Kick Sugar Cravings with these 5 tips
Many of us crave something sweet, often in the afternoon or after an evening meal. Unfortunately though, after a sugar binge we trigger a blood glucose rollercoaster leading to a rapid and short lived peak in energy and subsequent plummet to an even lower energy level than before!
Feeling like we now need another pick me up, we are hunting for the next snack..usually some form of refined carbohydrate as our body is saying "get me energy, quick"! This is how one chocolate biscuit turns into a whole pack and pretty soon we are resenting ourselves for our lack of self control and judging ourselves harshly for over indulging...sound familiar?
It's certainly a viscous cycle and one many people struggle to break but with a bit of effort and a few tweaks you can help kick those sugar cravings to the curb. Here's my top tips.
1) MAGNESIUM: Consuming magnesium rich foods such as leafy greens, nuts, seeds and raw cacao can help regulate blood sugar levels and reduce cravings.
2) TRAIN YOUR TASTEBUDS: Add more greens (again) and bitter foods like lemon to your diet. These foods can alter our tastebuds, making us more sensitive to sweet flavours and therefore not craving an intense sweetness from food.
3) SPICE IT UP: Adding spices to meals and snacks can add flavour without adding sugar! Cinnamon in particular has been proven to contribute to better blood sugar regulation when 1 tsp is consumed daily.
4) EAT PROTEIN & HEALTHY FATS AT EVERY MEAL: Starting with breakfast, consume healthy fats such as avocado, nuts, tahini, olive oil or oily fish with your meals. Protein is also essential as it takes longer for our body to metabolise, promoting satiety and keeping you feeling fuller for longer. Good Sources of protein include eggs, poultry, seafood, red meat, lentils, tofu, beans, hemp seeds, nuts and quality protein powders, Goodbye cookie cravings!
5) LIMIT CAFFEINE: Consuming too much caffeine triggers our body to produce more adrenaline. Adrenaline leads to a spike in our blood sugar level and sub sequential ‘crash’ leaving us craving more sugar to pick our energy levels back up. Try sipping on herbal tea or a turmeric latte instead.
Try implementing these tips and see if they make a difference to your sugar cravings and overall energy this week! When we start to regulate our blood sugars, our satiety and cravings become regulated too. will take care of itself. It always does.