Sugar, the Diet-Killer: A Guide to Beat those Dangerous Sugar Cravings

If you’re on a diet or trying to be on a diet like I am, right about now you feel those hunger pangs coming on. I’ll refrain from describing to you the myriad of dishes I wish and crave for right now because I feel you. But if there is anything worse than these hunger pangs, it’s the sugar cravings. Studies have shown that a bag of potato chips once in a while might not kill your diet but a bowl of delicious chocolate brownie topped with vanilla ice cream doused in hot chocolate fudge and nuts, you can say goodbye to your diet.

So let’s take a look at this oh-so-irritating but yummy ingredient of our lives, shall we?

Why is that we have the feels for sugar?

When on a diet, your body doesn’t get the sugar it is normally used to. And hence looks for it, making you feel like you need to reach out for the nearest donut. When your body doesn’t find it, it goes to nearest source of glucose aka sugar, your stored fat!

How to conquer your sugar cravings?

Spices have the opposite effect on your body as compared to sugar. It increases your metabolism. Eat something spicy or with a strong flavour. Strong smelling foods like pepper, butter, lemon or onion makes your hypothalamus feel like it needs fewer sweets in the next few hours.

Get some vanilla extract and smell it. Yes, smell it. Do not look for a recipe to add the sweet smelling oil. But just smell it. It calms down your sugar appetite. Even massaging it on your neck and arms lowers the cravings. You will smell like cake. But we guess it’s better than looking like one.

Addition of yoghurt, chickpeas, almonds, oatmeal, asparagus, cheese, brewer’s yeast, whole grains, mushrooms, soy beans, spinach, oat bran and brown rice in your diet will help you.

What more can you do?

Peanut butter

This is the best home remedy we can think of. Have a tiny bit of peanut butter and your urge for a sweet treat will disappear out the window.

Breakfast and mini meals

Be sure never to miss your breakfast. You will notice that your sugar cravings are the strongest, first immediately after a meal and then about two to three hours after it. The first is due to the force of habit, the second is indicative that your blood sugar has gone low. So, make sure that you never skip breakfast or lunch. It is also recommended to have mini meals every few hours.

Sleep

If you are sleep deprived, you’re more like to want a sugar fix. When you’re sleeping your brain makes Human growth hormone which brings about better blood sugar control.

Exercise

Not only will it help you lose those thunder thighs, but it also controls your sugar craze. A 40-minute jog will keep your cravings under check for up to eight hours. Even 20 minutes spent will curb the cravings for two hours. What you waiting for, get running!