Sugar won’t harm your health if eaten in moderation. It’s a good source of fast energy for your brain. However, eating too much sugar can do a number to your health in different ways.
It can impair your metabolism, leading to type 2 diabetes, weight gain, and cardiovascular issues, affect skin health, raise your risk of cancer and depression, increase cellular aging, and contribute to fatty liver disease. Another potential danger of a high-sugar diet is that it can ruin your dental health and provoke tooth loss.
So, if you’re a sweet tooth and you’re already experiencing problems like unstable blood glucose levels, extra weight, acne, mood swings, or tooth nerve pain, it’s time to eliminate sugar from your diet. But in order to give up sugary foods, it’s essential to know the reason why you crave them. Underlying health conditions such as insulin resistance, adrenal fatigue, sleep problems, and other things can lead to sugar cravings.
To stop wanting sugar, you should focus on changing the daily factors that play a role in your need for sugar. Here are some effective tips that can help you:
1. Add spices and herbs to your diet
Spices and herbs help to add some flavor to your food, however, they have another great benefit which is much more important. These two can also improve your health by balancing your hormones and regulating blood sugar levels. Turmeric can decrease inflammation which can help prevent insulin resistance. Adaptogenic herbs and mushrooms have been used for thousands of years to balance hormones (particularly lower stress hormones called cortisol) and manage stress levels.
2. Try intermittent fasting
Intermittent fasting is a good way to give your body a break. Limiting food consumption for a certain period of time can help heal the gut and lower inflammation throughout the body. Plus, intermittent fasting can help you back in touch with your natural feeling of hunger, stabilize blood sugar levels, and control your sugar cravings. According to multiple studies, this method has been shown to lower insulin resistance and improve metabolism.
3. Balance your consumption of carbs, fats, and proteins
An imbalanced diet can prevent your body from working properly. Not getting enough fats has been linked to low levels of energy and the inability to control cravings, while eating low levels of protein can lead to blood glucose spikes. Consider eating more fatty fish, as it’s full of healthy omega-3 fatty acids and essential proteins. You can also add nuts, grass-fed beef, and various seeds to your diet.
4. Treat your nutrient deficiencies
Unfortunately, the diets of most people are filled with processed foods that contain empty calories and refined carbs while not having vital nutrients. In fact, several nutrient deficiencies can actually trigger sugar cravings. For example, magnesium deficiency has been connected with a higher risk of metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance - two common factors of blood sugar problems.
Not getting enough zinc can lead to higher levels of stress. And people with chronic stress tend to have metabolic disorders and overeat (especially sugary foods). You can find zinc in nuts, seeds, and shellfish such as oysters.
Low levels of chromium can provoke a decrease in good cholesterol levels and raise your risk of insulin resistance. Veggies are a good source of chromium.
Iron deficiency is a common culprit of low energy levels, which means your body will look for fast-energy sources, like high-sugar foods. Consider eating more grass-fed beef, liver, nuts, beans, and dried fruit. To increase your iron absorption, combine iron-rich foods with foods that contain vitamin C, such as leafy greens.
