5 Ways To Beat That Sugar Craving

Feeling a little out of control over sweets? Is that box of Ferrero Rocher screaming your name? Do not answer the call. Although sugar is in most of what we eat, people are unaware that consuming sugary foods in excess can be extremely harmful and addictive.

Sugary foods qualify as 'hyper-palatable' as they trigger your neurons to release the feel-good chemical dopamine. When you consume sugar, it hits your bloodstream almost immediately and increases the dopamine levels to give you a 'feel good' feeling. While many believe that sweet cravings stem from nutrient deficiencies, the truth is that it happens psychologically, through excessive or emotional eating. If you've ever felt you were 'addicted' to the sweet stuff, you're not alone and here are 5 ways to deal with it.

1. Create A Meaningful Reason To Break Away From Sugar

Think positive and look for a long-term reason to break away from sugar. One may want to enjoy optimal health for life, control their diabetes or simply, live long and healthily enough to play cricket with their grandkids. Whatever be the reason, make sure that you really want it. Believe in yourself and fight such cravings to keep yourself motivated and moving.

2. Can't Control Yourself, Indulge The Right Way

We know how hard controlling your cravings can be, especially when those around you are eating brownies or drinking shakes. So indulge right by packing your own clean treats so as not to feel deprived. Opt for food items like prunes, pomegranates,dates, apples and bananas to curb your sugar cravings. Increase the intake of such natural and nutrient-rich foods and practice portion control for a good health.

3. Drink More Water And Stay Active

Believe it or not, dehydration can cause one to crave sugar. Being hydrated has a lot to do with our energy levels and when they drop, we crave a hit of sweetness. Try drinking a glass of water the next time you crave something and see if it helps. Sometimes, we get cravings; not because we are hungry, but because we are bored (or watching Masterchef!). So busy yourself with an engaging activity like a walk outside or an adult colouring book. Remember, the motive is not to reach for anything sweet and unhealthy.

4. Think About The After Effects

If you thought that a generous helping of sugary treats could wipe the cravings away once and for all, you're wrong. The truth it, the more sugar you eat, the more you crave. Hence maybe savour a small bite if you can control yourself from going overboard and set up realistic guidelines. Keep trigger foods out of your home and office to try and minimize the intake, because no one wants to regret having a muffin top over a box full of donuts, right?

5. Find Sweetness In Life

Truth be told, there is no replacement for an 8-hour long sleep. It has been noted that if we don't sleep enough, the body will try to balance this by craving sugar. And nobody wants to indulge in that leftover piece of donut or a can of soda, right? One must take out enough time from work to rest and rejuvenate. Get enough rest to make sure you never actually miss sugar.

Many believe in replacing sugar with substitutes like Spenda and Stevia, but simply replacing sugar for a substitute won't address the actual underlying problem and may lead to more serious issues like complete dependency on sweeteners. So try and avoid them for a healthy lifestyle.