Fighting Sugar Cravings

We have all been there - It is 4pm and you have been sitting for way too long, your tired and you have a massive craving for something sweet.  You could cave and have that candy bar and soda, but you will again be starving and feel terrible in a short period of time, or you could follow some of the recommendations in the article by Wendy C. Fries of WebMD below to tame those cravings and positively effect your health and the rest of your day.

Does that morning Danish leave you craving another treat two hours later?  Do you grab a candy bar to cope with your afternoon slump -- and then reach for a cola to get out of your post-slump slump?

If you have found that munching sugary snacks just makes you crave more sugary snacks, you are not alone.  Eating lots of simple carbohydrates -- without the backup of protein or fats -- can quickly satisfy hunger and give your body a short-term energy boost, but they almost as quickly leave you famished again and craving more.

Why do we crave sugar?

There are many reasons why we go for the sweet things.

That appetite may be hardwired.  "Sweet is the first taste humans prefer from birth," says Christine Gerbstandt, MD, RD, a dietitian and American Dietetic Association (ADA) spokeswoman.  Carbohydrates stimulate the release of the feel-good brain chemical serotonin.  Sugar is a carbohydrate, but carbohydrates come in other forms, too, such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

The taste of sugar also releases endorphins that calm and relax us, and offer a natural "high", says Susan Moores, MS, RD, a registered dietition and nutrition consultant in St. Paul, Minn.

Sweets just tastes good, too.  And that preference gets reinforced by rewarding ourselves with sweet treats, which can make you crave it even more.  With all that going for it, why wouldn't we crave sugar?

The problem comes not when we indulge in a sweet treat now and then, but when we over-consume, something that is easy to do when sugar is added to many processed foods, including bread, yogurt, juices, and sauces.  And Americans do over-consume, averaging about 22 teaspoons of added sugars per day, according to the American Heart Association, which recommends limiting added sugars to about 6 teaspoons per day for women and 9 for men.

How to stop sugar cravings:  8 tips to use right now

Give in a little.  Eat a bit of what you are craving, maybe a small cookie or a fun-size candy bar, suggests Kerry Neville, MS, RD, a registered dietition and ADA spokeswoman.  Enjoying a little of what you love can help you steer clear of feeling denied.  Try to stick to 150-calorie threshold, Neville says.


Combine foods.  If the idea of stopping at a cookie or a baby candy bar seems impossible, you can still fill yourself up and satisfy a sugar craving, too.  "I like combining the craving food with a healthful one," Neville says.  "I love chocolate, for example, so sometimes I will dip a banana in chocolate sauce and that gives me what I am craving, or I will mix some almonds with chocolate chips."  As a beneficial bonus, you will satisfy a craving and get healthy nutrients from those good-for-you foods.


Go cold turkey.  Cutting out all simple sugars works for some people, although "the initial 48 to 72 hours are tough," Gerbstandt says.  Some people find that going cold turkey helps their cravings diminish after a few days; others find they may still crave sugar but over time are able to train their taste buds to be satisfied with less.


Grab some gum.  If you want to avoid giving in to a sugar craving completely, try chewing a stick of gum, says nutrition advisor Dave Grotto, RD, LDN.  "Research has shown that chewing gum can reduce food cravings," Grotto says.

Reach for fruit.  Keep fruit handy when sugar cravings hit.  You will get fiber and nutrients along with some sweetness.  And stock up on foods like nuts, seeds, and dried fruits, says certified addiction specialist Judy Chambers, LCSW, CAS.  "Have them handy so you reach for them instead of reaching for the old sugary something."


Get up and go.  When a sugar craving hits, walk away.  "Take a walk around the block or do something to change the scenery," to take your mind off the food you are craving, Neville suggests.


Choose quality over quantity.  "If you need a sugar splurge, pick a wonderful, decadent sugary food," Moores says.  But keep it small.  For example, choose a perfect dark chocolate truffle instead of a king-sized candy bar, then "savor every bit --slowly," Moores says.  Grotto agrees.  "Don't swear off favorites --you will only come back for greater portions.  Learn to incorporate small amounts in the diet but concentrate on filling your stomach with less sugary and healthier options."


Eat regularly.  Waiting too long between meals may set you up to choose sugary, fatty foods that cut your hunger, Moores says.  Instead, eating every three to five hours can help keep blood sugar stable and help you "avoid irrational eating behaviors," Grotto says.  Your best bet?  "Choose protein, fiber-rich foods like whole grains and produce," Moores says.

Get Support

Many people turn to sweet foods when they are stressed, depressed, or angry.  But food does not solve emotional issues.  Consider whether emotions are involved in your sugar cravings and whether you need help to find other solutions to those emotional problems.

Most importantly, go easy on yourself.  It may take time to get a handle on your sugar cravings.  It is difficult to shift any system -- whether it's the world economy or your eating," Chambers says.

Here are some great snacks that incorporate some sweet with some protein, good fat, and other important nutrients:

• Apple with a tablespoon of peanut butter
• Whole grain tortilla with a little peanut butter and banana slices
• Peaches and cottage cheese
• Nonfat plain yogurt with berries and a little granola
• Make trail mix with low-fat, low-sugar granola, dried fruit, nuts and 60% cocoa chocolate chips
• Whole grain crackers, low-fat cheese and a pear
• Banana on a stick dipped in chocolate sauce, rolled in crushed nuts and frozen
• Small scoop of low-fat frozen yogurt with fresh fruit and some crushed nuts
• Strawberries dipped in chocolate "cream" (see recipe below)

Strawberries and Chocolate “Cream”

Servings:  2

Ingredients

·        3 T non-fat Greek yogurt

·        2 T cocoa powder

·        1 T maple syrup

·        2 T Truvia or other natural stevia sweetener

·        1 pint strawberries

Directions

In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, cocoa, syrup and truvia until smooth.  If cocoa powder is lumpy, sift before adding to yogurt.  If mixture is too stiff, add 1 tablespoon of yogurt at a time until desired consistency is achieved.  Place mixture into two small dipping cups, place cups on plates, and surround with strawberries.  Dip and enjoy!

Here's to fresh, fast, and fantastic food!