Curb Your Sugar Cravings
These 12 tips help satisfy your sweet tooth without depriving it.
Suzann Pileggi
11/2007
11/2007
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Hydrate
- Cut the coffee
Caffeine causes ups and downs in blood sugar and energy levels, exacerbating cravings. Experiment with non-caffeinated herbal teas. - Sleep more
A sweet tooth is often activated by exhaustion, when your tired and body seeks energy. Experts recommend seven or eight hours of sleep each night. - Get physical
Regular daily exercise helps balance blood sugar levels, decrease stress, and maintain energy. - Snack on veggies and fruits
Natural sugars in fruits and vegetables like squash, carrots, and roasted onions will help you avoid processed sugar. - Dump refined sugars
Considered by some experts to be poison, refined sugars can't be metabolized without leeching vital minerals from the body. - Fill up on protein and fiber
Eating enough protein and dietary fiber helps balance blood sugar levels and diminish sugar cravings. - Eliminate fat-free foods
The fat-free label is often a license for manufacturers to boost refined sugar levels in their products. Besides, your body needs fat to absorb vitamins. - Spice up your life
Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, and coriander can "sweeten" food without adding sugar. - Become a food detective
Carefully read food labels for hidden sugars. A simple rule of thumb is to avoid any ingredient that ends in "-ose." - Breathe
Take three deep, cleansing breaths (in through the nose, out through the mouth) before eating. Approach each meal with mindfulness and gratitude. - Satisfy your soul
Sugar cravings often reflect a deep spiritual yearning. Seek out the real sweet things in life—like fulfilling relationships, a passionate career, and devotion to a cause.
Cravings can be caused by dehydration. When one hits, drink a glass of water and wait a few minutes until it passes.
