We all love sweet foods. Consuming sugary food is undoubtedly rewarding for our brains as it uplifts our mood and positively impacts the same. Psychologists believe that a desire to eat something sweet stems from stress relief, comfort, reward, overcoming tiredness, prolonging a celebration, and many other factors. However, one should not feel guilty about sugar cravings, as cravings are a natural phenomenon, and people crave diverse food at some point. However, it is crucial to note that excessive sugar consumption can have significant side effects:
- Primarily, eating sugar-based items can cause Type 2 Diabetes
- Sugar is terrible for the mouth as it can lead to cavities
- Sugar can lead to an excessive increase in weight gain
- Sugar is terrible for your heart as it increases the risk of heart diseases
- Consumption of a diet that is rich in sugary foods and drinks is often considered to be bad for acne
Dentists recommend that eating sugar directly impacts our teeth and causes tooth decay. This is because sugar mixes with our saliva in the mouth and leads to plaque, which can further reduce the enamel and causes cavities.
Diabetologists believe that consuming much sugar increases the chances of weight gain, which can directly or indirectly cause Type 2 Diabetes. Hence, it is better to watch out for daily sugar consumption and calorie intake. Enjoying sugar or sugary meals such as cakes and other sweets occasionally is an excellent way to treat your taste buds and is part of a healthy balanced diet.
People who have sugar teeth tend to get sugar cravings regularly for the best possible reasons explained below:
- Habit: Sugar cravings are often associated with habits. People who develop this habit of overeating sugar tend to get sugar cravings, especially after food, as a reward for the brain and a feel-good factor. After eating the sugar, insulin is released in the body, and it reaches our brain, which results in the release of dopamine and further develops eating sugar into a habit
- Deficiency of Nutrients: When the body is faced with nutrient deficiency, then it will not be able to gear up to the energy levels, and in that case, cravings for sugar increase as it will help the body in increasing the sugar level
- Sudden Change in Blood Sugar: Out-of-the-box cravings for sugar can be caused by a sudden fall in blood sugar levels, and as a result, the body needs more sugar to keep the energy blood sugar level high
If you are always in the mood to eat some sugar and have cravings consistently, here are some ways to control the cravings:
- Eat a Fruit: Eating fruit whenever a craving sets effectively to fight the urge and get fiber and nutrients. As most fruits have a sugary taste, this will give you the sweetness that your body was craving
- Reduce the long gaps between Meals: Do not give a long gap between meals as increasing the gap between your meals will increase the consumption of sugary and fatty foods, which will keep you full for long hours, thereby cutting your hunger and impacting the blood sugar levels in the body
- Reduce Stress and Anxiety: Managing stress and anxiety levels will help curb sugar cravings. When our brain is stressed out, we tend to feel hungry and crave something sweet in nature. Therefore, we overeat and eat sugar-based foods. Consequently, it is advised to control stress and anxiety levels by practicing yoga, meditation, listening to music, and following other methods which help to relax
- Take a Walk: When craving sets in, keep your shoes ready and go outside for a walk or a run; this helps in creating the distance between the food, and since both walk and run will release endorphins, it will further help in turning off the craving
- Change Your Food: When we eat the same things daily, either because they are healthy or in the name of nutrients, we get stuck in our eating habits. Hence, it is advised to choose different spices. As the saying goes, those spices are the savior; they will not only add distinct types of taste to the food but will also help in setting off the sugar cravings
- Pay Attention to your Body: Craving is an intense desire to eat something, but a simple craving should not drive you to eat what is needed. Doctors advise following other patterns as well like, for example, craving followed by headache, stress, physical hunger, or lack of energy, and so on
- Hormonal Changes: Women tend to have more cravings for sugar because of the hormonal changes caused by hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, and estradiol. These cravings are usually felt during the menstrual cycle and pregnancy
Sugar cravings can be bothersome, especially when we follow a restrictive diet or want to reduce weight. If fighting those out-of-blue desires can be challenging, then consuming the below-mentioned foods can be helpful:
- Berries: Consuming any berries, namely blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries, is the best solution to strike-off sugar cravings
- Avocado: Avocado is rich in fiber and healthy fats. Consuming avocado can help suppress our hunger, enhance blood sugar levels, and limit blood sugar level
- Chia Seeds: Chia seeds are rich in nutritional levels as they have proteins, omega-3 fatty acids, and fiber. Therefore, consuming chia seeds regularly can keep sugar cravings off for a more extended period
- Oats: Oats are very filling and lower our glucose level, which helps in combating the sugar cravings
- Coconut Oil: Coconut oil has a fact-based property; therefore, it takes time to digest and leaves us feeling satiated, thereby slowing down the process of food conversion into sugar in our body and balancing blood sugar, which combats sugar cravings
- Olives and Olive Oil: Consuming olives or eating food cooked in olive oil help in feeling full for a longer duration and thereby combating sugar cravings
Disclaimer: This blog has been written after performing in-depth secondary research related to the topic from various articles, blogs, and journals that have expertise in writing for healthcare; suppose you see any issues related to weight gain, sugar cravings, diabetes, we strictly advise you to seek medical consultation. You may book a consultation with SmartCare Doctors.
