sugar cravings means, how stop sugar cravings sugar addiction 7 steps to overcome

sugar cravings means, how stop sugar cravings

Sugar addiction: 7 strategies against sweets

Everyone likes sweet things. But what if you can not or will not stop? Here are 7 strategies against sugar addiction and an exciting experiment with chocolate pudding - where consumers could choose how much sugar they really want ...

Negative consequences of sugar addiction How do you kill sugar addiction?

That sugar can be just as addictive as cigarettes or drugs is well known. The over-average consumption of confectionery has a negative impact on body weight and harms the health - up to sugar addiction. But why can some people control their cravings for sweets worse than others? Scientists from the US found out that there are also genetic causes for sugar addiction - see more below.

Negative consequences of sugar addiction
But is sugar addiction actually only to us and in ourselves? Probably not: The news magazine Der Spiegel revealed in its cover story "Sweet Poison" on sugar in April 2018 that the food industry is adding sugar to three out of four products and thus conditioning us as "sweet". Means: 75 percent of all products that we buy every day in the food trade, are sweeter than they should be.

Every person consumes 75 grams of sugar on average every day (equivalent to more than 20 teaspoons a day!) - the current recommendation of the World Health Organization WHO is 25 grams. However, too much (nourished) cravings for sweetening or sweetening means that one automatically has more cravings for sugary foods and harms one's health in the long run, if you give it up over and over again - a vicious circle. Sugar not only ruins the teeth, but also thickens, promotes diabetes, harms the intestinal flora, can also destroy the retina of the eyes and promotes the visually rash aging of any sugar junkie.

How do you kill sugar addiction?

But do not worry, even our genes are not a one-way street in this regard. Even those who carry the predisposition can counteract the cravings for sweets and the effects of sugar addiction.

"The secret of health, as far as the majority of all diseases are concerned, lies not in the text of the genes, but in the regulation of their activity," said the Freiburg neurobiologist Joachim Bauer. Meaning, you have it in your hands, whether the cravings for sweets dominate you or whether you get the sugar addiction from you under control. Especially since most people consume their daily sugar unconsciously and often are not even sure what they are actually doing.

Even small tricks help to control the sugar addiction - here are effective countermeasures against a possible sugar addiction!

7 strategies against sugar addiction

1. Keep your blood sugar constant

Start the day with a nutritious breakfast. Carbohydrates ensure that the empty energy stores are filled up. Preference is given to whole-wheat products, because the fibers contained have a filling effect. Stop eating for 3-4 hours between snacks and meals so the pancreas can relax. Avoid eating more than three hours before going to bed at the latest - this promotes insulin secretion and stops fat burning .

2. Put on proteins

Make sure you have adequate protein intake during the day. Proteins, ie protein , have a long-lasting filling effect because they are digested more slowly. In addition, some proteins contain amino acids (tryptophan and tyrosine), which are involved in the formation of the satiety neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine. Eat more legumes, lean meat, low-fat dairy, mushrooms and cereals.

3. Consciously avoid sugar and sweeteners

For two weeks, take as much sugar break as possible. After initial longing, the body gets used to it - the sugar craving subsides. Even after the waiver you should consume largely industrial sugar, sweet juices and sweets only in small quantities. For example, the strategy of New York nutritionist Lorraine Kearney relies on total abstinence: "After five days, it feels as if a weight is being taken off your shoulders!"

If that's too hard for you to start with, slowing down consumption can be more promising than a major withdrawal. For example, if you put a whole bag of M & Ms into your mouth every day, you should try to leave it at half a pack. If you usually end up with two teaspoons of sugar in your coffee, you can only take a fancy while first diluting your sweet drinks (for example, fruit juices or lemonade) with water before you (ideally) give it up altogether.

Legislative changes can also make a lot of difference in this regard. In Britain, for example, the "thickest" nation in Europe , a new sugar tax is being turned on for sweet drinks !

4. Hidden sugar: Pay attention to the ingredients!

The insidious thing about sugar consumption is, among other things, that it often happens completely unnoticed. In many food products that are available in the supermarket, there is sugar, of which one often knows nothing! Best example: ketchup and similar seasoning sauces. But also in all sorts of ready meals, yoghurt, salad dressings, canned vegetables and even white bread and meat sausage lurks the unhealthy sweetness.

How to avoid this consumer trap if you want to eat healthy ? By looking carefully! Read the small print on the label and pay attention to terms such as sucrose, lactose, dextrose, fructose, maltose, sweet whey powder and corn or starch syrup - it always hides behind sugar! Sucrose - cheap sugar, which is made from sugar beet, sugar cane and sugar palms - is the largest part - and does not belong to the classical diet of humans, the body can cope without him completely.

5. Sleep enough

Who sleeps too little, increases faster. The lack of energy and the need to balance it, increases the craving for sugar. 7-8 hours of sleep are enough on average. Make sure that the room is properly darkened and fresh air is supplied. The room temperature should be 14 to 18 degrees. Only then can the body regenerate completely. See also slim in sleep

6. Try to avoid stress

Since sugar has a calming effect due to serotonin production in the brain, stressed people are considered to be particularly at risk. Stress hormones fuel the desire for sugar and fat and promote fat storage. Pay attention to fixed mealtimes and take your time off. Stress-reducing herbs like Rhodiola or valerian can also help to live a more balanced life.

7. Move enough

Researchers at the University of Exeter suggest that physical activity causes certain messenger substances in the brain to curb addictions and cravings. A fifteen-minute walk will thwart your cravings. In addition, a balanced exercise program ensures a higher metabolism, which has a positive effect on the energy balance of the body.

Sugar addiction: the pleasure principle and the power of genes
The key to combating sugar addiction lies in the reward area of ​​our brain. Food is a natural, positive key stimulus and ensures the release of dopamine. This brings feelings of happiness in us, which tempt us to repeat the vital behavior.

Using fMRI (Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging) research, researchers found that many adolescents suffering from sugar addiction have fewer dopamine receptors than their lean peers. In addition, their reward range in the brain is less pronounced, so they need to take in larger amounts of sugar in order to achieve the same happiness effect.

In addition, scientists from the Oregon Research Institute found in a study that the so-called DRD2 gene, which is also responsible for the risk of alcohol addiction, plays a central role in the consumption of sugar. It determines the intensity of the perceived happiness, causes the cravings for sweets and promotes sugar addiction.