotional triggers
The craving for sweet is due to hunger, but often emotional reasons are added to this. Think about when was the last time you craved something sweet. How did you feel? Bored, stressed, alone, in the mood for celebration or worried? It is useful to understand the emotional causes in order to plan in the best way how to fight them.
- To understand what the emotional causes are, write down the moments when you are craving for dessert in a notebook. Whenever you want or eat a candy, write down how you feel at that moment in a journal. Make sure you define each emotion.
- For example, you crave sweets right after getting a bad grade on an exam. Consequently, the desire can be caused by sadness or disappointment.
Step 2. Observe if you are craving for sweetness when you are feeling stressed
Tension is another trigger. Stress stimulates the production of a hormone called cortisol, which is associated with a long list of negative consequences on the body, from weight gain to a weakening of the immune system. Stress comes into play during the "fight or flight" reaction, which should physically release cortisol and bring it back to a normal level. When this does not happen, the hormone builds up in the blood and the mechanism is sabotaged, causing some tension. Eating candy is a way used by many to deal with it because sugar calms anxiety.
If you are feeling stressed, try not to eat candy. Find another outlet, like working out or breathing deeply
Step 3. Recognize the times when you need energy
Fatigue pushes you to look for something that can give you a boost in a quick and easy way. Sugar temporarily offers this energy, the problem is that it doesn't last long. One of the side effects is just that: after a while, energy collapses inexorably because it doesn't come from a sustainable source. In fact, sugar is one of the substances that are transformed fastest by the body into energy.
In short, the problem is always the same: it is a fast and short-lasting energy source, so it often leads to an energy collapse when the initial thrust begins to subside
Step 4. See if you have hormonal cravings
For women, cravings for sweets can be triggered by PMS, as endorphin production decreases. Eating sweets therefore promotes a feeling of well-being on a chemical level. Furthermore, the consumption of sugar releases a substance that performs an analgesic function in the body.
Hormonal problems can create cravings: hormones are in fact necessary in the process of assimilating energy by the body. If you have or think you have hormonal imbalances or deficiencies, see a specialist
Part 2 of 3: Changing Your Eating Habits
Step 1. Have a real meal
When you get an irresistible craving for dessert, try to figure out if you are really just hungry. Eating a nutritious and healthy meal can decrease the craving for sweets triggered by low energy levels. When choosing what to cook, opt for healthy foods that will truly invigorate you, such as protein, fiber and complex carbohydrates.
- Increase your intake of proteins, such as fish, chicken, lean red meats, and nuts.
- Avoid prepackaged foods, which are high in sugar and harmful ingredients like salt.
Step 2. Consume more fiber
They help keep blood sugar levels optimal, so this will reduce the sugar drop that causes the craving for sweet. Plus, they allow you to feel full for longer. Prefer foods with a high fiber content - you will see that they will satisfy you.
- Choose foods like whole grains, broccoli, artichokes, whole wheat pasta, raspberries, and legumes.
- The recommended daily requirement is 35-45g of fiber for women and 40-50g for men.
Step 3. Eat small meals
When the craving for dessert is due to a drop in energy during the day, another strategy is to distribute meals differently. This allows you to avoid that classic slump that occurs after hours of fasting.
According to some research, having 5-6 small meals a day, against the canonical 3, helps you feel full throughout the day. As you add more meals, try to increase your daily calorie intake in a healthy way. Just remember that you don't have to prepare 5-6 full meals, otherwise you will be consuming too many calories
Step 4. Read the labels
Sugars lurk in most processed foods. If you are unable to recognize the ingredients or there are many, the product in question is probably rich in them. Remember that sugar is also commonly called in other ways: agave syrup, muscovado sugar, corn syrup, glucose syrup, dextrose, fructose, glucose, lactose, maltose, sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, concentrate of fruit juice, honey, invert sugar, rice malt, molasses, brown sugar and syrup.
Step 5. Choose healthier sweet foods
You don't have to go for complicated, elaborate, or huge products. It would be better to opt for a simple dessert, which is not filled with processed and artificial ingredients. Eating plain candy also means avoiding those industrial foods that are often full of sugar. Try foods like fruit and dark chocolate.
Avoid candy, cakes, cookies, and ice cream
Step 6. Drink more water
One of the easiest ways to reduce your candy intake and crave it is to drink more water. Not only does it help you avoid sugary drinks, it also promotes good hydration and makes you feel better. Don't drink sugar-filled sodas, such as sports drinks, sodas, and some fruit juices.
If you don't like plain water, try carbonated water flavored with natural ingredients
Step 7. Avoid artificial sweeteners
They certainly do not offer the solution to avoid or decrease the craving for sugar. There is also research (albeit not definitive) on the link between the consumption of sweeteners and a higher incidence of cancer risk. Artificial sweeteners include saccharin, aspartame, acesulfame K, sucralose, cyclamate, and neotamus.
Choose a healthier sweetener, such as stevia extract. It has no calories and is of plant origin. This means that it comes from the stevia plant, therefore it does not have chemicals like artificial sweeteners. Additionally, stevia has been shown to be effective for treating high blood pressure and intestinal disorders. In any case, it has been observed that it interacts with some medicines, such as anti-inflammatory and antifungal ones. If you take them, talk to your doctor to make sure you can use stevia
Part 3 of 3: Behavioral Changes
Step 1. Try to eat consciously
When you are at the table, focus on the dish in front of you. It is not a diet, but a way to be fully present when you eat, get rid of bad habits and become more aware of your relationship with food. It encourages you to know when you are actually full and to pay attention to your body's signals. The benefit? Mindful eating prevents you from bingeing and craving dessert.
- To become more aware, try something new. The same foods are often eaten regularly for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Try to replace them with new recipes, vegetables, and types of meat that you don't usually bring to the table.
- Pay attention to every bite. This means that you should look at the food, appreciate how it looks, savor each bite, and stop for a moment after swallowing it. Turn off the television and avoid other distractions so you can enjoy your food.
Step 2. Take a break before dessert
After eating, the brain needs time to register that it is full. In fact, it must receive a series of signals from the digestive hormones secreted by the gastrointestinal tract. Waiting is subjective, but it is recommended to wait 20-30 minutes before eating dessert.
Step 3. Look for an alternative activity
When you are craving for dessert, try a pastime that mitigates the emotional triggers or allows you to take a break between the end of a meal and dessert, so that you can rationally deal with the craving. If you are bored and want to eat a bar of chocolate to kill time, try one of the following activities:
- Take a walk;
- Meditate;
- Write in the diary;
- Chew sugarless gum.
Step 4. Restrict access to candy
Another strategy to avoid them is to reduce temptation. You may completely avoid buying or hiding them. According to research, stopping buying sweets or not having them on hand decreases their consumption. In fact, you have more time to think about whether you are really dying to eat them. You can try:
- Throw away all sweets and other sugar-containing products you have at home;
- Hide them on a high shelf, so that it is more difficult to get there;
- Display healthier foods, such as a bowl of fruit on the kitchen table instead of the cookie jar.
