Kick Those Sugar Cravings!

Sugar cravings happen to everyone. And while having something sweet is fine every once in awhile and in moderation, if you constantly give into your sugar cravings every single time, this can be very bad for your overall health, not to mention catastrophic for any kind of weight loss you are trying to achieve. This happens because when you consume sugar, insulin is released into your system and can result in rapid storage of body fat. There are several things that you can do to help fight that craving for sweets:

1. Drink Green Tea- green tea has a naturally sweet taste and does not even need to be sweetened. Green tea has also been shown to have a positive effect on your body’s metabolism. So next time you are tempted to reach for the bag of Oreos, fix yourself a cup of green tea instead. Also, Starbucks makes a fantastic iced green tea which is a much healthier alternative than that double-chocolate frappuccino that you might be tempted to get, and also it is a lot cheaper, you can get a large-sized green tea for about $1.50 less than a the small-sized frappuccinos
2. Do not let yourself get too hungry- when you get too hungry, your blood sugar levels drop making you crave sugary foods. To avoid this, be sure to eat every few hours, eating six small meals a day instead of three large meals.
3. Apple Cider Vinegar- if you can stomach this concoction, then it is a great way to battle your sweet cravings. Simply mix 2 tsp. of organic, unfiltered apple cider vinegar and 1 cup of cold water. If this drink is too strong for you, then just try adding a lemon to your water.
4. Brush your teeth after each meal- a lot of time sugar cravings sneak up on you at night. Try brushing your teeth right after dinner or after your healthy evening snack.
5. Eat Fruit- a lot of “carb-o-phobic” people avoid fruit because fruits have “sugar” in them. Yes, fruit does have sugar but it is fructose, which is a slow burning sugar and has a much lower glycemic-index than table sugar. This means that your body absorbs it slowly, preventing spikes in blood sugar levels. Fruit also contains fiber that will keep you fuller longer and give you energy unlike refined sugar that can result in headaches and energy crashes.
6. Eat Plenty of Vegetables- Getting an adequate amount of vegetables in your diet will give you more energy and we often tend to crave sweets when we are tired. Try vegetables such as carrots which have a sweeter taste to them.
7. Agave Nectar- agave nectar is a natural sweetener that comes from the agave plant. Agave nectar is also a low-glycemic sweetener so it will not create a spike in blood sugar levels. Agave nectar works great in tea, coffee, or on toast. One of my favorite snacks is almonds drizzled with agave nectar.