ATLANTA — Scanning the internet, you’ll find most advice on how to get rid of sugar cravings centers around avoiding sugar altogether. This is not only inconvenient, but also ineffective in reducing sugar cravings.
If you’re addicted to sugar, here are three ways you might be inadvertently setting yourself up for those cravings, and how to fix them.
Not getting enough sleep
Several studies, including one published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, have linked lack of sleep to food cravings and weight gain. The reasoning behind this relies on the mechanisms involved in regulating metabolism and appetite.
Sleep is the time when our body produces hormones that help control appetite and regulate blood sugar. When you’re sleep deprived, the body increases its production of a stress hormone called cortisol and insulin, the hormone that regulates glucose processing and promotes fat storage.
“Lack of sleep can fuel sweet cravings by disrupting blood sugar regulation systems,” says Rachael Hartley, certified intuitive eating counselor.
“Less than seven hours of sleep has been shown to increase insulin resistance and cortisol levels, and can also dysregulate hunger and fullness signals, which can set you up for some pretty voracious sweet cravings.”
Numerous studies, including one published in the Journal of Sleep Research, show that lack of sleep is associated with lower levels of leptin, a hormone that tells the brain that it has eaten enough, and higher levels of ghrelin, which stimulates the appetite.
This appetite stimulation results in your brain craving quick energy, like sugar. Just making sure you get enough sleep all the time makes a big difference in sugar cravings.
“We all have poor nights of sleep from time to time, and it’s OK if the result is eating more sweets the next day,” Hartley shares, “but chronic sleep deprivation can have bigger impacts about health.”
Eating while distracted
Setting aside time to enjoy your meals without technological distractions will prevent you from mindlessly inhaling your food and overeating as well.
In a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers found that distracted eaters felt significantly less full after lunch than those who ate without distraction. They also ate about twice as many cookies 30 minutes later as those who ate lunch without distraction.
Similarly, a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that those who work and eat at the same time not only eat faster and don’t remember what they ate, but also report feeling less full than non-distracted eaters.
Not eating enough or waiting too long to eat
If you eat poorly at breakfast or lunch – either from a lack of calories or a lack of macronutrients – sugar cravings will become strong in the afternoon and evening. Make sure breakfast and lunch include a mix of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Carbohydrates include grains, fruits and starchy foods like potatoes. Protein choices include meat, fish, beans and legumes. And for fats, choose mainly vegetable fats like nuts, seeds and avocado.
If your meals lack this balance of macronutrients, especially protein and fat, it will cause a blood sugar surge and subsequent crash that leaves you hungry again soon after. This is because proteins and fats slow down the digestion and absorption of glucose, keeping you full longer.
If you opt for a carb-only breakfast, like water-based oatmeal or cereal with low-protein almond milk, be sure to add some protein, like an egg or yogurt, and nuts or seeds for fat. Or try a variation of high-protein oatmeal made with milk and eggs.
Likewise, if you usually eat a salad for lunch, add some carbs to it to prevent cravings later in the day. Grain salad bowls made with whole grains like barley or farro on salad work great here, or add your carbs in the form of crackers or bread on the side. Also don’t forget proteins and certain fats like avocado or sliced almonds.
If you wait too long to eat, it could also fuel your craving for sweets, shares Kara Lydon, registered dietitian and intuitive eating consultant.
“Craving something sweet after going too long without eating makes perfect biological sense. When your blood sugar levels are low, your brain is wired to seek out quick sources of energy, like simple carbohydrates and foods high in sugar, to get that blood sugar boost,” says Lydon.
“Aim to eat every three to four hours to better manage your blood sugar response to avoid those big spikes and drops,” says Lydon.
Getting enough sleep, making sure you consume a balance of macronutrients throughout the day, not waiting until you’re too hungry to eat, and minimizing distractions while you eat are all simple ways to tame your sweet tooth. No unsustainable restrictions are required.
News Source : www.ksl.com
Gn Health
