How to Curb Sugar Cravings and Conquer a Sweet Tooth

Are you one of the many people in the world who LOVES sweets and wants to curb sugar cravings?  You are not alone!  Some people even consider sugar obsession to be an actual addiction.  Reducing sugar intake is an important step in any weight loss or health program, simply because it helps you consume fewer calories and maintain better health.

Unfortunately, knowing how important it is still doesn’t make it easy to overcome that sweet tooth, right?  Below are a few tips to curb sugar cravings and loosen the grip that sugar has on you:

#1 - Plenty of water

Before you even start cutting down your sugar consumption, you may want to focus on boosting your daily water intake.  Being fully hydrated is a great way to help flush toxins from your body and keep all of your muscles and organs functioning as they were meant to, which can help curb sugar cravings.

SEE ALSO:  How To Keep Your Body Hydrated

#2 - More protein

Cravings for sugar are often caused by dipping blood glucose levels, and eating protein regularly helps to stabilize your blood sugar.  Including a serving or two of protein in each meal will help your stomach empty more slowly, which helps you avoid large spikes in blood sugar - which means you are less likely to experience low blood sugar and the intense sugar cravings that come along with it.

See:  High Protein Pancakes

#3 - Reduce volume

Instead of giving up sugar “cold turkey” you may want to start slowly reducing the VOLUME of sugar you eat each day.  Rather than focusing on how many times a day you eat sugar, focus more of your attention on how much sugar you have each time, and do your best to reduce it gradually.  If you typically add 2 teaspoons of sugar to your coffee, try cutting back to just one (or even 1 1/2).  If you usually drink 5 glasses of soda pop each day, try drinking only 1/2 glass for each full glass you would normally drink. 

#4 - Reduce frequency

Once you feel more comfortable with a reduced volume of sugar, you can also start reducing the frequency of intake (how often throughout the day you have sugar).  Replace 2 or 3 glasses of soda with water.  Have sugar in one cup of coffee, but not the others you drink later in the day.  You may start out ingesting sugar a dozen times a day, and gradually cut down to only once or twice a day - and even stop altogether if that’s your goal.

#5 - Natural sugars

You can also use natural, low glycemic sugars and fruit to help curb sugar cravings.  Eating a serving of fresh fruit 2-4 times a day can help reduce cravings for sugar.  Just one banana or apple can go a long way in helping you feel satisfied, even if you aren’t eating much refined white sugar.  You can also start using healthier sugar substitutes like stevia and agave nectar.

SEE ALSO:  Top 7 Healthy Orange Fruits and Vegetables

Remember that it will take time to curb sugar cravings.  You probably didn’t develop a sweet tooth overnight and you won’t overcome it that quickly either.  Give yourself time to adjust to living life with less sugar, and eventually it will become easier to stick with it.