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Despite the adverse health effects linked to sugar intake, sugar cravings are still extremely common, especially among women. According to Helen West of Healthline, up to 97% of women and 68% of men report experiencing some sort of food craving, including sugar cravings. Having sugar cravings can make you feel a strong urge to eat something sweet and you may find it hard to control yourself around food.
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Fortunately, there are some foods that you can eat that can help you prevent binge eating or over-consumption of calories, caused by sugar cravings. Such foods are examined below:
1. Fruit
Most people who crave sugar often opt for high-fat, high-sugar foods such as chocolate. But ditching such foods for some fruits when you feel like eating something sugary can give you the sweet hit you need and stop your cravings. This is because fruit is naturally sweet and contains many beneficial plant compounds and fibre, which are very healthy for your health both in the short and long run.
2. Berries
Berries such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries are excellent, nutritious choices for stopping sugar cravings. While they taste sweet, berries are high in fibre content, while their sugar content is on the low side. In addition to that, berries are also rich in powerful plant compounds and have strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, meaning they can help lower your risk for chronic diseases such as kidney disease, heart disease and diabetes.
3. Dark Chocolate
Chocolate is undoubtedly one of the most common foods many people often opt for when they crave sugar. However, if you crave chocolate, you can make a healthier choice by choosing dark chocolate, which is a type of chocolate that contains more than 70% cocoa. Furthermore, dark chocolate also contains healthy plant compounds known as polyphenols, which are believed to possess strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
4. Sugar-Free Chewing Gum or Mints
According to a publication by Healthline, mints or chewing gum can be a great way to control your sugar cravings. Gum or mints are usually made with artificial sweeteners and they taste sweet, but they often have a minimal number of calories and contain no sugar. Some studies have shown that chewing gum can help control hunger, cravings and the intake of carb-heavy foods later in the day.
5. Legumes
According to a publication by Healthline, legumes like lentils, beans and chickpeas are all great plant-based sources of fibre and protein. The high protein and fibre content of legumes are believed to help increase feelings of fullness, which implies that making legumes a regular feature in your diet plans can help you feel fuller and reduce hunger-driven sugar cravings.
5. Yoghurt
Yoghurt is one of the healthiest food items and its impressive nutrient profile includes a high content of calcium and protein. Studies have shown that yoghurt can be a good snack to help regulate your appetite and control your cravings. However, you must pick healthier alternatives i.e yoghurt varieties with live cultures and sugar-free.
6. Dates
Dates are the dried fruit of the date palm tree, and apart from being very sweet, are also highly nutritious. According to Helen West of Healthline, while dates have been dried, they are nevertheless rich in fibre, potassium, iron and beneficial plant compounds. Thus, instead of taking sugary foods or drinks, taking dates can help provide you with healthy nutrients.
7. Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are nutritious, sweet and very filling. While they mostly contain carbs, they also boast of a high level of fibre and many vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A, vitamin C and potassium. What’s more, eating a healthy carb source like sweet potatoes can help you avoid sugar cravings and ensure you are eating a food with many health benefits.
8. Meat, Poultry and Fish
Studies have also shown that including a source of rich protein like meat, poultry or fish can help you fight sugar cravings as these foods can help increase feelings of fullness, thus reducing your sugar intake. If you are trying to lose weight, eating an adequate amount of protein can help manage your food intake, cravings and weight. Thus, if you consistently crave sugar, it is recommended that you regularly include a source of protein like meat, poultry or fish in your meals.
9. Eggs
Eggs are a super nutritious food with many health benefits, and thanks to their status as a high-protein food, they can help keep your appetite and cravings for sugar in check. Studies have shown that having a high-protein breakfast like eggs may reduce hunger and help you eat less throughout the day. This has been attributed to its ability to suppress the hunger hormone ghrelin and increase some of the hormones that make you feel full. This can help keep you feeling fuller for longer and keep the cravings at bay.
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