Tips for managing sugar cravings
Food (and drink) cravings are very common. Whilst I see cravings for alcohol and coffee a lot in my clinic, the most common craving I come across is for sugary food. Whist emotional triggers are common, hormones and neurotransmitters are often at the root of it. Here are some tips to help keep your cravings at bay:-
When you feel a craving for something, have a glass of water or a cup of herbal tea – it may just knock it on the head because you may just be dehydrated.
Work out your weaknesses (for me its dulce de leche) and don’t bring them into the house. If you crave strawberry fizzy boot laces at 9pm as you’re setting down for Netflix, its less likely that they will pass your lips if they are in the shop rather than your cupboard.
It is worth working with a nutritional therapist because cravings can often indicate a blood sugar imbalance which in turn, can cause a hormone imbalance. Including a healthy fat and source of protein in each meal helps us to feel full, fuel our cells and help to balance your blood sugar.
Your cravings may indicate you are missing something important in your diet. For example a chocolate craving may mean you are low in Magnesium. Try a few squares of 70% dark chocolate or try my raw cacao smoothie.
Cravings often have an emotional trigger so it really helps to work out what yours are. Are you bored? Are you tired? Are you on your period? Do you feel lonely? Are you feeling stressed? Knowing our triggers helps us recognise them and try to work round them. For example, if you know your much worse on your period (cravings can often be exacerbated at this time), perhaps crank up the self care and apply Epsom salt warm baths liberally (relaxation plus magnesium = win/win). It may just be that we are eating to fill a gap in our lives so see if you can work out that gap to plug.
Keeping a ‘mood and food’ diary will help you work out what these triggers are. You can download mine here.
Brush your teeth after dinner. Sounds odd I know but you’re less likely to snack if it means you will need to brush your teeth again! Sometimes the most simple solutions are the most effective.
Prioritise sleep. Our internal clocks plays a significant part in the role of our hormones, ghrelin and leptin, that promote and suppress hunger. We are much more likely to crave less healthy foods after a bad nights sleep.