Can You Control Your Sugar Cravings?
By Sara Butler
Sometimes, you just really want some sugar. It can feel impossible to control your sweet tooth, but the truth is that there are things you can do to try to keep your sugar cravings at bay. The first step to controlling these cravings is to understand why you may be having them in the first place. Here's what you need to know about sugar cravings and what you can do to eat less sugar in your diet.
Who Wants Sugar?
Women tend to crave sugar more than men, as do people with certain health conditions. Not getting enough sleep or lacking energy is also a trigger for sugar cravings.
You may think that the fact women crave sugar more than men is an old wive's tale, but studies have found that hormones in women related to reproduction often trigger sugar cravings. Understanding this ahead of time can help women to be prepared to step away from the sugar even when they crave it the most.
People who don't get enough of the proper nutrients in their diet also tend to crave sugar, especially if they have underlying conditions such as adrenal fatigue, an imbalance in their gut bacteria, or thyroid issues. If you've been feeling stressed and sluggish, you're also more likely to crave sugar as a pick-me-up. But don't despair! You can get control over your sugar cravings by helping your body to find balance and function optimally once again.
What You Can Do
There are a few ways to control sugar cravings that work for many people. The first and possibly easiest things you can do is to avoid highly processed foods and focus on whole foods. Natural, whole foods still have sugar in them, of course, but they don't have added sugars that processed foods do. If you can get these highly processed foods with added sugars out of your diet, then your body will crave it less.
You can also work on balancing your gut bacteria by using probiotics or eating more fermented foods. Fermented foods are naturally full of bacteria that help to support a healthy microbiome in your gut. This can also help to stop sugar cravings. Fermented foods include things such as:
- Miso soup
- Yogurt with live cultures
- Kefir
- Pickles
- Sauerkraut
Sugar is OK every once in a while, but it's shouldn't be a cornerstone of your diet. If you're feeling like you crave too much sugar, then try one of these tactics to crave it less.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Englewood, Colo.