The Truth About Sugar Addiction
The constant desire for sweets make problems for many people. There are different definition, such as addiction, eating disorder or bad habit, but the symptoms are same: loss of control (eating more than is planned), a crisis if the sweets are skipped, the symptoms of decreased blood sugar, which include anxiety, tremors, sweating.
Brain and sugar
Sugar is the fuel for the cells in the brain and affects chemicals in it. Excessive sugar intake can change the receptors in the brain that regulate food intake. Tests have shown that even a look at the picture of milk shake provokes activity in the brain that is similar to that seen in drug addicts.
Quick rise of the sugar level…
When you eat a cake, the sugar that it contains is rapidly converted to glucose in the bloodstream. Blood sugar level rises and reaches the maximum when you eat simple carbohydrates (alone), for example, when you eat candy while watching a movie. All simple carbohydrates are quickly absorbed, especially processed, such as concentrated sugars found in sweet drinks, candy, and sugar that you add to coffee, tea … Simple carbohydrates are also found in fruits, vegetables or dairy products, but fiber and protein slow the absorption and provide important nutrients.
And rapid decline …
The pancreas secretes the hormone insulin, which leads the glucose through the bloodstream to cells and is used as energy. The result: blood sugar can drop quickly. When blood sugar rises quickly and then fall, you will feel hunger. Low blood sugar makes you feel tremor, dizziness and to crave more sweets to raise blood sugar again.
Starchy food
When starchy food, such as white rice, white flour products, potatoes are eat alone without other foods that are rich in important nutrients, it can cause the same cycle as when you eat foods rich in sugar. Processed starch: white bread, rolls, crackers, pasta from white flour are the worst possible choice.
Train your sense of taste
You do not need as much sugar as you think. You can also enjoy in the other flavours that are not so sweet. Try that on a weekly basis eliminate sugar snack from your diet. Skip dessert after dinner and gradually reduce the amount of sugar in coffee or tea. Over time, you will succeed to reduce dependence on sweet taste.
Choose healthier alternative
You do not have to completely give up the sweet, just change the source. Instead of cake, eat some fruit, pureed berries, oatmeal. Fruit in different forms (fresh, dried, canned, frozen) is a better source of sugar. A glass of milk or yogurt with low fat can also satisfy the need for sweet, because it contains milk sugar-lactose. Do not make drastic changes in diet, take small steps, to be easily used to the changes. Eat more fruits and vegetables, drink more water, reduce the consumption of industrial processed food. Buy unsweetened products and add only a small amount of sugar to satisfy the desire for sweets. Through the time lower the intake of sugar and after a few weeks you will be amazed when you realize that you do not miss sugar.
Try to eat more protein because protein-rich foods are digested slowly, making you full for longer. Proteins do not affect the rapid increase in blood sugar, as carbohydrates and sugars do. Of course, choose healthy proteins (legumes, nuts, eggs, yogurt).
Also, foods rich in fiber give you more energy and do not raise blood sugar levels, so you do not feel hungry soon after you eat. Choose soluble fiber from fruits and vegetables and insoluble fiber from whole grains. Or, make a combination of protein and fiber.
Exercise
Exercise will not cure the addiction of sweets but, in general, can change your eating habits. People who exercise regularly, feel better and try to eat healthier foods, which means that intake less sugar. Any form of physical activity is good (fast walking, biking, running, swimming …), and try to exercise at least 30 minutes five times a week.
