How to stop sugar cravings? This is a question I can only answer by how I deal with it. Sometimes, you don’t do too well and eat what you shouldn’t. Give yourself a break, as we are only human.
Yet, after a lifetime of eating candy and drinking soft drinks, where would you ever turn to for help? Good question. I had to figure it out by myself through my own research.
We were born with a tongue with taste receptors. If the food were bitter, we would avoid it in nature. Bitter often means poisonous. Sweet, on the other hand, means it’s OK to eat. But, we tricked ourselves with refined sugar.
It’s unnatural and in the case of fructose, our livers don’t know what to do with it except to turn it into fat. This fat is bad for our heart and cardiovascular system. This is the notoriously bad LDL cholesterol.
Yet, fructose is so cheap, it’s used to enhance the flavor of nearly anything that’s been processed. Unfortunately for us; fat, salt and sugar makes food taste better.
But, how to stop sugar cravings when you are addicted? Many sip on a soft drink throughout the day. And, if you eat chips and crackers, they are nearly the same affect as sugar on your blood sugar levels. You gain weight. Highs and lows in blood sugar through the years is absolutely not healthy. We don’t want to get type 2 diabetes, do we?
I don’t think you can stop the addictive cravings you feel for refined sugar. Once an addict, you better not go back! You have to train yourself consciously not to grab a piece of candy over a banana. It’s hard, and I often have a difficult time choosing the right healthy food as a substitute for refined sugar products.
When I fall off the wagon and eat the sweets I know I shouldn’t, I try to catch myself and eat some fruit after. The fiber in fruit will help equalize the effects of the refined sugar. And, it will reinforce the idea you made a wrong choice and the right one is eating a piece of fruit, instead.
Fruit has fructose naturally in it. This way is OK. It’s when you unbind it from the fiber that’s the problem. Avoid refined and processed, eat whole food, instead. Eat fruit, but never juice it. It’s like eating spooned sugar from the sugar bowl!
And, by all means, avoid high fructose corn syrup. This is one of the worst health offenders on your body of all! Read labels to be sure. Best practice, don’t buy anything in a box, package, can, bottle or bag! And, don’t go to the store hungry!
Note- before you change your diet contact your doctor.
