How to deal with cravings. Practical tips

The sweet tooth can become a habit, which is very difficult to fight. It is known that a large number of sweets can lead to weight gain and the development of serious diseases such as heart disease.

Sugar intake to control the amount of calories provided by carbohydrate should not be large. Here are some tips that can help in this.

1. Get enough sleep

Lack of sleep can affect your appetite, increasing the production of hunger hormone – ghrelin. In other words, if you sleep less than the recommended 7-8 hours, during the day you get cravings.

A 2012 study showed that just a glimpse of candy or pizza activates the reward centers in the brain are not sleeping people, in contrast to the well-rested study participants.

2. Read the labels on food products

A large amount of sugar may come from hidden sources such as salad dressings and bread. Because of these supplements you may develop a certain addiction to these products, due to the effect of sugar on the reward system in the brain.

The first thing people notice when limit consumption of products with additives of sugar, is that their cravings for sweet foods is diminished, says David Ludwig (David Ludwig), Professor, Harvard school of public health. T. Chan (Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health).

3. Quantity over quality

If you want something sweet, choose something small and tasty, says Susan Moores (Susan Moores), a nutritionist and consultant on nutrition from Minnesota. And, according to her, it should not overdo the amount, and choose little pieces and savor them and not eat huge portions of chocolate or other sweets, as large portions cause sugar cravings.

4. Find alternatives to sweet foods

For healthy eating sweet food, choose natural sources of sugar, reducing the amount of sugar additives. This can be done, for example, by changing food and drinks in the diet.

For example, replace flavored yogurt Greek yogurt, which can be made a little sweeter by adding fresh fruit. Similarly, try not to buy sugary drinks, such as soft fizzy or energy drinks. Instead, enjoy a glass of mineral water with the taste of your favorite fruit.

5. Consume more protein

Says Alyssa Ramsey (Alissa Rumsey), a representative of the Academy of nutrition and dietetics (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics), the United States, in addition to fats, protein is also typically digested more slowly than carbohydrates,

If you eat mostly carbohydrate foods with not enough protein it will be digested faster and cause a rise in blood sugar levels, says Ramsey. After a sharp rise in blood sugar, according to her, there is a drop in blood sugar that can cause cravings for sweets. To avoid this, she advises to stabilize the level of sugar in the blood, including in your diet more protein.

According to the materials MedicalDaliy.

Dmitry Kolesnik