A strong craving for sweets in a child causes. How to get rid of cravings for sweets and starchy foods
Unhealthy eating habits are the #1 reason why people "break" from the right diet. And the most common ones are craving for sweets and flour.
Let's be honest with ourselves. You know perfectly well how to eat right - there is a lot of information. You need to eat more greens. You need to eat more vegetables. But, nevertheless, many people answer the question “Why didn’t you stick to proper nutrition before?” answer: "Because of cravings for sweets and starchy foods."
The title says there are 5, but there are actually four: more fiber, more protein, more healthy fats, more probiotics. If you follow these tips, and optionally the fifth tip I added, it will help you overcome your food cravings such as sweets and baked goods.
1. Eat More Protein
If you have a serious problem with sweets and starchy foods, take advice from Carly Randolph Pitman, author of Overcoming Sugar Addiction and a former sugar addict: Include protein in every meal.
Protein helps stabilize blood sugar levels and maintain adequate energy levels. Make sure every meal contains 15-25 grams of protein. This is enough to make you feel full for several hours, without lethargy and heaviness in the stomach.
This amount of protein is found in 100 grams of cottage cheese, chicken breast or 150 grams of shrimp. Lean beef, turkey, fish are also good.
If you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, then you can get the necessary proteins from legumes, tofu, quinoa, amaranth, seeds and nuts.
Protein Blend PlantFusion can become an ideal component of the diet for those who want to get rid of cravings for sweets and starchy foods forever.
Perfect Amino Acid Profile PlantFusion Plant-Based Protein Shake provides 21 grams of complete protein per serving. A great option for vegetarians, vegans, and those who want to eat more plant-based protein.
2. Increase Your Healthy Fats
To obtain the energy it needs, our body can burn both carbohydrates and fats. If you have made the decision to eat less sweets and starchy foods, start eating more fats. But these fats should be useful!
What about saturated fats? Let me tell you a secret: Saturated (saturated) fats can be good too! But it is not at all necessary to eat fatty meat, drink fatty milk and eat sour cream with spoons. It is enough just to discover such a safe herbal product as Coconut oil.
Coconut oil is 62% healthy medium chain fatty acids(caprylic, lauric and capric) and 91% of coconut oil fats are healthy dietary saturated fats.
Medium chain fatty acids are instantly burned by the body, producing energy and boosting metabolism. This means that your cells completely use up the fat contained in coconut oil and do not store it. And all this without raising blood sugar levels!
Every time you feel like eating a candy or cake, open the refrigerator and scoop up a tablespoon of coconut oil. Experience heavenly delight!
Let's once again list the sources of healthy fats that help overcome sugar cravings:
- avocados, olives, nuts;
- linseed oil, chia seeds, fish oil;
Once you incorporate these foods into your daily diet, your body will turn into a fat burning machine! And in addition to losing weight, eating healthy fats will help you overcome your cravings for sugar.
Natural Factors Pharmaceutical Grade Fish Oil is highly purified and high in Omega-3 fatty acids. Each capsule of Rx-Omega-3 Factors contains 400 g of DHA and 200 g of EPA, 2-3 capsules per day are sufficient.
Healthy Origins Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil in 1.5kg Economy Pack - Unbeatable value for money.
3. Add fiber to your diet
Cellulose increases satiety, reduces appetite and contains no calories! In addition, fiber helps cleanse the intestines and prevents candida from multiplying. And candida is one of the reasons for increased cravings for sweets and starchy foods.
If you seriously decide to give up sweets and starchy foods - start eating more foods containing fiber!
These can be vegetables (especially cruciferous ones: broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts), nuts, seeds (especially chia seeds and flax seeds). Of the cereals, oatmeal and buckwheat are rich in fiber.
Oat bran, acacia fibers, apple pectin, and psyllium husks will also help increase your daily fiber intake.
stevia It is a natural, plant-based sweetener that contains no calories.
In addition, stevia dissolves well in water, is resistant to high temperatures and is harmless for long-term use.
I use Now Foods Better Stevia glycerin extract - one drop per cup of tea is enough for me. A very profitable option!
Many of us have noticed that even after a hearty meal, the hand still reaches for a chocolate bar or a cupcake. Or when you see a photo of a delicious mouth-watering cake on social networks, you definitely want to go buy yourself the same one. Familiar? Let them tell us that sugar is bad, but many people cannot overcome cravings for sweets and sweets. They feel sick if they don't eat a piece of chocolate or put candy in their mouth. What to do, how to get rid of cravings for sweets and overcome the addiction to sweets?
Many nutritionists compare sugar addiction with alcohol addiction, which is also difficult to get rid of. Everyone knows that too much sweet is bad for health and figure, but they cannot overcome it. This problem exists all over the world. For many who would like to acquire a slender figure, it is the addiction to sweets and flour that becomes an obstacle to this goal.
Manufacturers add sugar:
In drinks;
Semi-finished products;
Bakery products (and far from sweet);
Sauces and pastes.
Food service workers are trying to add more sugar to their meals. Yes, the taste of such dishes becomes more intense and well remembered. This is what the calculation is made for, so that a person will return to them again and purchase their products.
So from a once rare delicacy, sugar has become our daily norm and one of the main ingredients of our diet.
According to the analysis of the WHO (World Health Organization), in the developed countries of the world, on average, there are from 30 to 50 kilograms of sugar per person and its share in the diet is about 15 percent, while doctors and nutritionists recommend no more than 5 percent.
Many people are well aware that they need to eat more vegetables, fruits, and adhere to a healthy diet. But they can't deny themselves sweets. Their mood drops, they become lethargic and indifferent, they cannot concentrate quickly. Why is this happening?
Our body needs carbohydrates. Therefore, getting them from sweet foods is natural for our body. Sugar is found in fruits and vegetables. But its content in them is much less compared to candy or chocolate.
Sugar can also become a problem when you just eat it out of habit. People feel like they need something sweet, especially after eating, and don't feel full until they have a sweet for dessert.
Even if you are at a normal weight, sugar can cause serious health problems. It can be more than just heart problems. You may experience headaches, bloating, and more. Excessive sugar consumption may be the cause or one of the reasons:
- Chronic fatigue syndrome;
- Decreased immunity;
- chronic sinusitis;
- Metabolic syndrome with high cholesterol and hypertension;
- heart disease;
- Hormonal disorders;
- Infections with Candida and other yeast bacteria.
After all, the huge amount of sugar and white flour in our diet leads to obesity and related health problems. When sugar is consumed, the level of glucose in the blood jumps, insulin takes off, and stores of fat are deposited throughout the body.
To overcome such dependence and normalize the consumption of sweets, you need not only willpower, but also a change in your diet.
Craving for sweet reasons
Cravings for sweets are very common and should not be ignored. And the point here may not be at all in willpower. We are all programmed for sweets. But some people like to eat candy or other sweet dessert from time to time, others become powerless to fight sugar cravings.
Studies in this area (though not yet as extensive) have shown that some of us are genetically predisposed to sweets and are more prone to sugar addiction.
Some people need more sweet brain stimulation. When sugar enters the body, it produces more of a hormone called dopamine. The reason for addiction to sugar-laden foods and snacks is individual and can be multifactorial for the individual. Two people with the same habits can have completely different reasons. Here are the main causes of sugar cravings that your body may crave for sweets.
Magnesium deficiency;
iron deficiency;
Imbalance of bacteria in the intestine;
Lack of good sleep;
Depression;
Insufficient intake of carbohydrates;
Insufficient protein intake;
Eating too many artificial sweeteners
The use of foods low in fat or their complete absence;
Too many "natural" foods with added sugars.
Nutritional deficiencies can cause various health problems. our body is an intelligent system designed to sustain life. Therefore, when the body lacks any nutrients, it begins to ask for foods containing these nutrients. 
Too much chocolate craving can cause magnesium deficiency in the body. Chocolate is a rich source of magnesium.
The next time you're craving a chocolate bar, instead make a sugar-free cocoa powder drink or eat a 100 percent sugar-free chocolate bar. Other good sources of magnesium are nuts, seeds, beans, and dark leafy greens.
This also applies to iron deficiency, which makes you feel tired and lethargic. Best sources of iron: spinach, egg yolk, red meat, pumpkin seeds, lentils.
Believe it or not, the trillions of bacteria living in our gut control our overall well-being. Therefore, the balance of bacteria in the intestine is very important.
All bacteria living in the intestines, when you eat a lot of sweets, eventually feed on sugar. You will be surprised that as soon as you include more natural products in your diet and give up high sugar intake for seven days, your sugar addiction will significantly decrease.
To restore the normal balance of bacteria in the intestines, include more probiotics, lactic acid products, for example, in your diet.
Sleep deprivation affects food choices in several ways. First of all, if you don't get enough sleep, your body produces more "hunger hormone", forcing you to eat more frequently.
Research has also found that sleep deprivation has a direct impact on the rational part of our brain's decision making, making us more likely to choose "junk" foods.
Finally, when you don't get enough sleep, you feel pretty tired and your body just asks for sweets to cheer you up.
Aim to get at least 7 hours of sleep.
Many under stress begin to eat a lot of sweets to calm down. Sugar is a drug. It contributes to the production of the hormone of happiness and a person does not realize at this time that a lot of sweets are harmful. Stress also raises blood glucose levels, which leads to an increase in insulin produced by the pancreas to flush out this sugar. Excess glucose and insulin are problematic and can lead to weight gain, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
Try other serotonin-boosting foods instead of sweets: sauerkraut, bananas, walnuts, salmon, and green tea. Exercise is another effective way to keep your serotonin levels at optimal healthy levels. If you suspect that you may be suffering from depression, see a qualified medical professional.
Many, trying to lose weight, sit on a low-carb diet. But the body needs carbohydrates. If you limit them or just don't eat enough, eventually your body will just scream and crave them. Therefore, many break down and begin to eat a lot of sweet and starchy foods.
Just as the body needs carbohydrates, it needs protein. Protein intake is important for maintaining stable blood sugar levels throughout the day. If he does not get protein in the morning or at lunch, then by about 3-4 pm the body will begin to demand sweets. Protein and fat slow down the release of sugar from food, keeping blood sugar levels stable and helping to prevent sugar cravings later. Start your day with protein-packed foods.
People often think they are doing the right thing by switching to artificial sweeteners. They do not contain calories. But such a replacement can lead to a drop in blood glucose levels, which causes weakness, hand tremors, and so on. Worse still, the constant use of artificial sweeteners can lead to intestinal tightness and indigestion, which contribute to an imbalance of bacteria.
When removing fat from many products, what do you think manufacturers replace it with? Sugar! Sugar is still present in large quantities in many foods that are marketed as healthy.
There are over 60 types of sugar that you may not even be aware of. But no matter what it comes from, even natural ones like honey, everything in the body is converted into glucose.
How to overcome sugar cravings
Below are five of the best ways to beat sugar cravings. There are actually four main steps. This:
More fiber;
More protein;
Healthier fats;
Eat acidic foods.
By following these rules, you can gradually get rid of cravings for sweets.
- More protein in your diet
Protein will actually help balance your blood sugar and thus really help reduce sugar cravings. Some of the best high-protein foods that you can use to stave off sugar cravings include:
beef;
lentils;
Fish such as salmon, tuna, moquel and other varieties;
Chicken meat;
Black beans;
Raw milk;
Chicken eggs;
Soft cheese;
Natto. 
- Eat more healthy fats
Our body doesn't care where it gets energy from: sugar or fat. If you stop eating a lot of sugar, start eating more fat. Just make sure these are the healthy fats that are recommended for the Mediterranean diet. Such a replacement will help overcome cravings for sugar and sweet foods. Many nutritionists consider natural coconut oil to be the best fat.
- Include More Dietary Fiber
Dietary fiber helps you feel full longer. They also promote detoxification and may reduce the symptoms of candidiasis. Candida is one of the causes of sugar cravings. The norm for an adult is the consumption of 35-40 grams of fiber per day. It contains a lot of nuts, seeds, vegetables. Here is a small list of foods high in dietary fiber:
Brussels sprouts
Lentils
Eating foods rich in fiber can be a good preventive measure for many health problems, such as:
- atherosclerosis
- Colitis
- Constipation
- Crohn's disease
- diabetes
- diarrhea
- Diverticulosis
- hemorrhoids
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- irritable bowel syndrome
- kidney stones
- Obesity
- peptic ulcer
They will help reduce the manifestations of premenstrual syndrome and the symptoms of menopause.
- Eat more acidic or probiotic foods
Probiotic foods, such as fermented foods, dairy products, are acidic due to the presence of good bacteria in them. They suppress candidiasis and reduce sugar cravings. These products include:
- Natto
- Tea mushroom
- Kefir
- Soft cheese
- Olives cooked in brine
- Salted cucumbers
And many other products that have undergone fermentation.
- Replace sugar with stevia
Stevia is a non-caloric natural sweetener that can be a good alternative to sugar. It is only necessary to take into account that the sugar substitute based on it may vary.
There are three main types of stevia:
- Leaf stevia is the least processed of all types of stevia. Its leaves are dried and ground into a powder form. It is sweet, with a slightly bitter taste. This stevia is about 30-40 times sweeter than sugar and is the best option.
- Stevia extract. Some manufacturers today obtain a sweeter and less bitter version of stevia in the form of an extract. It is 200 times sweeter than sugar.
- Truvia or New Stevia. This is the type of stevia that you should stay away from. It's actually not stevia at all. This is a product obtained by processing stevia with the addition of other ingredients. Therefore, there is a huge difference between natural stevia and truvel.
If you follow these five tips, you can say goodbye to your sweet and sugar cravings and say goodbye to them.
Of course, it is important not only to limit your sugar intake, but also to understand the reason for your cravings for it. Only in this way can you completely overcome and overcome it, and you will no longer need to fight and exert all your willpower passing in the store past a box of chocolates or a bottle of soda.
You may not attach much importance to sugar addiction. It would seem, what's the problem? Sweets are available on every corner, and it's not that difficult to get a fresh dose if the mood starts to turn sour. But it is still too naive to underestimate: teeth deteriorate, it is more difficult to monitor weight, mood swings affect relationships with others. You've probably heard of diabetes too.
On the other hand, most are accustomed to sugar as something natural: from childhood, adults give the child sweets to calm down or just smile. There are lucky ones who, at the same time, remain indifferent to sweets. But many, having grown up and got rid of parental restrictions, allow themselves as many sweets as they can absorb.
No matter how strong your addiction, you should not give up on yourself. There are several ways to painlessly reduce sugar cravings.
1. Get More Protein With Your First Meal
Studies have shown that a protein breakfast reduces sugar cravings throughout the day. Lean protein sources such as Greek yogurt, unsweetened peanut butter, eggs, and low-fat cheese reduce ghrelin, the hunger hormone, and increase satiety-signaling pancreatic polypeptide. This data was confirmed by the University of Missouri: using MRI, it was shown that those who ate a protein breakfast later experienced less cravings for sweets. Even if a piece does not fit into your throat in the morning, still give preference to protein foods at the first meal.
2. Never go hungry
Got carried away with work and decided to postpone lunch? In vain. Skipping a meal is a surefire way to trigger sugar cravings and overeat for the rest of the day. Stick to a five-meal pattern (three main meals and two snacks) that will keep your blood glucose levels stable. If possible, try also to maintain a balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates so that the levels of insulin and blood glucose do not jump during the day. Then you won't be drawn to sweets.
3. Consider non-obvious sugar
Many seemingly harmless foods actually contain a lot of sugar: ketchup, sauces, some seasonings. The only way to avoid such products is to read the ingredients. It is better to refrain from such food additives altogether. They often have a lot of harmful components in addition to sugar.
4. Develop your taste
In continuation of the previous point - the following advice: develop your taste and learn to enjoy the products.
svariophoto/Depositphotos.comSliced tomato with fresh basil leaves drizzled with linseed oil, lightly salted and peppered avocado, cheese plate, after all! Personally, I am delighted with such dishes. Although three years ago, the first thing I thought about when I wanted to eat was chocolate or ice cream. It's a matter of habit.
Experiment with spices: cinnamon and ginger suppress sugar cravings. Delight your taste buds with more refined additions than mayonnaise and ketchup - take at least balsamic vinegar and try different vegetable oils. Think about whether milk is really not sweet enough? Lactose is called milk sugar for a reason.
5. Get more sleep
The hormones ghrelin, leptin, and insulin play a crucial role in sugar cravings. Bring them back to normal, and you will stop falling into unconsciousness in search of cookies. At the same time, with excess weight, there will be fewer problems. Research at the University of Chicago showed that a few sleepless nights are enough for leptin levels to drop by 18%, and ghrelin levels to rise by a third - total cravings for sweets increase by almost one and a half times. In addition, sleep deprivation reduces your ability to resist temptation. Therefore, sleep will help you in the fight against sugar addiction.
6. Get moving
A sedentary lifestyle increases appetite. On the other hand, physical activity without sugar improves mood. The next time you want to make another cupcake, it's best to do some simple exercise or just go for a walk.
7. Identify What Really Worries You
Cravings for sweets are strongly associated with emotional discomfort. You may have been addicted to sweets as a teenager, when you were unable to deal with feelings of alienation or resentment. But now you have grown up! Find an outlet for negative emotions, and do not seize them with candy. Yes, it's not easy to change a reflex that you've maintained for years. But probably. The next time you get irritated and reach for a chocolate bar, stop for a moment, close your eyes, be aware of how you feel, focus on and relax. Now it will be a little easier to resist the next portion of sweets.
8. Reveal sweet traps
Analyze your day and determine at what time and in what places you are most receptive to sweet temptations. Perhaps your office has unlimited access to cookies? Sorry. Read this article to colleagues and offer to replace sweets with fruits. Perhaps you can't resist buying chocolate bars at the supermarket after a hard day's work? Today, give in to temptation for the last time, but buy an extra pack of nuts and put them in your bag. Tomorrow, before you go to the store, freeze the worm.
olgamanukyan/Depositphotos.com 9. Look for healthy rewards
Instead of indulging yourself in sweets, reward yourself with a more valuable treat. Often, sugar cravings occur when you are bored or lonely. Make your list of sugar-free rewards and keep it handy in case you get discouraged. Think about what you could do in those 10-20 minutes while waiting for another piece of cake in a coffee shop: listen to your favorite music, make a sketch, call a friend, scratch a cat, take a nap ...
The main rule is that awards must be of a non-food nature.
10. Avoid calcium deficiency
Some research suggests that sugar cravings may be due to a lack of calcium in the body. If you have other signs of it (brittle hair and nails, tooth sensitivity, fatigue), drink a course of a calcium-containing drug in combination with vitamin D. And think about the weak points that lead to imbalance.
11. Record what you eat
Research has shown that keeping a food diary can help you lose weight, in particular reducing your consumption of sweets. But it is necessary to do it correctly, namely, to record not what has already been eaten, but what you are going to eat. The easiest way to do this is with . It is not at all necessary to post the result on Instagram. The process itself is important: while you choose the angle, you give yourself a few extra seconds to think about whether you made the best choice of dish.
12. Relax with a cup of tea and a book
Not only is sweet stress relief not the healthiest, it's also not the most effective. The University of Sussex found that tea is a much better stress reliever. The music is even more relaxing. But the most effective way is to read! Therefore, develop a habit: if you feel annoyed, make a cup of tea (preferably with chamomile) and read a book. Reading is a far better distraction than chewing.
13. Drink plenty of fluids
Dehydration is often mistaken for hunger or sugar cravings. Fatigue, restlessness, decreased concentration, and even a moody mood can be the result of a lack of water in the body. Reaching for chocolate? Set it aside for 15 minutes and drink a glass of water first.
14. Arrange Aromatherapy
Pleasant smells can help you calm down and deal with strong emotions on your own. Instead of reflexively reaching for sweets, inhale the scent of lavender, orange, or cardamom. These smells will help you relax and switch your attention to the olfactory organs. At the same time, you can develop a new reflex that leads to calmness.
15. Enjoy life
Take a moment to think about your schedule. Are there enough things in it that really make you happy? The more healthy sources of joy in your life, the less you will crave sweets. Learn to enjoy the moment, whether it's dinner with the family or a walk from work to home. Smile more often and feel the sweetness of every moment of your life. Then the craving for sweets itself will decrease.
Craving for sweets is one of the most insidious temptations. Rare lucky women can walk past the window of a candy store with their chin held high and refuse a candy or two for tea. However, sweet addiction does not always take the refined forms of a beautiful cupcake or a delicious chocolate bar: often the craving for sweets turns into a real sugar binge without measure and analysis. How to escape from this captivity?
Craving for sweets: no hiding, no hiding!
Over the past decades, sugar cravings have become a hot topic not only in everyday life, but also in science. Research data is truly frightening: scientists are increasingly comparing sugar lovers with drug addicts, warning that sweets not only give fleeting pleasure, but are also addictive, ultimately turning health into ruins.
Meanwhile, the industrial history of sugar is just over two hundred years. At the beginning of the 19th century, beet sugar production was established in Russia, and since then our diet has become sweeter and sweeter.
In the middle of the 19th century, the average European ate only two kilos of pure sugar per year, at the beginning of the 20th century this figure rose to 17 kg per year, and by the first years of the new millennium it was almost 40 kg per capita per year.
Today, there are many types of sugar on the market, differing in both “pedigree” and appearance. The most frequently (and, apparently, quite deservedly) “demonized” is white refined sugar, which is most widely used both in the food industry and in home cooking.
In fact, white store-bought sugar is pure sucrose, a chemical element refined with filters made from burnt bovine bones. The process of producing white sugar turns it into a sterile product in terms of dietary value, the uncontrolled use of which negatively affects the immune system, the intestinal microflora, the condition of the teeth, and the effective absorption of the most important trace elements.
Due to its ability to dissolve without residue in various substances and make food taste more attractive, refined sugar - covertly or openly - is becoming the main ingredient in many industrially prepared foods. Among them are not only confectionery and pastries, but also sodas, juices, sauces, fermented milk and dairy products, meat and offal products, all kinds of semi-finished products. Doctors attribute the modern "epidemic" of insulin resistance to the fact that our diet is oversaturated with fast-absorbing carbohydrates, among which sucrose is in the first place. Which leads to various heart diseases, obesity, type 2 diabetes.
Sadly, often the product sold as brown cane sugar is just refined sugar coated in molasses, a by-product of sugar production. By itself, molasses has many advantages, including a high content of copper, but in the composition of such "disguised" sugar, it brings tangible benefits only to cunning sellers who use "ecological" brown color to increase the value of the product.
The original unrefined cane sugar, gently refined or not subjected to industrial cleaning at all, in addition to sucrose, contains many useful additions, such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and iron. However, its calorie content is as high as that of white, and uncontrolled consumption of "natural" sugar does not at all insure either cravings for sweets or its sad consequences.
Sugar, are you the sweetest in the world?
Sucrose is a disaccharide, a simple carbohydrate. The body competently decomposes sucrose into glucose and fructose in just a few minutes, which enter the bloodstream. Perhaps everyone knows this effect - it is enough to eat a small candy to cheer up and “restart the brain”. Our body runs on glucose, it is a trouble-free and, in general, irreplaceable source of energy. The body ultimately obtains glucose from any carbohydrates (carbos), including slow-metabolizing ones, but simple carbs are called fast precisely because they cause an immediate increase in blood sugar levels and a powerful release of insulin.
The first recipient of glucose is the brain. Then it "reaches" the muscles, kidneys, and other organs. Insulin helps glucose "flow" into the cells, while the brain cells "burn" it immediately, receiving the necessary energy, and the cells of other internal organs act in one of the following ways: either convert the incoming glucose into glycogen (short-term reserves, which, if necessary, are consumed first when there is a shortage of energy from outside), or they split it, spending it on processes that are relevant for the cell. In the event that there is too much glucose, the cell does not face any tasks of growth, repair and transformation, and the glycogen depot is clogged, glucose is transformed into fat.
An unstoppable craving for sweets arises, among other things, due to the rapid absorption of sucrose. A sharp increase in the concentration of sugar in the blood and the release of insulin, which evacuates sugar from the bloodstream, cause the effect of "carbohydrate starvation": everything has been absorbed too quickly, more is needed! At the same time, unfortunately, the human body is not evolutionarily adapted to large doses of simple carbohydrates and is not able to independently understand that new energy is not really required. New "bright flashes" of sugar in the blood lead to new bouts of "sugar hunger", a vicious circle is formed. The first step towards sweet addiction has been taken...
At the end of 2013, the health department of Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, came up with a surprise initiative to place stickers on products containing sugar, similar to those that smokers see today on cigarette packs.
According to Dutch officials, sugar is the most dangerous substance on the planet, and it is up to states to help their citizens come to their senses and think about the dangers to health. Also in the plans of the Amsterdam innovators is the introduction of a state excise tax on sugar in industrial food. They are confident that such a measure is economically justified, because food manufacturers know that eating sugar whets the appetite and are adding more and more sucrose to their products so that people eat more!
Craving for sweets for people with sugar sensitivity turns into a real danger: their self-esteem, performance and mood begin to depend directly on a timely chewed chocolate serving as a bridge of short pleasure between two abysses of despair. However, just a large amount of sugar with sugar sensitivity should be avoided, choosing slow-digesting sugars that can even out blood glucose levels and keep it stable throughout the day. A "dose" of endorphins and serotonin will help support physical activity. Take on the correction of the situation should be at the first suspicion. Otherwise, a person with heightened sensitivity to blood sugar levels will sit firmly on the “candy needle” and demonstrate all the signs of psychological and physical dependence on sweets.
Craving for sweet goes on a night hunt
The author of the famous diet, writes about the insidious mechanism by which cravings for sweets subjugate not only our secret dreams, but also metabolism. In his opinion, the paradox lies precisely in the fact that we are well aware of the harm of sweets, and this is also why we overestimate the joy of meeting with him, expecting an imaginary psychological relaxation that awaits after “loading” with sweets or a cake. This attitude is painfully familiar to those who are in constant struggle with being overweight and trying to severely limit the composition of their diet or its calorie content. “Now I’m eating delicious, and then I’ll sit on rice and water for two weeks,” unfortunately, this way of thinking often becomes a standard trap, because the “last times” follow one after another.
Aleksey Kovalkov draws attention: "sweet binges" become not only a serious psychological trauma (confidence in oneself and one's abilities is collapsing), but also disrupt the functioning of the pancreas, stomach, and liver. The alternation of “pumping with sweets” and starvation leads to metabolic disorders and, ultimately, weight gain, despite the formally meager diet.
What to do? There is only one answer: work on yourself and look at the problem soberly as soon as the sugar fog clears. Dr. Kovalkov is sure that everyone can identify the main causes of breakdowns, their trigger, and learn to separate physiological hunger from emotional.
A varied emotional life, not limited to evening mental “chewing” of work stresses and family grievances, magically extinguishes the need for cookies with icing. And even better, a simple and beloved medicine copes with this - sleep!
Lack of sleep is a direct path to excess weight. This was reliably found out by the Canadian scientist Mir Kreiger. The conclusion of his study, which covered 40 thousand people of different sexes aged 32 to 49 years, is unequivocal - you should sleep at least 7 or even 9 hours a day. The systematic "lack" of sleep causes hormonal disorders that cannot be dealt with by dietary measures alone. The traditional evening leaning on sweets at the end of the working day plays an important role here: sugar activates brain and physical processes, which turns out to be very inopportune when a healthy schedule calls to bed.
If you rarely go to bed before midnight, this means that when you are awake, you find a period of production of the hormone ghrelin, coinciding with a decrease in the production of the hormone leptin. By themselves, these processes are physiological, however, it is assumed that they are going on while the "owner" of the organism is sleeping.
Ghrelin increases appetite, leptin - reduces. If the sleep is full, hormonal processes go through the stages of natural regulation in 8-9 hours, and in the morning a person is already able to have breakfast quite consciously and build his day accordingly. However, if the level of ghrelin began to rise, and you are still at the computer or in front of the TV, it is just right to expect trouble - that is, a ferocious desire to attack kitchen cabinets and chew something delicious. This explains the special craving for sweets at night.
The second peak of an attack of sweet addiction in “night dwellers” is recorded around 3-4 am: it is time for an increase in insulin levels, which entails, respectively, a drop in blood sugar levels and a new attack of irresistible cravings for sweets. Fighting the "eternal hormonal call" at night is really extremely difficult.
Therefore, the advice is simple: if you want to get rid of cravings for sweets, oversleep it!
7 steps to get rid of sugar addiction
In addition to working on yourself psychologically and controlling stress and rest, the following tricks will help you successfully fight sugar cravings.
- 1 Add more sources of protein to your diet - its satiating power and slow absorption help to cope with bouts of hunger and desire to grab something sweet. Of particular benefit will bring farm meat and poultry (raw materials grown in a free environment and not stuffed with hormones) and fish caught in natural ecologically clean reservoirs. Don't forget plant-based proteins too - legumes and nuts remain their non-toxic, easily digestible resource.
- 2 Visit an endocrinologist and gynecologist - an obsessive craving for sweets can be one of the symptoms of thyroid dysfunction or infection with candidiasis.
- 3 Get your doctor's consent to take B vitamins - they help the nervous system to withstand the daily stress of city life. Namely, stress often provokes cravings for sweets, including because it condones inadequate production of the hormone cortisol, which is responsible for fat stores and cravings for junk food.
- 4 Sugar substitutes will not help with sweet addiction - studies have shown that they, on the contrary, increase the desire to reach for a tidbit.
- 5 In order not to fall into the frustration caused by the rejection of your favorite sweets, treat yourself to dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa). The benefits of this delicacy are recognized by many nutritionists - the rich taste allows you to enjoy, the cocoa protein - to get enough of even a small amount, and the antioxidant properties benefit health. The natural sweetness of carob is also a healthy alternative to unhealthy sweets and contains no addictive substances.
- 6 To get rid of addiction to sweets - do not buy sweets!
- 7 Avoid fat-free foods - most often banal sugar is added to improve the taste, and this, as we already know, is a vicious circle - sugar leads to even more sugar.
Give me a pill for sweet cravings, but sweeter!
Of course, taking medications, including dietary supplements, is a measure in overcoming cravings for sweets, which should be approached with extreme caution. However, firstly, there are cases when therapy with drugs becomes the last hope, and secondly, information is never superfluous. Most importantly, do not take any medications or supplements without the knowledge of your doctor! Be sure to agree on the possibility of prescribing, dosage and make sure that there are no side effects and individual intolerance at the face-to-face visit.
Chromium-based preparations have long been used in the "treatment" of cravings for sweets. Chromium is one of the biogenic substances, that is, it is part of the tissues of various representatives of the world of wildlife. In its pure form, chromium is toxic, and hexavalent compounds are also carcinogenic, but the human body constantly needs microscopic mineral intake: it is important for hematopoiesis, fat-carbohydrate metabolism and protein absorption.
Chromium and sugar in the human body are inversely related: eating sweets “washes out” chromium, which, in turn, suppresses sugar cravings.
Chromium picolinate has a bright scarlet color due to the fact that in its composition the metal is oxidized by picolinic acid, which, according to biochemists, simplifies the process of assimilation of chromium by the human body. It is this substance that is often prescribed to reduce cravings for sweets.
Another drug used as a medical “crutch” for sweet addiction is especially well known to athletes and those who, alas, are forced to follow a special diet for gastritis. L-glutamine (glutamine) is a multifunctional amino acid found naturally in animal and vegetable proteins. The therapeutic effect of glutamine was recognized about 40 years ago, and all this time the drug has been successfully used as an adjuvant in the treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract due to its ability to reduce inflammation and accelerate the healing of a wide variety of injuries.
However, gradually, in the course of clinical practice, other useful properties of the amino acid, including unexpected ones, were found out. Glutamine was successfully tested and began to be used for the treatment of alcohol dependence. This effect inspired doctors to try glutamine in the "sweet business", and the result was not long in coming: the amino acid also had a calming effect on cells that crave sweets.
Products containing glutamine: beef, lamb, chicken and geese meat, hard cheese, cottage cheese, soybeans, chicken eggs, sea bass, peas.
The benefits of glutamine in getting rid of cravings for sweets are also increased by its ability to stabilize muscle tissue and cleanse the excretory organs of fat processing products. In addition, when taken in its pure form, glutamine is a rich source of available energy derived from a non-carbohydrate source. This amino acid is involved in the formation of key neurotransmitters, helping the brain and nervous system to be fixed in a harmonious position regarding arousal and rest. We can say that glutamine re-learns the body, exhausted and loosened by stress and addictions, to function as it should, biochemically helping to make a useful and correct decision to get rid of addiction.
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