There many different reasons why you might crave sugar. Sugar cravings can be triggered by blood sugar imbalances that are caused by a poor diet or large periods of time without eating. You may crave sugar for emotional reasons or because of an unhealthy gut microbiome. Or is may be a large amount of stress that has you craving sugar. The average American consumes approximately 150 lbs of sugar a year which is about 1/2 lb per day. High amounts of sugar leads to a spike in blood sugar levels. And when this happens consistently, it can lead to chronically elevated insulin which contributes to inflammation, hormone imbalance, weight gain, and yes, more sugar cravings. Here are some tips that may help reduce, or even stop, your sugar cravings.
Use Natural Sweeteners
Eliminating processed sugars will take you a long ways toward stabilizing your blood sugar and eliminating sugar cravings. Instead, consider using natural sweeteners like stevia or monk fruit that won’t cause the spike in blood sugar levels that is so harmful to your body. Both stevia and monk fruit have been proven safe for diabetic populations because they have no significant impact on blood sugar levels. In fact, there are some studies that show that they may actually improve your body’s ability to maintain steady blood sugar levels.
Water and Healthy Salts
Sugar cravings can often be a result of dehydration and improper mineral balance. This is because your liver utilizes water in the process of converting glycogen into glucose for energy. If you are dehydrated then your liver can’t produce glucose and your body tries to compensate by signaling you to consume sugar. Adding a high-quality healthy salt such as Himalayan pink or Celtic sea salt can help you stay hydrated by providing trace minerals and electrolytes like magnesium, sodium and potassium. Healthy salts also help balance stress hormones which can influence your blood sugar levels.
Low Carb Diet
By replacing high amounts of refined sugars with slow-digesting, low glycemic carbohydrates, your blood sugar levels will balance and you should have fewer sugar cravings. Always eat as much organic as you can so that you avoid consuming chemicals, hormones, and antibiotics. Examples of high glycemic foods to avoid are white bread, rice cakes, most crackers, bagels, cakes, doughnuts, croissants, and most packaged breakfast cereals. Low glycemic foods include most fruits and vegetables, beans, minimally processed grains, pasta, low-fat dairy foods, and nuts Healthy fats can be helpful as well because they tend to make you feel full after a meal. Examples of healthy fats are avocados, cheese, dark chocolate, eggs, wild caught salmon, chia seeds, oil oil, and coconut oil. Dietary fats also help promote proper secretion of leptin which is a hormone responsible for satiety as well as healthy blood sugar balance.
Exercise
Your blood sugar can be high if you are inactive for long periods of time. If you don’t use your muscles regularly, stored sugar remains in the cells while blood sugar gets diverted into fat stores. By using your muscles, you can burn up those stored sugars and improve your blood sugar levels for a couple of hours. So if you are sitting on a plane or at work, try to get up and move around. Doing air squats is an excellent way to get some exercise and improve your circulation. You can also try this anytime you start to feel a craving for sugar. If you can’t do air squats, consider standing push ups or some other type of movement.
Apple Cider Vinegar, Lemons, and Limes
Apple cider vinegar has been shown to lower the glycemic index (blood sugar response) to higher carbohydrate meals. Sprinkling the juice of lemons and limes over your foods will also slow any blood sugar response. And all three of these liquids have a variety of other nutrients that can aid in digestion and help promote better insulin signaling. In addition, all three of them help your body eliminate toxins. Simply adding these to your foods can be a great strategy to help you balance your blood sugar and reduce sugar cravings. If you don’t want to put them on top of your food, you can add 1-2 Tbsp. to a glass of water and drink about 30 minutes before eating for a similar benefit. This will also help your digestion so that you can get more nutrients out of the food you’re eating.
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