Why craving sweets

Prioritize getting enough sleep. Drink water. Check labels. Eat meals that are rich in protein and healthy fats. Protein and fat both help to make you feel satiated, and when combined with complex carbohydrates, this trio of macronutrients will help you stay full for longer. What does craving sugar mean? Trying a few of our tips for reducing sugar cravings, along with consuming a balanced diet, is a great starting point to reduce the amount of added sugar in your diet. Emily is a writer, reader, and traveler from Iowa who has visited twenty-one countries and lived in three.

Her first publication was an article in Muse magazine about her summer job as a corn detasseler. You can follow Emily on Twitter emilycpolson. Emily Polson Writer. Related Articles. Eliminating Sugar from Diet: Hack the Menu. According to Dr. Oz, "Your cortisol levels go up when stressed and can cause you to be hungrier, driving your sugar cravings.

Oz suggests practicing yoga, meditating, listening to music, or trying to learn other relaxation techniques. When's the last time you really got a good night's sleep? If it was a while ago, that could definitely be contributing to your sugar cravings.

Some pointers for getting a better night's sleep : Don't exercise two to three hours before bedtime, avoid taking daytime naps that are longer than 20 minutes, try to wake up and go to sleep at the same time every day, and don't use your phone an hour before heading to bed. If you're still having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, you could have insomnia—talk to your doctor as he might be able to prescribe additional medication. If you find yourself feeling dizzy without sugar, or having chronically strong cravings, it's time to call a professional as it could indicate a deeper problem.

For instance, they may stem from a blood sugar imbalance, like hypoglycemia. But don't jump to conclusions just yet: When your body lacks certain minerals that are involved in regulating insulin levels, that could also affect your hankering for sweets. For instance, when our body doesn't get enough magnesium, it will have trouble bringing energy into the cells and crave sugar to help raise energy levels.

Jonesing for a sweet or salty treat? Before you indulge, check your fatigue level. Perhaps you find yourself bingeing on salty snacks. The next time it happens, pay attention to your stress level. Take thirst into account, too. Some research suggests that mistaking dehydration for hunger may trigger cravings as well, she adds. Finally, if you have diabetes, you probably know you get hungrier than other people. But excessive hunger can mean your blood sugar is too high or too low.

If your blood sugar is less than 80, eat 15 grams of carbohydrates to help bring it back up to a safe range. Understanding the reasons why you crave these sweet and salty foods can help you reduce those cravings and work toward a more balanced diet.

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Like most people who think about food constantly, I take snacking very seriously. Surely this must mean something about the inner workings of my body. According to research, sugar is said to be as addictive as some street drugs, with similar effects on the brain! Excess sugar consumption may also lead to cavities, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and a slew of other health problems.

All around me, my fellow sugar worshippers bemoan the same question, all while stuffing more chewy morsels of Momofuku birthday cake into their mouths. I was determined to get to the root of the issue, and consulted two top nutritionists to help me find out what my sugar cravings mean, and hopefully, quell them. Meet the Expert. Keep scrolling to learn what your sugar cravings say about your health. First things first—before looking for answers, you need to identify the type of sugary food you are craving.

Goodman says this is one of the best cravings to have. As discussed above, a sugar craving could mean that your body is lacking a vitamin or nutrient, or that your blood sugar levels are off. If you find yourself battling a serious sugar addiction , take things one day at a time.