How Can You Reduce Sugar Cravings?

Sugar cravings are probably much more common than most of us realize. It would perhaps come as a surprise to you to hear that the average American consumes as much as 160 pounds of sugar a year. This is a big increase on the amount consumed even only 15 or twenty years ago and while consumption in less developed countries is obviously lower, it is also on the rise even there. But perhaps the worst thing is that, for some reason, sugar is perhaps the one food that it is easy to develop cravings for - and difficult to then get rid of those cravings. Which brings us to the question in our title - how can you reduce sugar cravings?

Additive Properties

Sugar is supposed to contain some properties that are addictive and when the sugar content is reduced it can cause certain withdrawal symptoms; moreover there is a lot of fat content in it as well. So, the next time you eat more sugar than is recommended, you will not only put on weight, which is a health risk, but you are also running the risk of having your teeth decay earlier than is proper. So, if you want to know how to beat sugar cravings you may need to avoid skipping meals, eat only natural sugars, try out substitutes for sugar and also brush and gargle after a meal. It also helps if you forego buying sugary foods; taking a walk is another good solution to curbing your sugar cravings.

According to researchers that have studied sugar cravings, it is not a true addiction, though it is quite similar to cocaine addiction and even obesity. And so, if you are like many other people that want to beat their sugar cravings, try using honey, barley malt or even fructose instead of sugar though some would suggest that there is no better means to control sugar cravings than to forego it completely. Nevertheless, as long as you are careful enough to take a balanced and nutritious diet, the odd spoonful of sugar is not going to do you any harm.

There are other tips for people who want to know how can you reduce sugar cravings. One of them is to avoid using sugar as a means of distraction. You should also try to train yourself not to give in immediately to a craving for sugar, but to wait and see if it goes away. Above all, reducing your sugar cravings is a matter of attitude and re-education. First and foremost you need to re-learn what to eat and, in many cases, when to eat. Secondly, you need to re-think your relationship with sugar and come to the realization that sugar in itself is neither good nor bad - what is good or bad is your use of it.