Regular sugar cravings don't seem harmful at first sight. Dipping into a chocolate bar gives us positive emotions and makes a day way better, doesn't it? It seems fine to us. And sugar isn't necessarily bad for us, it is an essential Nutrient. However, over time consuming too much sugar can hurt our overall well-being. It can even cause or worsen heart, kidney, and fatty liver diseases, obesity, diabetes, cognitive decline, and mood disorders.

The good news is that overcoming a sugar habit is real. Yes, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to taming sweet tooth, but there are proven science-backed strategies for reducing sugar intake. In this article, we’ll guide you through what you need to know to beat your sugar cravings and enjoy a healthier life.

Talk With A Healthcare Practitioner And/Or Nutritionist

Having sugar cravings may be a sign of various physical and mental problems including insulin resistance, diabetes, low serotonin and tryptophan levels, eating disorders, and depression. Therefore, if you feel like you are addicted to sugary meals, consult a doctor.

Eat A Balanced Diet

Balanced meals keep us fuller for longer and provide our bodies will everything we need for a full existence. A balanced varied healthy diet must include meals rich in protein, healthy fats, complex carbohydrates, vitamins, and micronutrients. Instead of enjoying junk food when playing online in the National Casino, consume a snack made of magnesium and chromium-rich products such as wholemeal bread, legumes, avocado, tofu, fatty fish, mussels, nuts, and broccoli. Magnesium and chromium play an important role in the regulation of blood sugar.

Don't Skip Meals

Feeling hungry (when your blood sugar is low) often exacerbates sugar cravings. Therefore, to tame them, eat regularly, every three to five hours, and opt for smaller meals and snacks. If your belly is full and you just had a proper nutritious meal, you will not want to indulge in readily available desserts. Or it will at least help you quench frequent hunger pangs and sugar cravings. To get off the blood sugar treadmill, never forget to start your day off with a nutritious and delicious high-protein breakfast.

Identify Your Trigger Foods And Drinks And Curfew Them

There are always some foods and drinks we feel tempted to. Sometimes it can be a sweetened drink, for example, a sweetened tea. Believe us, a good tea will not taste less good if you don't put 2 spoons of sugar in it. 3-4 cups of tea a day make 8 (!) spoons of sugar. To satisfy your craving, opt for a sweet herbal tea without added sugar like rooibos.

Opt For Healthier Snacks

Snacks between large meals give us a sense of fullness and release the satiety hormone. Enjoying snacks can be linked to a habit (for example, watching TV or reading a book). To cut down sugar in your diet, you shouldn't give up eating snacks but simply stick to snacks that are nutritious and healthy. Stock your pantry and fridge with wholegrain crackers, fresh fruits, berries, veggie sticks, nuts, chia seeds, and muesli bars.

Choose snacks that taste sweet but are low in sugar and rich in healthy nutrients, and healthily satisfy your cravings. The best healthy snacks don't contain added sugar at all. If you enjoy cooking, you can make some homemade healthy sweet treats at home. For example, a homemade Greek Yogurt bark with berries or chia pudding can make delicious yet healthy sweet treats.

Practice Self-Love

Sugar cravings are often linked to short-term boosts in feelings of pleasure and happiness. Eating sweet treats is comforting, and often we aren't truly hungry but feel upset and tired. That's why to change your approach to eating it is important to change your lifestyle and practice self-love. Ask yourself which activities and hobbies make you feel happy and boost your happy hormones. Great natural ways to increase the production of endorphins are meditating, listening to your favorite music, and dancing.