For someone who has ever eaten an entire bucket of ice cream in one sitting, it’s easy to have too much of a sweet tooth. Sugar is incredibly addictive, and we may crave it so much for certain hormonal, emotional, and physiological reasons. Here are some of the factors that cause you to crave sugar and how to stop them.
The Reason Why Your Body Craves Sugar
According to the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, the average U.S. adult consumes 17 teaspoons of added sugar per day. However, the recommended intake in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans is less than 10% of the overall diet, which equates to about 12 teaspoons per day. Here are some reasons why you might feel the need for something sweet:
1. You’re tired
In times of fatigue or exhaustion, the first thing we crave is sugar. This is because sugar is metabolized quickly and is the body’s preferred source of energy.
Studies have shown that eating sugar is a physiological adaptive behavior that provides the energy needed to stay awake. Is there anything wrong with this? The initial energy boost of sugar is short-lived, leaving you looking for more. These balanced meals and snacks are more conducive to a sustained supply of energy.
2. You’re stressed
Past studies have found that when primates are under stress, they look for carbohydrates – mostly in the form of fruits. We think it’s because these compounds produce the feel-good hormone serotonin.
Humans under stress also react in the same way – by eating some sweets to relieve stress (albeit for a short time). The problem is that eating sugar too often can form a habit that creates stress and thus becomes ingrained in the behavior.
Carbohydrates come in many forms, and if you’re feeling stressed, the best way to balance yourself may be to consume complex carbohydrates. This is because they take longer to digest and can keep blood sugar levels stable. If you have to eat sweets, stick to dark chocolate that contains 70 to 85 percent cocoa to prevent blood sugar spikes.
3. Your gut isn’t getting what it needs
One of the theories about the causes of hunger in humans is the theory of hunger centered on the gut microbiota. This theory is that our hunger is controlled by the amount of food needed by the gut bacteria.
If the gut bacteria get the right fuel, it sends a message to the brain that it’s happy, and we don’t have to look for extra food. However, when gut bacteria don’t get the right nutrients, the brain sends a distress signal that it needs to get energy quickly. The quick fix is usually sugar.
But one thing that’s even better for gut health is prebiotic fiber — a non-digestible fiber that nourishes beneficial gut bacteria and suppresses appetite.
Prebiotic-rich foods include nuts, bananas, oats, and apples. MCT oil also nourishes gut bacteria. It is a type of fat that is absorbed directly from the intestines into the bloodstream and liver. From there it is converted into ketone, which fuels the brain.
4. You’re ingesting too many artificial sweeteners.
When it comes to detecting sugar, artificial sweeteners disrupt our system. That’s because we don’t have sugar receptors on our tongues; We have sweet taste receptors. Previously, sweet receptors tasted something sweet, that is, sugar, and alerted the brain and pancreas that sugar was on its way. The pancreas then produces insulin in preparation.
Artificial sweeteners do not follow the same natural process. First, insulin must draw sugar out of the bloodstream, which increases the risk of hypoglycemia. The brain can never get sugar, it tells the body to go out and get more sugar. This can cause someone to eat or drink more artificial sweeteners, creating cravings and habits, such as becoming addicted to Diet Coke.
The Healthiest Food to Satisfy Sugar Cravings
The next time you feel like sugar, eat these foods that provide complex carbohydrates, prebiotics, and more, your body actually needs:
- Fruit
- Nut
- Whole grains
- Healthy fats, such as half an avocado
- Purple sweet potato
- Dark chocolate
- Amaranth
- Chia Seeds (Try your hand at making chia seed pudding)
- Dark leafy greens, such as kale and spinach
- Salmon and other fatty fish
At Last
The craving for sugar is an instinct of your body. Many of the nutrient-dense foods we should eat every day already contain natural sugars. If you stick to eating these foods, regulate stress, and maintain good sleep hygiene, your cravings will subside and you’ll be eating cookie jars much less often.