Eat Hot: If you asked me how to curb your sugar cravings, I would answer in three simple words: Eat it. I know, not exactly the advice you’d expect from a health coachbut by keeping a intuitive eating approach in mind and armed with all the healthy tricks from Jessie Inchauspé’s book, The glucose revolution, The road is no longer scary. (Hint: The secret is *how* you eat it.)
To be fair, I’ll ask you a few questions before instructing you to throw your self-control out the window and follow your heart’s desires. What you have breakfast, (sorry, vanilla coffee doesn’t count)how did you sleep last night and your present menstrual period All of which impact blood sugar more than you might expect — until you finish this article, ie *wink*. But the biggest impact on sugar cravings? Your blood sugar. Keep reading for long-term and short-term tips for how to curb sugar cravings in a good way.
Featured image of Michelle Nash.
Ordered
Let’s make it a reality.
Get my FREE Vision Workbook to your inbox. A resource to help you purposefully set (and actualize) goals in six changeable areas of your life.
Thank you for registering!
Oh!
Looks like you registered or your email address is not valid.
Oh!
Looks like you unsubscribed before click here to re-register.
Why do we crave sugar?
Our bodies are always communicating with us. When we learn to listen to its signals, we can give our body exactly what it needs to keep growing. One (not too subtle) example of how the body communicates with us: sugar cravings.
Let’s set the scene: You’ve just come home from a long day and a small voice rings in your head and whispers, a sweet snack isn’t PERFECT right now? This is your body’s way of telling you that your blood sugar is about to drop – and you need something sweet to bring it back into balance. Whenever our blood sugar spikes, a crash happens, and the aftermath of this crash is the main reason your sugar cravings happen.
Remember: Life is too short to not eat sweets
Listen to me. It’s perfectly fine to eat foods high in sugar from time to time. While there are many benefits to a sugar-free diet and lifestyle, too much emphasis on “clean eating” can lead to an unhealthy relationship with food.
Don’t get me wrong: limiting added sugars in our diets is important for our long-term health and well-being. But a healthy all-round lifestyle means looking at everything the big picture, and sugary foods eaten in moderation can be part of a healthy diet. Especially when we have deployed sustainable habits like prioritizing our sleep, exercise, and mental health.
My personal strategy for curbing sugar cravings is to eat a little sugar every now and then as if it’s no big deal — because the way you think about food affects the nutrition you take in. Mind blown away. So, now hoping to dispel some of the shame and fear about eating sugar, let’s talk about strategies on how to curb your sugar cravings and incorporate healthy foods into your diet. Add this sweet snack to your healthy diet.
How to curb sugar cravings in the long term
Pay attention to your menstrual cycle
There’s a reason women crave chocolate and ice cream during their time of the month, but scientists aren’t exactly sure what that is. Scientists speculate that female sex hormones cause blood sugar instability (leading to glucose spikes, crashes, and sugar cravings) and sex hormones increase appetite.
During the luteal phase, the female body requires more calories to be active. While everyone (and everyone) body), on the other hand, the average increase in caloric requirement is about 300 calories per day during this phase of the menstrual cycle. A small increase in calorie intake can help stabilize blood sugar and curb sugar cravings.
Prioritize sleep hygiene
Quality of sleep have a huge impact on sugar cravings. When we are Sleepless, Our body’s ability to metabolize glucose in the blood is impaired. If you wake up after eight hours of good sleep and eat a piece of fruit on an empty stomach, it may not cause a drop in blood sugar. But another day, after just six hours of sleep, the same piece of fruit can lead to a sharp drop in blood sugar.
One night of poor sleep also affects hunger hormones. Leptin and ghrelin, our hunger hormones, play an important role in determining appetite, and Sleepless has been shown to affect these hormones and increase hunger signals. But here’s the takeaway: Poor sleep makes us crave foods with higher calorie content. So, if you are wondering how to curb sugar cravings, make it a priority to spend 7-8 hours sleep every night.
Eat a piece of fruit
My personal strategy to combat sugar cravings on the spot is usually to eat something sweet. (I know, revolutionary.) I find that giving my body what it needs is a gentle and intuitive approach to healthy living.
Whenever I crave sugar, I go to fruit First. Usually, mango, watermelon or nectarine do the trick for me. Not only will you get the sugar your body needs, but fruit is high in fiber and will help balance your blood sugar better than a candy or cake. Not to mention the many vitamins and minerals in fresh fruit that are important for long-term health and well-being.
Drink a cocktail of adrenalin
The adrenal cocktail is a hormone-supported beverage filled with electrolytes and fresh fruit juices. Fruit juices are high in natural sugars to satisfy your sweet tooth and are packed with electrolytes and minerals for added hydration.
But when it comes to adrenal cocktails, proceed with caution. Because fruit juice has the fiber removed, it is not the best option to stabilize blood sugar. However, if you combine the functional drink with a handful of almonds or a scoop of high-fat coconut cream, you can keep your blood sugar steady and reduce cravings.
Eat with nut butter
Dried fruit has a higher sugar content than fresh fruit. This means that dried melons are more likely to spike blood sugar and lead to sugar cravings. However, combining dates with protein-rich nut butter that’s packed with healthy fats can give us the steady blood sugar our bodies need. A quick snack of dates and nut butter can satisfy your sugar cravings while providing you with a little extra fiber, iron, potassium, and loads of other vitamins and minerals.
The best way to indulge in sugar cravings
Apple Cider Vinegar Photography
Yes, it’s true. Drink alcohol apple cider vinegar, or topping your salad with dressing before eating something sweet will help reduce blood sugar spikes, reducing cravings and sugar cravings. I call this a WIN. Just be sure to dilute the ACV in water before taking it.
Thinking about food orders
The order in which you eat your food matters. The best way to eat any meal is to eat the foods with the highest fiber first, followed by proteins, fats, and carbs. But please don’t tear your sandwich and eat it piece by piece. These rules must enhance your life, doesn’t make it more complicated. Prioritizing a plate of fiber-rich vegetables, such as a salad, before each meal is a simple way to implement this healthy secret.
“If you eat meal items that contain starch, fiber, sugar, protein, and fat in a specific order, you will reduce your overall glucose spike by 73 percent, as will your insulin spikes. you are 48 percent.”
– Jessie Inchauspe, The glucose revolution
Enjoy the movement of the mind
Moving our bodies, whether it’s jumping jack, squatting or walking around the block, reduces the spike in our blood sugar after eating sweets. This is an extremely effective tip on days when sugar cravings are at an all-time high.
It doesn’t have to be complicated and doesn’t have to take a lot of time. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, do some chores around the house, or turn on music and dance to your favorite song.
Combine your sugars with protein, fiber and fat
Remember the date and nut butter snack above — you can use this recipe anytime you crave sweetness. Find foods to eat with sweets that are high in fiber, fat, and protein. These macronutrients slow down our digestion, slowing the release of sugar into the bloodstream and thus reducing sugar cravings. Snacks that are easy on hand are prosciutto, cheese, or my favorite, a boiled egg.
This newspaper only gives true information. It is not, nor is it intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment and we recommend that you always consult your healthcare provider.
