Sugar is one of our favorite ingredients! Most of us crave sugar, and it’s a big part of our lives. Whether it’s donuts, chocolate, biscuits, cake, ice cream, or pastry, there’s something about sugary foods that has us drooling all over them. However, these foods can be extremely harmful to your health and lead to major problems from heart disease to obesity, etc. To help you out, we have made a list of 12 of our top tips and tricks that’ll help you stop craving sugar.
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1. Stay Hydrated
One of the most effective ways to curb sugar cravings is to stay hydrated. Very often, we mistake being hungry when we are actually just thirsty. Make sure to drink lots of water every day so that you naturally crave less sugar. As soon as you’re getting a craving, drink some water and see how it automatically stops the craving.
2. Eat Gum
Chewing on gum has been shown to reduce sugar cravings. If you’re chewing on it all day, then the chances are that you’ll feel less of an urge to put something sugary into your mouth. Get yourself some sugar-free gum that you can chew on throughout your day. We guarantee you it’s a much healthier alternative that’ll do the trick.
3. Don’t Skip Meals
If you aren’t full, then there are higher chances of you craving sugar. This is why you need to eat on a regular and not skip out on meals. When you’re hungry, you are more likely to give in to your cravings and eat a lot more. If you are full, then you’ll get fewer cravings in the first place. Eat every 3-5 hours. It’ll help keep your blood sugar levels stable and keep your cravings in check.
4. Exercise
You might be wondering what the link between exercise and sugar cravings is, but you’ll be surprised. Research conducted in the past has found that people who exercise, compared to just sitting around, are less likely to have sugar cravings. It doesn’t have to be an intense exercise; even 15-20 minutes of brisk walking should do the trick every day.
5. Have Healthier Alternatives
It is best to be prepared for when you have these cravings. Always keep a healthier alternative handy so that you can reach for it when the craving hits. One of the best examples is fruit. Since fruit is natural sugar, it’ll help curb your cravings while being healthy at the same time. It’ll also keep you full for longer periods as compared to artificial sugary snacks. Other examples include nuts and dry fruits.
6. Add Diversity To Your Food
When you eat, make sure to add diversity to your food. Mix your greens with proteins, carbs, etc. Very often, people end up craving sugar because of an imbalanced diet. Therefore make sure to keep your diet balanced so that you can keep your cravings in check. If your meals don’t have the required amount of fiber, protein, or fats, then the chances are that you’ll be deprived, hence start craving sugar. How it works is that all the nutrients work together to keep your blood sugar levels in check. A deficiency in any of them could lead to cravings.
7. Get Enough Sleep
Sleep plays an important role in your overall well-being, and it’s no surprise that it also plays a major role when it comes to sugar cravings. Make sure that you get the required number of sleep every night so that you crave less sugary foods. If you are sleep-deprived, then your sugar cravings will be a lot higher as compared to if you’ve slept well. It is said that the average human should get around 6-8 hours of sleep every night, so try and aim for that.
8. Give In
Instead of completely depriving yourself of your favorite sugary foods, give in a little bit. If you completely restrict yourself, then you might end up having more later. Instead, allow yourself to have a little bit every time you get a craving. That way, you’ll be satisfied without going overboard. Eat a small portion and then don’t feel guilty; forget about it and move on.
9. Go For Quality Over Quantity
When eating your sugary food, go for quality over quantity. So instead of eating that huge candy bar, you’d rather eat the good quality dark chocolate that’s better for your health. That way, you’ll even end up eating less of it, and it won’t have as many harmful effects as compared to low-quality sugary snacks.
10. Don’t Eat Too Much Salty Food
The total opposite of sugary foods, salty food can make you crave sugar! Think about it for a second, after eating dinner, do you end up craving something sweet? This is because the salt has triggered that craving. Replace the salt in your food with other spices while cooking, and you’ll notice the difference for yourself!
11. Distract Yourself
An idle mind is home to many cravings. It might be hard to believe, but it’s true. Keep yourself busy and notice how much less you get those sugar cravings than when you’re sitting idle. If you do get the craving, then distract yourself. Maybe take a walk or watch your favorite movie, anything that’ll get your mind off the craving.
12. Go Cold Turkey
Sometimes the only way to stop your cravings is to go cold turkey on them. It is a fact that sugar is addictive, so the more you eat, the more you’ll end up craving it. Just cut sugar out of your life completely. It may be difficult initially, but very soon after, you’ll completely forget about it, and it won’t be hard at all. Make sure to have some replacement or alternative instead for when you do get those cravings.
Each of these 12 strategies is simple yet so effective in stopping your sugar cravings. See the one that works for you, and go for it!
