5 TIPS TO HELP YOU CURB THOSE SUGAR CRAVINGS
Sugar cravings aren't always a problematic phenomenon for your health.
While sugar in itself has a bittersweet reputation, implying that the body needs some amount of sugar, adding it from unnatural sources can have some devastating effects, leading to non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
Studies show that white sugar could have devastating effects on your cardiovascular health and high consumption increases the risk of type 2 diabetes.
In a study published in 2014 in JAMA Internal Medicine, a Harvard University team found an association between a high-sugar diet and a greater risk of dying from heart disease.
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Over the course of the 15-year study, people who got 17 per cent to 21 per cent of their calories from added sugar had a 38 per cent higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease compared with those who consumed 8 per cent of their calories as added sugar.
Therefore, before giving in to your sugar cravings next time, pause and follow these tips listed by nutritionist Anjali Mukerjee.
Sharing a post on Instagram, the expert's first tip was about storing bite sizes of fruits in the freezer and having them whenever you feel like eating something sweet.
"Freeze bite size watermelon cubes and snack on them when you have your sugar attack. You can also eat fruits like apples, grapes, papaya and chikoo. Remember to eat (chew) them slowly if you want to satisfy your sweet tooth," wrote Anjali.
The next best thing to do when you want to rush for a donut or a brownie, have dry fruits instead.
"When the sugar craving is very strong, eat dry fruits like anjeer, dates, black currants etc," she added.
Another tip to check your sugar cravings is taking chromium supplements after a doctor's consultation. There are studies that show that chromium supplements can lower blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity.
"Taking chromium supplements may help to reduce sugar cravings," said the nutritionist.
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The next tip involves including exercise in your daily life.
"Embark on some form of activity that can be either a regimented routine or something fun like dancing, walking the dog etc. Feel good hormones similar to the ones released after sugar consumption are released after exercise. Thus, the urge to have something sweet can be managed well," she wrote.
However, the best tip for curbing any sugar craving is having a diet rich in protein.
"Best tip: Make sure you eat some protein (egg whites, soya granules, chicken, fish, dals, paneer etc.) with every meal. It helps reduce sugar cravings," the caption of the post read.
2023-06-22T09:07:25Z dg43tfdfdgfd