THE ETERNAL SUGAR BATTLE

How many times have you tried to lose weight and found that the hardest thing to give up is your sugar intake? So many of us are addicted to sugar and find this the biggest obstacle or challenge to weight loss and attaining our desired body. I recently got up close and personal with myself and admitted that I suffer from a sugar addiction from time to time. I decided to tackle this dependence head on by consuming no sugar whatsoever besides fruit. Mu journey without sugar has not been easy and I would go as far as to say that I have been experiencing several withdrawal symptoms for the past few weeks. On a positive note, I feel more energised and less lethargic, my muscles are recovering from exercise faster and I feel much, much healthier.

Let’s delve a little deeper and ask the following question; why do we all find it so damn hard to cut sugar out of our lives? 

Our Biology

In a 2007 study, researchers conducted an experiment in which participants were given a choice between cocaine and sugar-water. The study revealed that these participants, rats, chose the sugar-water over the cocaine every time. It did not matter whether the sugar-water was natural or artifical, the rats were consistent in their choice. Surprisingly, when the amount of cocaine was dramatically increased, the rats still chose the sugar-water. 

The conclusion that John Rosania, an urban Wellness Coach, draws from this experiment is that humans are hypersensitive to sugar and sugary products. If we consume sugar-rich products, the sweet receptors in our brain become over-stimulated and our ability to exercise self-control is revoked. Have a think about this; have you ever told yourself that you will just have one tiny bite of ice-cream, chocolate or cake and after that one bite you forget all about your promise to yourself and consume much more than you initially planned? This is because your brain is actually telling you to eat more. We are powerless to sugar. 

Five Simple Ways to Break the Sugar Habit

If it is this easy for sugar to negate our self-control, we need to take action! How can we reduce our body's natural craving for sugar? We discuss five simple ways to break your sugar addiction for good below. 

1. Eat frequent low-sugar, whole foods every day. When we don't eat enough of this type of food during the day, our body craves calories by the afternoon or night. How many times have you felt a powerful craving for chocolate or lollies in the early afternoon or evening? Our bodies are very smart and know that sweet, sugary foods are filled with calories. How often have you binged on sugary foods when arriving home from work? For the majority of us, the answer is more than once. The fastest and easiest way to reduce sugar cravings is to eat ample amounts of low-sugar, whole foods throughout your day. If you find yourself craving sugar, ask yourself why. Have you skipped any meals today? Did you eat enough breakfast and/or lunch? Try taking vegetables, greens, grass-fed meats, fish, gluten-free grains like quinoa and millet, and good fats like avocados and coconut to work with you everyday. This will reduce your chance of running down to the vending machine for an afternoon 'pick-me-up' treat. Incorporating some or all of these whole foods into your daily diet will greatly reduce your sugar cravings. 

A little tip: Have afternoon tea waiting for you when you get home from work, such as steamed veges or a green smoothie. 

2. Stay Hydrated. Cravings for sugary foods frequently come about due to dehydration. When you feel a desire for sugar, drink 2 glasses of water. A healthy habit to incorporate into your daily routine is to start your day by drinking at least one glass of water and a healthy smoothie or juice for breakfast. These liquids will hydrate your body and brain and provide your body with easily digestible nutrients. Try to drink a minimum of two litres of water a day. 

Handy tip: Carry a waterbottle with you in your bag whereever you go. 

3. Eat fruit and use stevia.

When you crave something sweet, substitute junk food for fruit or stevia. Stevia is a plant containing sweet leaves that is used as a low-carbohydrate, low glycemic sugar. An interesting fact about stevia is that it does not cause cravings. Stevia can be added to teas, smoothies and deserts, such as natural yoghurt or fruit. Challenge yourself to only eat fruit or stevia instead of artifical sugar for two weeks. Stevia can be purchased at any good health food store. 

Natural sugar Drink recipe: add a sprinkle of stevia and apple cider vinegar to water.

4. Eat sour and fermented foods. A very interesting and unknown trick. When you desire sweet food, eat the opposite. Eat sour and fermented food like kimchee, pickles and sauerkraut. These foods contain probiotics and several nutrients as well as reducing sugar cravings. Look for unpasteurized krauts at your health food store and kimchee at asian grocery speciality stores. 

5. Take a daily probiotic. When our digestive system is out of balance, we crave sugar. Probiotics assist in replenishing the good bacteria, removing the bad bacteria and strengthening the balance of our gut. Just one teaspoon of a probiotic mixed with water is all you need to take once a day. Probiotics are available at all good health stores. 

Interesting fact: most probiotics have no flavour and do not taste like anything. 

Lastly, take away from this article that your body is designed to be naturally hypersensitive to sugar. It is not your or anyone else's fault that you crave sugar so much and so often. Give these five simple strategies a try by incorporating them into your daily regime. You can say no to sugar!