Whole grain, fiber, and protein-containing foods keep you feeling fuller for a longer time. This means such foods help reduce sugar cravings. Whenever you have a strong urge to eat something sweet and feel helpless in controlling feelings of eating sweet foods, different foods are easily available that can help fight sugar cravings, including smoothies, fruits, yogurt, dark chocolate, and sweet potatoes. Urging to eat sweets may lead to adding too many calories to your diet. Eating too many sweet foods regularly causes unintentional weight gain. But the good thing is, you can take steps to take the edge off.
Side Effects of Eating Too Much Sweet Foods
Sugar cravings are hard to deal with. These affect your hunger and make you desperately search for sweet foods to satisfy your desire. However, before eating a high-sugar candy or a sugary beverage, read this article. In this article, you will find other healthier ways to fight sugar cravings and save yourself from abrupt weight gain. But first, you should know the side effects of eating too much sugary foods.
Unintentional Weight Gain: Sugary foods contain more calories. Consuming large amounts of calories can lead to obesity and weight gain. Obesity further increases the risk of various health conditions, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and high levels of uric acid and cholesterol.Â
Skin Diseases: A diet full of sugary foods and beverages causes skin problems, like premature aging, wrinkles, and acne. Sugary foods elevate the blood sugar levels which can lead to exacerbation of skin conditions and inflammation.
Fatigue and Energy Imbalances: Although sugar is a quick source of energy that helps boost your energy levels, too much production of energy causes energy crashes and fatigue afterward. This condition leads to fluctuations in blood sugar levels and results in high energy periods followed by energy crashes.
Mental Health Effects: Excessive sugar intake is also harmful to your mental health. High intake of sugary foods and beverages contributes to increased depression, anxiety, and mood swings in some people.
Dental Issues: Tooth decay and cavities are also caused by high intake of sugary foods. This happens due to excessive bacterial growth in your mouth that erodes the tooth enamel and causes dental problems. Bacteria that live in the mouth feed on sugary foods.Â
Increased Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: Excessive sugar consumption is the major contributor to insulin resistance, due to which your body’s cells lose the ability to respond properly to insulin. This results in high blood sugar levels with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
Increased Risk of Certain Cancers: Excessive sugar intake is associated with an increased risk of certain cancers, including breast cancer, lung cancer, colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, and ovarian cancer. However, more research is needed to confirm the direct link between cancer and sugar.
Risk of Heart Diseases: Consuming sugar in large amounts is linked with an increased risk of heart disease. This may cause certain health conditions, such as higher bad cholesterol levels, increased inflammation, and an abrupt rise in blood pressure.
Foods to Eat to Fight Sugar Cravings
Here is a wide range of foods and beverages that may help you fight sugar cravings and reduce the urge to eat sweet foods.
Lentils
These are the basic reservoirs of protein and fiber. According to research, 200 grams of lentils provide 20 g of protein and 15 g of fiber. These nutrients help increase feelings of fullness and reduce your hunger-driven sugar cravings for the whole day. Studies also reveal that lentils are the best source to maintain your gut health, weight, and blood sugar levels.
Yogurt
This is a popular snack that is rich in calcium and protein. This characteristic of yogurt makes it best suitable for reducing your appetite and blood sugar levels. More studies have shown that yogurt works as a snack that helps regulate your appetite for the whole day and helps fight your sugar cravings. However, make sure that you are eating yogurt containing live cultures and free of sugar.
Fruit
Studies suggest that yogurt may be a good source to fight sugar cravings and help regulate your appetite. But people often overlook it and search for high-calorie foods like chocolate when they feel sugar cravings. However, junk food is not good for your health. You should swap out junk foods for fruits when the sugar cravings get higher. Fruits give you the sweet hit you need and stop your cravings.
No doubt natural sugar is found in fruits and these are the most beneficial plant compounds like fiber and minerals. Fruits have many health advantages, including:
- Increased chances of healthy aging, mental well-being, and bone health.
- Lower risk of chronic health conditions, like cancer, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases.
- Long-term sustainable weight management.
However, certain fruits are slightly high in sugar, such as grapes or mangoes. So eat these fruits in a balanced quantity so that you may use them to fight sugar cravings.
Vegetables
Eating vegetables may not satisfy your acute sugar cravings. However, including vegetables in your diet can add fiber to your diet and lower the calories as well. Lots of beneficial plant compounds and natural nutrients are found in vegetables that help make you feel fuller longer. Incorporating more vegetables and plant products in your diet is the best step to improve your overall health and also lower the risk of certain diseases like cancer and heart disease. Vegetables also bulk up your meals, helping you feel more fuller for the whole day.
Whole Grains
Whole grains are rich in beneficial nutrients and fibers. The most important nutrients found in whole grains include:
- Manganese.
- Iron.
- Vitamin B.
- Selenium.
- Phosphorus.
Preferring whole grains to refined carbohydrates can help increase fullness and reduce the urge to eat more sugar. Whole grains are also the best foods that promote the beneficial bacterial growth in your gut, which is responsible for improving your fullness level. Such bacteria belong to the Bifidobacteria group. However, more research is needed.
Berries
The most nutritious choice to stop sugar cravings is berries. Although they are sweet in taste, their nutritional profile tells you that they are rich in fiber and lower in sugar. This feature makes them the best option for keeping you full longer. If your sugar cravings are more than a hunger and just a habit, berries are a great choice for you. For example, you crave sweets while working on a laptop, watching a movie, or spending time with your friend.
In addition, they are strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agents that can help decrease the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cognitive decline.Â
Sweet Potatoes
These are not only sweet in taste but also have filling features. Sweet potatoes are nutritious and packed with carbs and fibers. They also contain a large number of minerals and vitamins like potassium, vitamin A and vitamin C. Studies claim that you have more sugar cravings when you don’t eat enough throughout the day. This insufficiency of food can be combated by eating a carb source like sweet potatoes as your meal. It not only adds calories to your meals but also makes them balanced and nutritious. It is clear from their name that they are sweet and can help satisfy your sugar cravings. Roasting sweet potatoes with paprika and cinnamon can enhance their taste. Try the recipe!
Meat, Poultry, and Fish
Protein is a great source to help prevent your sugar cravings. Basic sources of protein are meat, poultry, and fish. Protein sources also help you lose weight and manage your hunger. Eating adequate amounts of meat, poultry, and fish reduces food cravings and makes you full for longer. If you’re a vegetarian, don’t worry. Many food sources are plant-based and also rich in protein.
Smoothies
If you have a craving for sugar-sweetened beverages, different types of smoothies can help you to combat the feelings. Combining different types of fruit with yogurt is a great diet option that has the filling effects of yogurt with a sweet flavor that satisfies your sugar cravings. This combination is the best option to incorporate a variety of nutrients into your diet.
Remember, use the whole fruit in a smoothie because adding fruit juice to your smoothie can reduce the benefits and increase the risk of losing a healthy fiver.
Dark Chocolate
Eating chocolate to satisfy the sugar cravings is a common practice. According to reports, chocolate is the most demanded food to satisfy the sugar cravings. People feel it is easy to have chocolate to fight their sugar cravings. So, if you prefer chocolate to fight sugar cravings, eat dark chocolate. It is a healthier choice that contains a plant compound known as polyphenols. Polyphenols are plant-based compounds that have strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects that help in improving various markers of heart and cognitive health. Studies show that dark chocolate has more polyphenols than white chocolate and milk with significantly lower amounts of sugar. However, It is recommended that eating dark chocolate in limit can help reduce several risks of diseases because its excess can increase fat and sugar levels in your blood.
Snack Bars
Snack bars have higher amounts of sugar and fats. You can eat some low-sugar options to fight sugar cravings. Always try to find a snack bar made with fresh or dried fruit, whole foods, and whole oats. Avoid snack bars that contain table sugar. You may use so-called healthy sugar in snack bars, known as coconut sugar, honey, or agave syrup. But these are still considered as added sugar and aren’t healthy for you, in large amounts. Try to make your healthy bars.
Chia Seeds
Important nutrients are found in chia seeds that are rich in soluble fiber. The soluble fiber tends to absorb water readily and swell up to form a jelly-like substance in your gut. This material helps you feel fuller for longer and prevent sugar cravings. Chia seeds are also high in plant compounds and omega-3 fatty acids. This is a versatile food item that is used as a dessert in many regions of the world. You may try making chia pudding to fight sugar cravings.
Sugar-free mints or Chewing Gums
Sugar-free mints or chewing gums are made with artificial sweeteners but they contain a small number of calories with no sugar. These are great ways to fight sugar cravings. Although strong scientific evidence is not available to prove the effectiveness of these two in fighting sugar cravings, some studies suggest that chewing gum helps limit the intake of heavy carbs throughout the day and control cravings or hunger as well. An amazing feature is the protection of teeth against cavities. Chewing gum is good for your teeth.
Dates
Dates are dried fruit that contain a large amount of sugar. They help fight sugar cravings due to their highly nutritious profile. A study involving patients with diabetes found that eating dates daily for a month had no impact on your blood sugar level. However, it reduced your bad cholesterol (LDL) levels which indirectly helped improve your quality of life. Eating dates as a pairing with nuts such as walnuts or almonds gives you a crunchy sweet taste. But remember, dates are very sweet, so add them to your daily diet in a small quantity, a maximum of 5 dates a day.
Prunes
There are also types of dried fruit, meaning dried plums. They are rich in nutrients, especially in fiber, and have a sweet taste. You may use it as a healthy alternative to candy when you feel sugar cravings. They contain naturally occurring sorbitol that helps relieve constipation. High fiber content and sorbitol work in a combination to improve your gut health. Sorbitol is considered the best sugar alcohol that is sweet in taste but absorbed in your gut very slowly.
Conclusion
Odd sweet treats may not harm most people, so you can enjoy them occasionally to relish your taste buds but if you experience sugar cravings or feel uncontrolled feelings for sweet foods, it’s a matter of concern. Because the increased or uncontrolled sugar cravings may compel you to eat too many sweet foods may result in a higher risk of disease.Â
So, in this article, you will find a list of sweet options that you can use to swap a sugar-filled treat with a healthier one that can fight sugar cravings successfully.
