Can You Really Be Hooked on SUGAR?

Even though it is not an actual addiction if you crave it, lose control, and eat more than you planned, it would be wise to try to reduce the amount of sugar you are eating.

Think you don't have a sweet tooth, but crave bagels, chips, or french fries? These starchy foods are complex carbs that the body breaks down into simple sugars. White rice, white flour, and potatoes do this.  Highly refined starches like white bread, pretzels, crackers, and pasta are worst.

How does a sugar craving works?

First: Sugar fuels every cell in the brain. Your brain also sees sugar as a reward, which makes you keep wanting more of it.

Second: When you eat candy, the sugar in it is quickly turned into glucose in your bloodstream.  Your blood sugar levels spike. …

Third: Your body needs to move the glucose out of the bloodstream and into your cells for energy. To do this, your pancreas makes insulin, as a result, your blood sugar level may have a sudden drop. This rapid change in blood sugar leaves you feeling wiped out and shaky and searching for more sweets to regain that sugar "high."

How do I STOP it?

Train your taste buds:  Try cutting out one sweet food from your diet each week.  For example, pass on dessert after dinner, put less sugar in your coffee or cereal.

Choose a good-4-U sweet:  Instead of sugar you can use stevia, try fresh berries or pureed fruit, you can also explore fruit that's dried, frozen, or canned.

Let Protein Help:  Eating protein is an easy way to curb sugar cravings. High-protein foods digest more slowly, keeping you feeling full for longer.

Fill Up on Fiber:  Fiber helps fight a sugar itch in many ways.  It keeps you full, gives you more energy, it doesn't raise your blood sugar so there's no hungry crash after.

Limit the 'Healthy' Sugars, Too:  Honey, brown sugar, and cane juice may sound healthy, but sugar is sugar.  Whether it comes from bees or sugar cane, it can cause your blood glucose to rise.

Scout Out Hidden Sugar:  Sugar can hide in foods where you least expect it. Although they don't seem sweet, ketchup, barbecue sauce, and pasta sauce can have loads of sugar. So can reduced-fat salad dressings, bread, baked beans, and some flavored coffees. 

Get in the habit of reading labels. Filter out high-sugar foods before they hit your shopping cart.

See you next week!