Author:
Robert Simon
Date Of Creation:
19 June 2021
Update Date:
1 July 2024
Content
Are sweets always on your mind? Do you feel like you have a sugar addiction? Recent research has shown that sugar often affects chemicals in the brain and induces cravings. This feeling is often more intense when influenced by attractive foods, such as high-fat foods. One of the main reasons here is that sugar stimulates the brain to release serotonin and endorphins. These two compounds provide both short-term and short-term energy and help improve feelings of discomfort. The triggers of a craving for sweets vary from person to person. However, most of them are often related to mood and energy recovery when consuming sweets. However, there are still some effective ways to help curb the cravings for this sweets.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Find out the Cause of Your Inception
Watch for triggers related to your emotions. Cravings for sweets often flare up when you feel hungry. Usually, this craving is triggered by an emotion. Think when was the last time you started craving a sweet tooth. How did you feel at that time? Are you depressed, stressed, lonely, celebrating a victory, or even worried about insecurity? Everything will become easier when you understand any of the triggers because this will help you plan the best way to tame your sweet addiction.- To find out about your emotional triggers, pay attention to when you want to eat sweets. Whenever you have a craving, don't forget to write in your journal how you felt at that moment. Try to pinpoint the exact feeling you are experiencing.
- For example, you may want to eat sweets as soon as you learn that you got a bad grade on an exam. Or, your cravings can be the result of feeling down and down.
Watch out for stress symptoms. The cravings for sweets also often flare up when in a state of tension. When stressed, the body normally releases large amounts of the hormone cortisol. Cortisol is often associated with a long list of negative effects on the body, from weight gain to a weakened immune system. Stress is seen as part of the biological response to acute stress. And one of the ways to overcome stress is to eat sweets as this can help alleviate the reaction.- If you're feeling stressed, try to avoid sweets. Instead, find other solutions, such as exercise or deep breathing.
Know when your body needs energy. When you feel tired, you will find a quick and easy way to recharge. Normally, sugar can only provide you with temporary energy and this energy won't last long. Part of the side effect of sugar is that the energy in the body actually goes down right after that because it is not a sustainable source of energy. Sugar is one of the fastest substances the body can turn into fuel or energy.- However, the problem here is that sugar is only fast and short term power supplies. And you will quickly feel exhausted when this energy burns out.
Watch out for hormonal cravings. In women, sweets addiction can be triggered by premenstrual syndrome, and occurs due to decreased endorphins. Eating plenty of sugar can stimulate the brain to boost production of this healthy chemical. The positive side effect of sweets is that your body releases chemicals that can help relieve pain.
- Any hormone-related problem can be the cause of cravings. The reason here is that hormones are an indispensable component in the process of providing energy to the body. If you are experiencing or think you are experiencing a hormone imbalance or deficiency, seek medical help.
Method 2 of 3: Changing Eating Habits
Enjoy a quality meal. If you have a craving for something sweet, try checking to see if it's because you're hungry. Enjoying a nutritious and healthy meal can help reduce the cravings for sweets caused by the feeling of exhaustion. When choosing what to eat in your daily meal, choose nutritious foods that are healthy and rich in energy, such as protein, fiber, and complex carbs.
- Increase the amount of protein in your meals, such as fish, chicken, lean red meats, and nuts.
- Say no to canned foods that contain lots of sugar and unhealthy ingredients, such as salt.
Get plenty of fiber. Fiber plays an important role in maintaining healthy sugar levels in the body while helping to reduce hypoglycemia - one of the causes of cravings addiction. What's more, fiber helps you feel full for longer. Therefore, choose foods high in fiber because they can satisfy your hunger.
- Some good suggestions include whole seeds, broccoli, artichokes, whole wheat pasta, raspberries, and loads of other beans.
- Women are advised to get about 35 to 45g of fiber daily while men get around 40 to 50g daily.
Split into several small meals. When you feel exhausted, the craving for sweets will arise. And one useful way to overcome this problem is to break into several small meals throughout the day. This will help you avoid the energy loss that often occurs when you are hungry.
- Several studies have shown that 5 to 6 snacks plus 3 main meals help maintain a feeling of fullness for a long day. Try to increase your daily calorie intake as you add more small meals.However, 5 to 6 medium-sized meals should not be consumed. The reason for this is that this will increase the amount of calories absorbed by the body.
Read the label carefully. Sugar is often hidden in most processed foods. If you can't read the ingredients or have a lot of ingredients listed on the label, chances are they contain a lot of sugar. Other common names for sugars include agave syrup, brown sugar (brown sugar), corn sweetener, corn syrup, dextrose (chemical sugar), fructose (fructo), glucose (simple sugar), lactose, maltose, sucrose, high-fructose corn syrup (fructose-rich corn syrup), fruit juice concentrate, honey (honey), invert sugar (metabolic sugar) , malt sugar, molasses (molasses), raw sugar, sugar (sugar), and syrup (syrup).
Choose healthy sweets. Sweets don't have to be fussy, tasty, or giant desserts. It's best to choose simple sweets that are unprocessed and don't include artificial sweeteners. Enjoying simple sweets also means staying away from processed foods as they are often high in sugar. Try out some other options, such as fruit and dark chocolate.
- Goodbye sweet candies, cakes, cookies, and ice cream.
Drink more water. One of the easiest ways to cut sweets and reduce addiction is to drink plenty of water. This routine will help you avoid drinks that contain a lot of sugar, while staying hydrated and healthy. Say no to drinks high in sugar, such as sports drinks, carbonated drinks, and some other fruit drinks.
- If you don't like drinking water, try switching to natural mineral water that has an all-natural flavor.
Skip artificial sweeteners. Artificial sweeteners are not the solution to avoid or reduce your cravings for sweets. Besides, there is also a study around the effect of sweeteners on the body and increased risk of cancer. This usually includes saccharin, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, cyclamate sodium, and neotame.
- Look for healthy sweeteners, such as sweetener. This sweetener is low in calories and is an all-natural source. This means that they are derived from pure sweet herbs and not from other chemicals, like artificial sweeteners. Furthermore, the herb has been shown to be highly effective in treating high blood pressure and colic. However, the plant is also known to interact with certain medications, such as anti-inflammatory and antifungal drugs. It is advisable to consult with your doctor whether fenugreek is safe when you are taking any of the above medicines.
Method 3 of 3: Change of Behavior
Practice mindful eating. This means that you should practice mindfulness while eating. Mindfulness is not simply about how to eat healthy, but also a way to allow yourself to fully experience eating, breaking bad habits, and a clear awareness of other habits. around eating. Mindfulness encourages you to know when you are really full and to focus more on your body's signals that you are full. The benefit of mindful eating is the reduction in binge eating and desserts.
- To become familiar with the mindfulness technique, try something new. Usually, we regularly eat the same breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Try changing a new recipe or making a vegetable and meat dish that you don't usually eat.
- Pay more attention to chewing food. This includes looking at the food, focusing on how you see it, enjoying the food each time you chew, and spending a little time later enjoying the experience. Turn off the TV completely and stay away from anything annoying so you can focus on enjoying the food every time you chew.
Take a break before having dessert. It takes time for your brain to notice that your body is full after a meal. It takes a while for the brain to pick up signals from the digestive hormones. The rest time is different for each person. However, it is advised to wait 20 to 30 minutes before desserts.
Get active or do something to distract your sweet cravings. If you start to have a sweet craving, try something else to reduce your emotional triggers, or to allow yourself a break between a meal and a sweet treat. If you feel bored and want to hold a bag of candy to fill in your free time, try some of the following activities:
- Walk
- Practice meditation
- Write diary
- Chew sugar-free gum
Limit your exposure to sweets. Another good way to stave off cravings is to limit your approach to tempting sweets. This includes removing them altogether or placing them out of sight. Research shows that getting rid of or at least making it difficult for yourself to get closer to sweets helps reduce their absorption into the body. This also gives you more time to think about if you really need or want the food. You can try:
- Throw away all sweets and sugars in the house.
- Hide sweets on the top of the shelf where you can hardly reach them.
- Place nutritious and healthy food in sight, such as a bowl of fruit on the counter, instead of placing a jar of cookies on it.
