Are you often plagued by a sugar craving? If yes, don’t fret! We all get cravings and it is not uncommon to have a sweet tooth. Eating sugary foods are just too hard to resist. Anything sweet is highly desirable due to the powerful impact sugar has on our brain’s reward system. It activates the brain in the same way that drugs like cocaine or heroin do, making us more prone to keep on craving more sugar. So, what should we do to fight sweets addiction?
Excessive sugar makes you feel lazy and affects your body in many harmful ways such as it promotes ageing, diabetes, weight gain, etc. Well, I am not asking you to completely deprive yourself of a treat every now and then. Avoiding all sugar is not realistic. But you can at least swap some of your sugar-filled treats out for some of the healthier options. Here I am going to share a list of certain foods that will help you fight sugar cravings. These foods will give you a boost of sweetness with the added benefit of fibre and vitamins.
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Fight Sweets Addiction With These Foods
Banana
Banana provides natural sweetness. It can satisfy your cravings along with providing a lot of healthy nutrients and plant compounds. It’s a quick and fibre-rich snack that will keep you feeling full and satisfied. The natural sugar in it does not spike up blood sugar and insulin levels.
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Berries
Berries taste sweet but they are actually quite low in sugar. Thanks to its high fibre content! They are a perfect nutritious choice to fight sweets addiction. Eating berries may also help reduce your risk of heart disease and diabetes. So, next time when you are craving to eat something sweet, grab a handful of berries.
Sweet Potato
To satiate sugar and starch cravings, keep baked sweet potatoes at hand. Sweet potatoes contain L-tryptophan, an amino acid that can help in satisfying sugar cravings. They may taste sweet because of the presence of natural sugars in them but due to their fibre content, sweet potatoes do not cause a spike in blood sugar levels.
Not only this, they are highly nutritious too, providing a good dose of potassium, iron, and vitamins A, B-6, C, and D.
Dark Chocolate
If you find yourself craving regular chocolate, make a healthier choice by swapping it out for a few squares of dark chocolate.
Raw, dark chocolate contains less sugar and higher levels of healthy plant compounds known as polyphenols. It is rich in magnesium, essential fibres and B vitamins. This kicks sugar cravings by satisfying your sweet tooth.
Make sure to consume chocolate that contains more than 70% cocoa. You may also combine fruits and dark chocolate to stop sugar cravings.
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Dates
Dates are a great way to hit that sweet spot! You’ll get sweetness, fibre, protein, and it will keep you full without giving in to temptation. The high soluble fibre content helps in fighting off sugar cravings.
Dates are rich in potassium, iron and other beneficial plant compounds. No doubt, they are high in calories, but unlike sugar, the calories obtained from dates come with a lot of nutritional properties.
Consuming a few dates instead of a soda or some candy is the best way to stay away from sugar and nasty sugar substitutes. You can also replace sugar with dates in your desserts. This can give you a sweet fix and also provide you with healthy nutrients.
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Chia Seeds
Chia seeds are a good source of many important nutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids. They contain soluble dietary fibre which readily absorbs water and swells up to form a jelly-like substance in your gut. This may help keep you feeling fuller for longer and fight sweets addiction.
Fibre, protein, and healthy fats- the perfect trifecta in chia seeds helps in boosting satiety and keeping blood sugar levels stable.
Fermented Foods
Adding fermented foods to the diet is one of the best ways to fight sweets addiction. Not only foods but also fermented drinks also increase the body’s immune system and help regulate appetite and reduce sugar cravings.
Foods such as tempeh, pickles, yoghurt, and kimchi can contribute to maintaining a healthy gut, and help you stay away from sugar.
Yoghurt
An imbalanced gut microbiome has been shown to encourage more intense sugar cravings. To manage those cravings, you need to reset your gut’s natural balance of bacteria. Yoghurt is the best choice as it contains healthy bacteria that help in maintaining optimum digestive health.
Choose low-sugar Greek yoghurt that is packed with active probiotics. Yoghurt, being rich in calcium and protein, is a healthy snack that could help you control your appetite and cravings.
Prunes
Prunes (dried plums) are full of fibre and nutrients and taste very sweet. They can be a healthy substitute for satisfying cravings for sweets. The presence of high fibre content and naturally occurring sorbitol in them help in relieving constipation. So, when you just have to have some sugar, reach for some prunes which are sweet and get absorbed slowly in your gut.
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Frozen Grapes
When craving sugar, a handful of grapes can help alleviate your desire! Grapes are naturally sweet so freezing them intensifies their sweetness and gives their insides a slushy feel. It makes them refreshing and makes you feel like you are having a frozen treat.
So, the next time you are craving something cold and sweet, replace your sugary popsicles with frozen grapes.
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Eggs
Eggs can be a good choice, especially for breakfast. They are an excellent source of protein, and it’s well known that protein has satiating properties. The savoury nature of this high-protein food lends them to be a great option for stabilizing blood sugar. It keeps you satisfied for a longer time after a meal and reduces the chance of sugar cravings throughout the day.
Sugar-Free Chewing Gum Or Mint
Chewing sugar-free gum can reduce food cravings—especially for sweets! Yes, chewing gum keeps the mouth busy and may help reduce both sweet and salty cravings. Gum or mints, made with artificial sweeteners taste sweet but contain a minimal number of calories and no sugar. It’s also great for cleaning your mouth as it washes away leftover food particles and reduces acids that threaten tooth enamel.
Beware, too much sugar-free gum can have a laxative effect, as well as bloating and cramping.
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Cutting back on sugar will give you more energy, boost your mood, and help keep your weight in check. So, when your sweet tooth comes knocking, reach for these snacks. They’ll instantly satisfy your sugar cravings.