Healthy Eating: How To Stop Sugar Cravings
21 March 2019
Given how busy our lives are, it shouldn't be too surprising that, when we start feeling hunger pangs, we might often reach for a chocolate bar rather than something obviously healthier, like an apple or carrot. However, acting on sugar cravings too often can highly adversely affect our health.
For this reason, it is in your interest to do what is "easier said than done" and beat those cravings - and here are some foods and eating practices that can help to keep them at bay.
Swap cereal for a healthier breakfast
Cereal might be an obvious choice for breakfast, but it's an unfortunately sugary choice, too. As a result, tucking into it will, as nutritionist Liam Mahony explains in a Harper's Bazaar article, "cause your blood sugar to spike, then quickly drop - which can lead to mid-morning cravings".
Therefore, prepare a breakfast that combines the treble-treat of good carbs, fibre and protein. You could, for example, serve yourself poached eggs on wholegrain toast alongside some avocado.
Add a touch of cinnamon
How do you get the joy of eating sugar without the health drawbacks? You can satiate your sweet tooth in other ways - such as by consuming cinnamon. According to research, this spice can control blood glucose levels and so help rein in insulin spikes arising from eating an unbalanced meal.
Another plus point of cinnamon is its versatility; you could add it to porridge or sprinkle it on apple slices and roasted vegetables.
Veg your bets: it's surprisingly easy being green
When you suddenly start craving sugar, you might not exactly instinctively reach for vegetables. However, veggies are rich in vitamins and carbohydrates that can help to keep you sated for much longer than that tempting packet of crisps.
As for exactly what veggies to try and when; consider adding leafy greens like kale or spinach to your meals and snacking on the sweet-tasting likes of carrots and red pepper between meals.
Treat them protein, keep them lean
Giving in too often when sugar cravings hit can adversely affect your waistline. Indeed, the NHS advises that adults don't consume over 30g of "free sugars" daily; otherwise, your calorie intake could become excessive and so make you overweight.
However, as advised in an Independent article, eating protein from sources like red meat, organic chicken and fish could help you to prevent craving sweet foods.
Why a high-fibre diet is a high-calibre diet
While fibre is good for people with digestive problems, that's not the sole reason for you to consider adding it to your diet. After all, with enough fibre in your food, you keep hunger away for longer.
You can choose from many different sources of fibre, too. Those options include whole-grain foods like brown rice, quinoa and millet, but don't rule out veggies - both leafy green and low-GI varieties - either. The right diet can even prepare you well for fitness holidays - call 0117 973 12 13 to book a place on one of our exotic boot camps.
