Top 10 tricks to curb Sugar Cravings
By Lucy Wyndham-Read
“A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down”, to quote Mary Poppins. Well, it may do that, but a spoonful of sugar also helps the waistline go up!
The more sugar we have in our diet, the more we crave it, which then leads to energy slumps, and means we are less likely to exercise, and on creeps the weight. This then becomes a bit of a negative spiral. Yet with these simple tricks on how to curb your sugary cravings, you can start increasing your energy and reducing your waistline and jumping on the positive spiral, and you will soon easily be able to say NO to those high-sugar and fatty snacks!
1. ALWAYS GO FOR BROWN NOT WHITE: as the white stuff behaves like sugar in the body and wreaks havoc on blood sugar. So opt for brown rice, wholemeal bread, oats and wholegrain. A simple but effective trick, as whereas one slice of white toast can often lead to wanting another, if you opt for the wholemeal version, straightaway you feel fuller – plus less calories, so a win-win situation!
2. MORE IS MORE: Often eating that sneaky cookie, biscuit or chocolate bar can heighten your cravings due to the excess sugar. If you must have that sweet treat then try my sugar free healthy cookie.
3. PLAY SWAP SHOP: Swap high-sugared and high-fat snacks for fresh fruit instead – it will give you that sweet satisfaction but without the consequences.
4. BE AWARE: Fizzy and caffeinated drinks as these will raise blood sugar. So avoid these and swap for herbal teas instead.
5. BLUE LIGHT: For that emergency, before you break into the biscuit barrel, try sucking a hard-boiled sweet as this can do the trick.
6. MOVE IT: An instant quick fix to stop the sugary cravings is to get some adrenaline pumping by doing exercise. Even if it is just a short burst of 20 star jumps, it helps and works. You have then not only stopped those cravings, but better still even burnt a few extra calories.
7. POWER OF THE MIND: You actually have the willpower to say NO. Sometimes we are allowed the odd treat. Question before you pop it in your mouth: do you really need this? Give yourself 5 minutes before you make that final decision, and often by then the craving has passed .
8. DO IT 5 TIMES A DAY: Having 5 small meals a day keeps your blood glucose levels stable. If your blood glucose levels are stable, you may not crave sugar as much. So always do these 5 everyday: Breakfast, Snack, Lunch, Snack and Dinner.
9. PACK THE PROTEIN: Eat protein with every meal and snack, as it doesn’t affect blood sugar and will keep you feeling fuller for longer. Examples: for breakfast try yoghurt, for snack try a small piece of cheese with a slice of ham, for lunch try lentil soup, for dinner try chicken breast.
10. TAKE TO THE TOOTHBRUSH: If the craving is fighting you hard, then quickly brush your teeth. This works a treat, as that minty fresh feeling can kill that sweet craving.
