Did you know the average Canadian consumes over 26 teaspoons of total sugars per day? While this number includes sugar from fruit, milk and other natural sources, Statistics Canada reports that 35 per cent of all sugar consumed comes from added sugar: products such as pop, fruit juice, candy and other processed goods (flavored yogurts, granola bars, cookies, baked goods, chocolate etc.) sweetened by a manufacturer.

If you are like so many who crave sweets during times of stress or to bring energy up – it is time to put an end to this bad habit. Over-indulgence in sugars leads to belly fat storage, fatigue and irritability and can eventually contribute to other future disease processes such as heart disease and Type II diabetes.

Why do we crave?

Sweets are actually the first taste that humans prefer. When eating sweets in the form of carbohydrates or refined sugar, the “good feel” chemicals in the brain called serotonin and endorphins are released. These chemicals relax us, make us feel good experiencing a “natural high” and unfortunately, leave us craving for more.

When it comes to eating sugar, having a sweet on occasion is not a big deal. The issue is when we start making sugar part of our daily diet and rely on it to calm nerves, feel good and boost energy. Sugar can be addictive and can sabotage your weight loss efforts in many ways. I always tell my clients, there is a big difference between “I want a cookie vs. I am going to kill someone for a cookie!”

What to do to stop cravings?

In order to stop the cravings for sugar, simply follow these tips below:

1. Stop cold turkey! There is no sense in weaning yourself down on sugar — that will make it more difficult for you. I highly recommend complete elimination of all added sugars (and yes, going through a couple of uncomfortable days) and substituting with natural alternatives.

2. Enjoy natural sweet foods such as fruits and chewable vitamin C. You do not have to avoid sweet foods altogether — just those with added sugars and flours. A couple of chewable vitamin C tablets after a meal or in the evening helps to satisfy and keeps sugar cravings from ruining what is a healthy day of eating.

3. Be informed. On your nutrition facts panel, total sugars include those that are natural (i.e. lactose from dairy products) and added sugar. Typically natural sugars are in fairly small doses, contain nutrients and are slow to absorb. Natural sugars do not have a negative impact on health. It is the added sugars that are the real issue in the diet. To determine if added sugars are in a product, check the ingredient list for words such as glucose, fructose, honey, invert sugar, dextrose, rice syrup, corn sweetener, brown sugar, high fructose corn syrup, lactose, maltose, sucrose, evaporated cane juice and beet sugar. The higher up on the ingredient list they appear, the more sugar is in the product.

4. Drink sweet flavoured water – i.e. add oranges, lemons or limes to water and drink up when craving!

5. Avoid artificial sweeteners. They do not appear to help with sugar cravings and seem to have a negative effect on the obesity epidemic we are facing.

6. Use naturally sweet spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger. Cinnamon has been shown to be beneficial for blood sugar control and in keeping cravings at bay.

7. Include protein in each and every meal to help keep blood sugars balanced and curb cravings. Examples include yogurt, protein powder (from brown rice preferred), chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, goat’s cheese and occasional red meat.

8. Use cocoa powder in your smoothies for a chocolatey taste. Cocoa powder has only 25 calories for 2 tbsps and 3.5 grams of fiber. Cocoa powder also helps to release endorphins and acts as a natural anti-depressant.

9. Compare if you dare! To get a sense of how much sugar is in an item, check flavoured items (i.e. flavoured yogurt) to plain yogurt. Keep in mind 1 teaspoon of sugar = 4 grams. Thus, if a yogurt has 16 grams of sugar per serving, that is close to 4 teaspoons of sugar!

Take home point: In order to crack the weight loss code for good, it is critical to get sugar cravings under control. Simply implement the steps above and finally put an end to your hankering sweet tooth!

Courtesy Dr. Joey Shulman
www.drjoey.com
@drjoeyshulman