Tame thoses sugar cravings~

July 10, 2013

The average American consumed 151 pounds of sugar a year in 1999. At least half of the sugar we consume comes from soft drinks, fruit drinks, and sports drinks. The rest sneaks into our diets in the form of ketchup, teriyaki sauce, chocolate milk and the obvious sweets like cookies, cakes, ice cream and even breakfast cereal.

According to Wendy C. Fries, a featured contributor in WebMd, the problem comes not when we indulge in a sweet treat now and then, but when we over-consume, something that’s easy to do when sugar is added to many processed foods, including breads, 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.

Although sweet foods are tempting and delicious to most people, the more sugar you eat, the higher your tolerance becomes. So if you have a strong sweet tooth or intense cravings for sugar, chances are not that you were born that way, but that your dietary habits and food choices created the sugar monster you may have become.

If you're craving sugar, here are some ways to tame those cravings.

·         Give in a little. Eat a bit of what you’re craving, maybe a small cookie or a fun-size candy bar, suggests Kerry Neville, MS, RD, a registered dietitian

·         Combine foods.  If you love chocolate, for example, try dipping a banana in chocolate sauce or mix some almonds with chocolate chips.

·         Go cold turkey. Cutting out all simple sugars works for some people, although "the initial 48 to 72 hours are tough, just like with any detoxing. 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.

·         Reach for fruit. Grab for a fruit when sugar cravings hit. You'll get fiber and nutrients along with some sweetness. r them instead of reaching for the old [sugary] something."

·         Get up and go. When a sugar craving hits, walk away, take your mind off the food you’re craving by taking a walk around the block or drink sugar free flavored water.

·         Choose quality over quantity. For example, choose a dark chocolate truffle instead of a king-sized candy bar, and then savor every bite – slowly. Learn to incorporate small amounts in the diet but concentrate on filling your stomach healthier options.

·         Eat regularly. Waiting too long between meals may set you up to choose sugary, fatty foods that cut your hunger, Eating every three to five hours can help keep blood sugar stable and help you avoid irrational eating behavior.