Food is your body's fuel, and most people plan their meals ahead of time. However, the classic final battle of what to eat for dessert after lunch or dinner is the most difficult one, especially for people with sweet tooth. Eating unhealthy desserts daily is not feasible, and the quest to find healthy alternatives is an endless cycle.
Craving sugar is everyone's greatest weakness. With a wide variety of delicious desserts in Indian households, it becomes challenging to resist them. So, to maintain a balance between health goals and nutritional foods, you need to reduce or stop sugar cravings strategically. Excessive sugar can adversely affect your weight loss journey. Now, the question arises: How can sugar cravings be controlled during the diet?
Let us dive into this blog about what sugar cravings are, why you are craving sugar when losing weight, how to stop sugar cravings when trying to lose weight, and what to eat when craving sugar at night.
Table Of Contents
1. What Is A Sugar Craving?
2. Why Am I Craving Sugar When Losing Weight?
3. How To Stop Sugar Cravings During Weight Loss?
4. What To Eat When Craving Sweets At Night?
5. Expert Advice
6. The Final Say
7. FAQs
8. References
What Is A Sugar Craving?
A food craving is an intense desire for a certain food. Most people experience cravings at one time or another, and many factors determine their frequency and intensity. A sugar craving is usually a frequent, intense desire to consume sugar. It is a sign of an imbalance in your diet, lifestyle, or mindset. It is usually a combination of all three that causes cravings. Three specific hormones, leptin, insulin, and ghrelin, cause cravings.
These are the hormones that make you hungry and burn fat. Research has well documented that people who are overweight generally have what is called leptin resistance (and insulin resistance). This means they store more fat and need more sugar. It is a vicious and frustrating cycle for overweight individuals.
Also Read: 10 Dietitian-Recommended Tips For Intermittent Fasting For Beginners
Why Am I Craving Sugar When Losing Weight?
Here are some probable reasons why you could be craving sugar while trying to lose weight:
1. Not Eating Enough Food
If you want to lose weight, you probably think eating less is the magic answer to achieving your goal. Eating less is the reason for increased appetite. Think back to a time when you were on a diet. For about 3-4 days, you probably experienced cravings and ate all the food. That is because you have not eaten enough.
If you go too long without food, your body will crave the fastest fuel it can imagine - refined grains and simple sugars. Meal skipping or prolonged periods of time between meals may potentially be the cause. This leads to significant hunger that makes you crave anything sweet you can get your hands on.
2. Cutting Carbs
Cravings are your body's sign that it's not getting something. A common mistake dieters make is limiting carbohydrates when trying to lose weight. If you have ever cut carbs and had cravings, you're not eating carbs. Carbohydrates are broken down into sugar, which creates energy. Therefore, it makes sense to have low power, low mental focus, and intense sugar cravings when you cut back on carbs.
There is a lot of unnecessary confusion surrounding carbohydrates, so many people believe they need to cut back on them to achieve their goals. This is false. Any diet you do should be one you can stick to forever without compromising on vital nutrients, including carbohydrates. This is why ToneOp Fit’s expert dietitians, through the Balanced Diet Weight Loss Plan, customise the diet plan carefully, understanding your body’s needs and wants so that you don’t have to cut down on anything or face sugar cravings during weight loss.
3. Eating Too Little Protein
Protein has been shown in many studies to reduce hunger and stabilise blood sugar levels. Your body will even burn a few more calories than it breaks down. If your goal is to lose weight, more protein is needed. Protein is important for stabilising appetite and preserving muscle mass because when you are in a caloric deficit, your body will want to break down muscle over fat.
Another reason protein is so important is that after age 35, women's hormones begin to decline. This change in hormones results in a loss of muscle mass, which makes gaining weight much easier. Muscle mass is what keeps your metabolism going. One way to counter this change after 35 is to eat more protein to preserve muscle mass and re-stabilise your appetite. To do this, along with protein-rich foods, you can have supplements like ToneOp Care’s Alfalfa Powder, which is a plant-based superfood & natural multivitamin for strength and muscle building.
4. Stress
You may often find yourself gorging on sugary snacks. Next time this happens, pay attention to your stress level. Your stress hormones contribute to your sugar cravings and increase your ghrelin levels. Ghrelin, known as the hunger hormone, stimulates your appetite. And research shows that increasing ghrelin levels can contribute to your sugar cravings. Low serotonin levels can also trigger sugar cravings. So, if you are feeling down or stressed, sugar can be particularly appealing.
Also Read: 5 Stress Relief Workouts And 7 Ways To Unwind For A Balanced Life
5. Sleep Deprivation
We need at least seven to nine hours of sleep every night. And that our body and mind work differently even without sleep. Research shows that lack of sleep significantly affects how your brain thinks about food and manages cravings. When you are short on sleep, you may crave more sugar.
With sitting jobs, managing stress in the workplace becomes challenging, and you crave sugar more without getting a chance to burn the extra calories. When researchers presented a group of men with a range of drinks of varying sweetness, according to the Food Quality and Preference study, men who slept less wanted drinks with higher sweetness.
In a similar study published in Nutrients, participants who endured a night of reduced sleep wanted sweeter drinks than those who got a whole night's rest. This means the less sleep you get, your sweet tooth may be more intense.
Also Read: Struggling With Sleepless Nights? Try These 7 Best Yoga for Better Sleep
How To Stop Sugar Cravings During Weight Loss?
Here are the tips she suggests to keep sugar cravings at bay:
1. Drink Lots Of Water
Dehydration causes fatigue, which, in addition to not understanding what your body requires, causes cravings. Exhaustion from dehydration and lack of sleep will cause your body to crave energy. Drink a glass of water and wait 10 minutes if you feel the urge. You will feel the change.
2. Add More Protein To Your Diet
More protein in your diet can help curb your appetite and prevent overeating. It also makes you feel fuller and more satisfied for longer by reducing cravings. So make sure your diet is high in fibre and protein. These nutrients provide satiety and also help suppress cravings effectively. Opt for ToneOp Care’s Spirulina Powder, which is rich in protein, 46 antioxidants and 90+ nutrients that improve haemoglobin, boost immunity and enhance energy.
3. Never Skip Breakfast
Breakfast helps you get your day off to a good start by regulating blood sugar levels early in the morning, which reduces cravings later in the day. Try to have eggs in any form for breakfast; eggs are considered an excellent source of protein. You will feel full for the rest of the day. You can also consider ToneOp Care’s ACV tablets first thing in the morning for improved metabolism and natural weight loss.
4. Manage Your Stress Levels
There's a physiological reason if you've ever found yourself "managing stress." When stressed, your body produces more cortisol, a stress hormone. Cortisol increases blood sugar levels while suppressing insulin. This prevents glucose in the blood from reaching the cells, causing the body's cells to feel hungry. As a result, you will be more hungry and crave high-calorie foods. You feel better after consuming these things.
Also Read: 7 Best Yoga For Stress Management And Its Instant Benefits!
5. Limit Your Intake Of Artificial Sweeteners
You must limit your intake of refined carbohydrates, artificial sweeteners and other sugary foods to an absolute minimum. Reducing artificial sweeteners is crucial for weight loss since these replacements can occasionally enhance the desire for sugary foods and interfere with metabolism. Artificial sweeteners may increase the likelihood of weight gain by changing hunger control and taste preferences. Reducing or eliminating them can promote healthy eating habits and help keep blood sugar levels constant, improving weight management.
6. Practice Portion Control
Even if you give in to a craving, ensure you only eat small bites or just enough to satisfy your sweet tooth. Limit their intake to occasions like birthdays, anniversaries and festivals.
7. Stop Drinking Readymade Drinks
Readymade sodas and juices are loaded with added sugars and are highly addictive. They are worse than solid food because the body absorbs them quickly. Start drinking infused or detox water instead of soda, which will help flush out toxins. Another amazing drink is the Wheat Grass Powder detox drink, which is a 100% natural detoxifier for complete detoxification, weight loss, and improved digestion.
8. Swap Sugary Snacks For A Healthy Alternative
When craving something sweet, have a homemade treat like healthy granola bars or fresh fruit with plain yoghurt instead of sugary snacks like chocolates, sweets, cookies, energy bars or flavoured yoghurts. This kind of snack swap eliminates sugar cravings. It will keep you fuller longer because the nuts and yoghurt contain protein, healthy fats, and the natural sugars in the fruit to satisfy my sugar cravings.
You can add ToneOp Care’s Sunflower Seeds and Pumpkin Seeds to your yoghurts, smoothies and fresh fruit juices as a healthy snack option.
Also Read: 10 Calorie-Heavy Indian Foods To Avoid For Weight Loss And Delicious Healthier Alternatives To Try!
What To Eat When Craving Sweets At Night?
Here are some food items you can indulge in to lower sugar cravings during weight loss:
1. Fruit
The best alternative to any sugar craving is fruit. Bananas with nut butter and cinnamon, apples with peanut butter, watermelon, muskmelon, etc., are excellent foods when craving something sweet. Fruit contains natural sugars and many other nutrients like protein, healthy fats, and fibre that will satisfy your sugar cravings and give your body good energy levels for the whole day.
2. Berries
Packed with antioxidants and natural sweetness, berries like strawberries, blueberries and raspberries provide a flavour without the sugar overload. Their fibre content helps regulate blood sugar levels and reduces sweet cravings.
3. Greek Yoghurt
Rich in protein and probiotics, Greek yoghurt satisfies cravings while supporting gut health. For a touch of sweetness, opt for plain Greek yoghurt and add your choice of berries or a drizzle of honey.
4. Nuts
Almonds, walnuts and other nuts offer a satisfying crunch, healthy fats, and protein. These nutrients keep you fuller for longer and reduce cravings for sugary snacks between meals.
5. Avocado
Avocados are creamy and nutrient-dense, containing healthy fats that help stabilise blood sugar levels. Spread avocado on whole-wheat toast or use it as a mayonnaise substitute for sandwiches.
6. Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate (with a high cocoa content) is surprisingly able to satisfy the palate while providing antioxidants. Moderation is essential, so a little something can go a long way in curbing your sugar cravings.
Also Read: 10 Easily Accessible Healthy Foods For Weight Loss To Add To Your Diet!
Expert’s Advice
A healthy diet does not mean you cannot consume sugar at all. It means planning and optimising your intake of all nutrients using the right food groups while enjoying your favourite foods once in a while for a satisfied body and mind. Overcoming sugar cravings probably isn't a problem of willpower. Instead, you must set up your environment differently to keep those cravings tame, allowing you to fuel your body with food, not just sugar.
Health Expert
Lavina Chauhan
The Final Say
Including the right sugar balance in your diet can help you achieve many health goals. From weight management to reducing the risk of heart disease and diabetes, the benefits are plentiful. Plus, knowing what foods to eat to satisfy your sugar cravings without overdoing it will allow you to plan better and effectively reduce your sugar cravings.
FAQs
1. What is the recommended daily intake of sugar for men and women?
Men should consume no more than 36 grams or 9 teaspoons of sugar per day. For women, the recommended daily intake of sugar is only 25 grams or 6 teaspoons. Choose natural sources of sugar instead to avoid excessive calorie intake.
2. Can I still eat some foods containing sugar if I have diabetes?
For diabetics, consuming added sugar can be harmful. However, depending on lifestyle and diet, some natural sugars may be added to be eaten at intervals to prevent sudden sugar cravings. Before deciding which sweets or sugary foods you can consume based on your health condition, we recommend that you consult your doctor.
3. Does ghee contain any sugar?
Ghee is made from fats only. It does not contain sugar.
References
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6411047/
- https://health.clevelandclinic.org/why-am-i-craving-sweets
- https://www.ndtv.com/health/weight-loss-nutritionist-shares-7-healthy-and-effective-ways-to-curb-sugar-cravings-2369176/amp/1
- https://skinnyfitalicious.com/what-craving-sugar-means/
- https://www.tataaig.com/knowledge-center/health-insurance/foods-that-fight-sugar-cravings
- https://continentalhospitals.com/blog/15-foods-that-can-fight-sugar-cravings/
- https://www.india.com/lifestyle/weight-loss-tips-how-to-manage-cravings-while-losing-those-extra-kilos-5419952/
About ToneOp Fit
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