Combat Carb Cravings!
Are you a sugar addict? Did you know that the number one cause for stalled weight loss is unstable blood sugar? What’s more important than the calorie content of foods is their hormonal effect on the body. Certain foods like refined carbohydrates play havoc with our blood sugar and inhibit weight loss.
Riding the Sugar Roller-coaster
Most of us are caught in a viscous cycle of high and low blood sugar. When our blood sugar is high we force our body’s into a ‘fat storing’ mode which inhibits weight loss. When our blood sugar is low our cells don’t get the energy they need and we feel tired and hungry. You see how this can turn into a viscous cycle?
Insulin is the hormone that is responsible for maintaining normal blood sugar levels. So when we eat a meal, it’s insulins job to get glucose into the cells where it’s used for energy.
Remember that the faster and higher your blood sugar spikes – the faster and lower it will drop. So imagine you’ve had a coffee and a muffin for breakfast. A couple of hours later you’re tired and hungry. You grab a white bread sandwich, packet of crisps and a chocolate bar. These foods rapidly break down into glucose and the spike in blood sugar perks you up temporarily. The body will use some of the glucose for energy but guess what happens to the rest? It goes straight to you fat cells – particularly around the belly!
The 2pm slump
It doesn’t end there, after a couple of hours you’ll get a ‘sugar crash’ and may feel like crawling back to bed. What will you crave when you’re feeling tired? Yep – more fat promoting sugary foods. To make matters worse, these continuous highs and lows in blood sugar can lead to insulin resistance. The cells stop responding to insulin and the sugar can’t get in, this causes foggy brain, prolonged hunger, extreme cravings and fatigue. Sound familiar?
Why we crave sugar:
- It’s in our genes: The reason we find it so irresistible despite it’s long list of side effects is that cravings for sweet foods are actually built into our genes. Think about our ancestors, they discovered that in nature, sweet foods (like fruits, vegetables, and herbs) are safe to eat and provide the energy and nutrients needed to survive. Now that we have access to processed sugary foods 24/7 this genetic adaptation is now a curse instead of a blessing!
- It boosts our mood: Unfortunately its feel good affects are fleeting. Sugar increases the absorption of an amino acid called trytophan which is used to make our feel good hormone serotonin. Soon after there’s a drop in serotonin and that’s usually when the guilt sets in!
- Unstable blood sugar: Stress, excess caffeine and a diet high in refined carbohydrates causes spikes in blood sugar. The sharp peak is followed by a sudden crash which leaves you feeling hangry (so hungry you’re angry!). This stimulates appetite and drives sugar cravings.
- It’s that time of the month: Endorphin levels are low during this time and you may be experiencing cramps. Sugar increases endorphins in the brain which has a pain relieving effect.
- Candida: An imbalance of gut flora can allow for yeast and fungal overgrowth which have a higher demand for glucose. They crave sugar so you do too!
Balance Blood Sugar and Blast Belly Fat!
Stabilising blood sugar has been shown to provide a host of health benefits with weight loss being just one of them. However, transitioning away from sugar and refined carbohydrates, certainly won’t be a piece of cake! Below are some tips you can easily implement to banish cravings, fatigue and hunger related mood swings!
Full on fibre: Have fibre with every meal. Fibre slows the emptying of the stomach which means you feel fuller for longer and are less likely to snack between meals. The best source of fibre comes from vegetables.
Plentiful protein: Have protein with every meal. Protein is the most weight loss friendly macronutrient there is. Not only does it blunt the insulin spike but the body actually uses 20-30% of the calories in a protein based food, just by breaking it down – so you get more bang for your buck!
Fat is phat! Have healthy fats with every meal. Despite what we’ve been told over the years eating fat doesn’t make you fat. Fat provides the most satiety of all the macronutrients and like protein it will blunt the insulin response from a carbohydrate containing meal. Coconut oil is a medium chain fat which the body prefers to use as an instant source of energy (as opposed to storing it). Other healthy fats include avocado, oily fish, nuts, seeds and cacao.
Time for Tea: I’ve been drinking Miss Fit Skinny Tea for the last couple of weeks and it’s made my New years resolution to cut the sugar feel completely effortless! The loose tea blend combines herbs that balance blood sugar, boost metabolism and assist digestion. I’ve tried some funky herbal teas in my time so was pleasantly surprised by how good this tastes. Click here for more info: http://www.missfitskinnytea.ie/
Deficiencies Destroy Diets! A craving is often a signal that you’re nutritionally deficient, your brain will keep telling you that you need more food until the deficiency is resolved. Try increasing your intake of foods like berries, carrots, bell peppers, beets and sweet potato. Not only do they have a sweet flavour but they’re also high in vitamins and minerals.
When to walk: When you’re really craving sweets, it’s often because you’re craving something that feels comforting or a pleasant disruption from everyday life. Ask yourself if it’s a physical or emotional craving. Are you bored, lonely, stressed or just looking for some comfort? Next time a craving hits try going for a ten minute walk. The fresh air and exercise will boost endorphins allowing you to forget all about that chocolate chip cookie.
Serious about Sleep: Sleep deprivation leads to increased levels of Ghrelin (our “hunger hormone”) and decreased levels of leptin (our “feel full hormone”). So lack of sleep stimulates our appetite and the tiredness makes an instant energy source like sugar even harder to resist.
Sinful Sweeteners: Artificial sweeteners which are commonly found in diet drinks actually stimulate cravings for sugar. Remember that aspartame is 300 times sweeter than real sugar. When you eat something that tastes sweet you crave more sweetness! It tricks the body into thinking it is getting glucose and sets off a similar hormonal response. However as there is no energy content in the sweetener it leaves the body in shock & craving the real thing. Aspartame (the most commonly used sweetener in diet foods) has actually been shown to cause a gut flora imbalance. Promoting the growth of bad bacteria which crowds out the good probiotics. The harmful bacteria extract more calories from our food and drives cravings. Yikes!
In a pickle: Studies have shown that bitter tasting foods such as lemons, apple cider vinegar and pickles, inhibit sugar cravings and stimulate the production of fat burning hormones. Before you ask, that gherkin on your Big Mac doesn’t count!
Combat Cravings with Chromium: Chromium is a mineral that is essential for balancing blood sugar and curbing that sweet tooth. The more sugar you eat the higher your demands for chromium will be. Without chromium the uptake of glucose into cells will be inefficient, hence a deficiency is linked with high blood sugar and weight gain. Other supplements that help to improve insulin sensitivity are L-Glutamine and fish oil. What does this mean in layman’s terms? You’ll be more likely to use carbohydrates for energy and less likely to store them as fat.
Spice up your life: Just half a teaspoon of cinnamon has been shown to reduce blood sugar levels. It helps to increase the signal of insulin so can be particularly beneficial for those with insulin resistance.
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