HELP, I crave sweets all of the time!!! If you are someone like millions of others that has a sweet tooth, I'm here to tell you that...'It's okay.'
Our bodies and brain are naturally designed to crave sweets for one very good reason - survival. Mother's milk is sweeter, fruits ripen during specific times of the year, and sweets provide our bodies with energy.
That being said, most of the sweets provided to use do not actually provide our body with any sort of nutrients. Therefore, our bodies actually become unhealthy, because we continue to crave those nutrients we aren't getting, hence craving more sweets.
Sugar can actually be compared to a drug. When we consume it, our dopamine level rises, making us feel happy. Then, we crash. To reach the same 'high', we have to consume more and more (remember, lack of nutrients). We become addicted.
How can you cut the sugar addiction? Let's start with 5 simple steps to help lower that need:
1) Start off your day with a full glass of water. (You just woke up from a night where your body was at rest for a few to several hours. Hence, you are dehydrated.)
2) Make your first meal a meal that satiates without sugar. Your breakfast should include some sort of protein like eggs, a carb like toast with butter or maybe veggie or even regular oatmeal, and some sort of fat like avocado or coconut oil (I blend coconut oil in my coffee, and it's divine!)
3) 'It's mid-morning & I'm craving something sweet' or 'I have the afternoon slumps' This is the ideal time to have a piece of fruit and some nuts. I love portable fruit like apples or oranges and a handful of almonds. The fruit helps with the craving and the almonds help tide you over until lunchtime or dinner.
4) Consider what you're drinking. Are you a soda drinker? Mixed drinks? Sweet tea? Are you adding sugar to your coffee? Then, swap out what you're drinking for more water or think of an alternative. Instead of sugar, add honey.
5) Never end the day with dessert. Sometimes, we reach the end of the day and want to have that special treat (especially if we feel we did well with our diet). Instead of giving in, drink a glass of water or have some tea. Yogi Tea has some wonderful flavors with licorice that provides a little bit of sweetness without added sweeteners.
Now, you have the tools to start making small changes to your sweet tooth habit. Tell me...how did everything go? I'd love to hear from you. Comment below!