Stop craving sugar with these foods
Diabetes and Eating Disorders Awareness (DEDA) is the only organisation in Australasia dedicated solely to supporting and advocating for those with both diabetes and disordered eating. See deda.org.nz, or find them on Facebook. Eating Disorders New Zealand (EDNZ) is a charity that supports, informs, and offers resources for carers of people with eating disorders, as well as educates medical professionals and improves awareness and understanding of eating disorders in the community. See ed.org.nz.
Sugar has been a topic of much debate over the past few years. Countless people make great food choices for breakfast and lunch, then at 3pm or after dinner, they feel like someone else has taken over their body. The desire for, and subsequent consumption of, sweet food can take hold without you really knowing why or what to do about it.
Too many people reach for sweet food that doesn’t serve their health; in fact it may contain substances that actually have the potential to take away from their health, yet they feel powerless to live any differently, having tried to change their sweet food habits many times. There are several ways you can reduce cravings for sugar; many start with dietary changes. Here are 10 foods that help manage sugar cravings. Leafy green vegetables Leafy greens tend to be bitter, which helps reduce cravings for sugar. If you eat sugar when you’re feeling stressed and depressed, experiment with adding more leafy greens like silverbeet, kale, spinach, and mustard greens to your meals every day. Sauerkraut Bacteria in the gut thrive on sugars and may contribute to your cravings. Fermented vegetables, like sauerkraut and kimchi, help the gut microbiome by introducing more good bacteria into your gut. Coconut oil When you reduce or remove sugar from your diet, try bringing out flavour in your food with nourishing fats. Coconut oil has a slightly sweet taste and is composed predominantly of medium-chain triglycerides (MCT). Coconut oil, more specifically, contains lauric acid, caprylic acid, and capric acid, which have antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral properties to support the immune system and healthy gut bacteria. It also slows the release of glucose into the blood so you feel satiated for longer. Herbal tea Keep strongly flavoured teas like ginger or peppermint, or a naturally sweet one like liquorice, in your drawer at work. Liquorice tea is a great after-dinner tea, especially if this is when you tend to experience cravings. Try this for a week and notice if your cravings for chocolate or something sweet reduce. Bananas Fruit contains fructose (also known as fruit sugar), but small amounts go a long way! Starchy bananas are great, especially paired with low-fructose berries. Use them to naturally sweeten smoothies or baking, or make an alternative to icecream by blending frozen berries and frozen bananas in a food processor. Or try half a chopped banana with a handful of your favourite raw nuts as a snack. Kumara/sweet potato This sweet and starchy root vegetable is a great addition when you’re craving sugar. Try roasting kumara with a small amount of coconut or olive oil plus a pinch of cinnamon to enhance its natural sweetness. Avocados These delicious good-fat filled fruits help you feel satisfied for longer. Add them to smoothies to create a creamy blend with serious staying power. Half an avocado, with sauerkraut, a glug of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon, and a pinch of salt, is a delicious afternoon snack to help you keep you sustained through what is typically the time you crave sugar the most. Dates Dates are great as an afternoon snack; intensely sweet and rich, a little goes a long way! Plus ground dates can be swapped for sugar in baked goods. A neat snack idea is to remove the seed from two fresh dates. Add two raw almonds to each date (from where you removed the seed), and you have a sweet, crunchy snack, full of nutrients. Dark chocolate I’m talking about 70 per cent cacao content and up! A little goes a long way and it’s full of antioxidants.
Dr Libby is speaking across the country during October with her From Surviving to Thriving tour. Tickets available from drlibby.com