“I need sweets after every meal”, you may hear this quite often. This is nothing but a craving for sugar. This is the worst habit I must say.
People think it is a normal phenomenon. No!!! When you are craving sweets, your body is giving some important signals.
Excess sugar intake can be an invitation to tooth decay, diabetes, heart and many health problems.
The reason behind sugar craving
- Fluctuation in blood sugar level – Sometimes after exertion or after starving for long hours blood sugar level goes down. And to fulfill that, you demand sugar.
- Vitamin deficiency – When you crave sugar, you may have a deficiency of some vitamins and nutrients.
For example, if you have Magnesium deficiency, you can crave chocolates or candies. To fulfill this craving don’t directly jump on milk chocolate. Also when you have sodium deficiency you can crave sugar.
When the iron level in the body is low, you feel lethargic. To energize yourself, your body will make a demand for sugar.
If you have vitamin deficiency you can crave fruits, and this is actually a good thing.
- Bad mood – Serotonin in the blood controls your emotions, appetite and memory. When your serotonin level goes down you may feel any of the above conditions and crave sugar.
- Medical condition – If you are suffering from Diabetes, a sudden lower down of insulin level in the body may urge you to consume sweets.
- Disturbed sleep – When you don’t complete your sleep cycle. You may experience tiredness and to boost your energy your body can crave not only sweet but also salt or crunchy food.
- Menstrual cycle – Endorphin created in the pituitary gland helps to control pain. And this endorphin production depends on the sugar level in your body.
During your menses, you can experience abdominal cramps and pain. And to reduce that pain the endorphin asks for more sugar.
How to control sugar craving
- Try to replace sugar with jaggery or honey.
- Include natural sugar in your daily diet in the form of fruits.
- If you are craving sweets that come in the packet. Check the nutrition information on that. A reality check can help you to curb your craving.
- You can replace milk chocolate with dark chocolate. Dark chocolate is healthy for your heart too.
- Take proper intake of protein and vitamins in your diet. A decrease in protein and vitamin levels can cause sugar cravings too.
- When you start craving try to drink water initially. Sometimes you can be misled by thirst and hunger.
- Take a walk at least for 30 minutes.
- Take a nap when you feel the craving. Which helps you to save energy.
- And finally, if you feel your craving ends up in stress. Consult a physician or nutritionist.
Conclusion
- Eating sweets once in a while is completely fine. Don’t be harsh on yourself.
- Take a healthy balanced diet.
- Include more fruits and vegetables in your diet.
- Try to find out the reason behind your craving by keeping notes of it.
What measures are you going to take to control your sugar craving?
Have any queries to control your sugar level DM me on