Fight Sugar Cravings

How Can I Tame My Intense Sugar Cravings?
(December 30, 2010)

What are intense sugar cravings?

There are millions of people all around the world, who have a sweet tooth. Hence, it is common for people to eat dessert or any other type of sweets, after meals, just to satisfy their craving for something sweet. Studies indicate that dessert has become a regular part of meals in several houses across the United States. At times, people could indulge in a large portion of dessert, whereas those who are a bit more health conscious tend to consume restricted quantities of sweets. However, there is one big problem that can arise after you eat something sweet and that is the desire to eat some more.

Of course, there are several people who feel satiated after eating a small piece of chocolate or a tiny slice of cake, but the majority of us usually wish that we could have some more. This is because the consumption of sugar can give you a temporary high and after a few minutes or even a couple of hours, your body could crave some more sugar, just so that it can experience the same high once again. The more you give into the urge, the stronger will it become. At the same time, you may also feel the urge to eat something sweet more frequently, as time goes by. If the trend continues and you allow yourself to consume something sweet every time the urge hits you, there is a strong chance that you could develop intense sugar cravings.

Unfortunately, most people do not realize how harmful such intense sugar cravings can be and how severely this problem can affect their systems. At times, these craving could be the result of a few underlying medical conditions. Therefore, it is best to recognize the symptoms of intense sugar cravings as early as possible, so that you can work on controlling them, without any delay.

Symptoms of intense sugar cravings

There are some people who much on a bar of candy or a piece of chocolate, only because they are bored and have nothing else to do. However, there are others who consume such foods for energy, but need to eat similar snacks a few hours later. In case the body does not require the amount of sugar it wants within a certain period of time, there are certain symptoms that could become evident, such as:

• Fatigue
• Lack of energy
• Increased sugar or caffeine addiction/
• The need to nap more often

Why does someone have intense sugar cravings?

Most people simply chalk a sugar craving down to a sweet tooth. However, a sugar craving, at times, could be the symptom of an underlying condition, like diabetes. It could also be an indication that a person is prone to diabetes, due to family medical history.

Diabetic intense cravings for sugar

People often wonder “is any kind of food craving a sign of diabetes?”. The answer to that is yes. Just like milk craving is a symptom of onset of diabetes, it is important to undergo a medical check up, in case you experience intense sugar cravings on a regular basis. There is also a correlation between a sugar craving and pre diabetes. This means that you could be prone to diabetes, if you experience frequent sugar cravings. Therefore, it is important for you to consult your physician at the earliest, so that you can begin your routine of diabetic control food, to keep the levels of sugar in your body, in check.

While it is true that intense sugar cravings could be one of the signs or symptoms of diabetes, there could be several other sugar cravings causes. Some of the most common factors that could lead to sugar cravings in a person are:

• Depression: The human body produces a steroid known as serotonin, which can keep both the mind, as well as the body in a good state. However, if you feel depressed for any reason, your hormone levels tend to plummet, which also has an effect on your metabolism. This is probably most people turn towards “comfort foods” like ice cream, chocolate, cake and so on, when they go through bouts of depression. The reason for this is that most people go through intense sugar cravings when they feel depressed. Sugar can release serotonin in the body, but it is only for a short period of time. Be prepared to experience some sugar cravings, for as long as you remain depressed.
• Eating habits: One of the facts about sweets is that the more you give your body sugar, the more your body will crave it. In several cases, people are used to eating sweets on a regular basis, which is why their body develops sugar cravings, if it does not get the amount of sugar it is used to. Hence going on a restrictive diet, which limits the intake of sugar considerably could trigger of intense sugar cravings in people. 
• Following a Low Carb diet: Almost all the people, who are on a low carb diet, experience sugar cravings. This is because carbs are broken down into sugar, which can help keep your body going. However, a low carb diet leads to a deficiency of glucose in the body, which is one of the main causes of sugar cravings.
• Leading a sedentary lifestyle: The lack of adequate physical activity, or exercise in your life can cause your body to produce lower amounts of serotonin, thereby increasing the number of sugar cravings you may experience.
• Stress: This is probably one of the most common factors that can lead to sugar cravings in people. Your body releases adrenalin, every time you are in a stressful situation. A lot of energy gets used up in the production of adrenalin, which could drain you physically and you are quite likely to go through intense sugar cravings because of this. Once you eat (or drink) something sweet, your body will feel satisfied for a short while, before it returns to its original state.

Fortunately, there are several ways in which you can deal with sugar cravings, just by bringing about a few healthy dietary changes in your life. Setting up an exercise regime is also important for reducing sugar cravings.