How to Reduce Sugar Consumption for a Healthy Body?

If you are looking to cut down on sugar immediately, then try to find the right food items. Only healthy food choices can help you to control sugar cravings.

Image Credit: MD Anderson Cancer Center

Sugar is a particular macronutrient that people from every age group like to consume. Most people like to have something sugar right after a meal. A little bit of sugar is required for all. However, when it comes to consuming it, people do not pay much attention to it. They eat sweet food items as much as they want to have. It is not a great sign of a healthy diet. In most cases, it is also seen that people like to have more cups of tea or coffee in a day so they can have more sugar. It is one of the worst eating habits that anyone can have. That is why, it is essential to put in more effort in cutting down your daily sugar consumption amount. There are many reasons why you are craving more sugar. Here are some major reasons that you need to focus on-

  • Poor diet:

In excessive sugar cravings, poor diet plays a huge role. According to nutritionists, if you are craving something sweet after nearly 2 hours of having your meal, then you are not having a nutritious meal. In most cases, it has been observed that people who eat more carbohydrates than protein, mostly crave more sugar. In addition to that, if you put more refined sugar in your food, then it is also an indication that you will crave sugar right after having a meal. At this time, you need to put more effort into how much protein you have in a whole day and how muchrefined sugar you are consuming. By paying more attention to these, you will get the chance to control your sugar cravings. Along with this, eating probiotics-packed food like Greek yogurt after a meal can help you in many ways. It might be a reason why you are craving more sugar in a day.

  • Deficiency of nutrients:

Nutrient deficiency can lead to more sugar cravings. If you do not have calcium, zinc, iron, magnesium, and chromium in your diet plan, then you will crave more sugar. Mostly, people who have a deficiency of magnesium, tend to crave more sugar than others. If you have a deficiency of these nutrients, then you might also experience insomnia or other health issues like anxiety and stress. That is why, you must pay more attention to what you are having in a day. Craving excessive sugar isn’t a common sign. In major cases, you might also seek professional help to take care of the deficiencies and excessive sugar cravings.

  • Dehydration:

Dehydration can be a sign of having more sugar cravings. A lot of time, when our body is dehydrated, it gets confused about whether it wants to drink water, eat food, or have sugary items. If you are not drinking a sufficient amount of water in a day, then you might crave more sugar. Dehydration can lead to many serious issues in your body. That is why, do not avoid drinking water. Many people do not like to drink water, which is a huge problem among the youth. But if you want to take care of your body, then you need to do anything to drink more water. If you don’t like to have water, then try some healthy non-sugary drinks with some fruits. It can also help you to control your sugar cravings.

  • Hormonal changes:

Hormonal changes can be another reason why you crave more sugar. You will be able to understand it in a much better way if you look at menstruation. In women who menstruate, their hormones change during the cycles. A body needs to go through many changes in this time. And that hormonal change increases the craving for sugar. During this time, women each more things like chocolates, sugary drinks, and ice cream. It is the hormonal changes that make them eat more sugar. Therefore, hormonal change is another reason why people tend to eat more sugar.

When it comes to excessive sugar cravings, these are some of the major reasons. In addition to that, stress might be a reason too that people eat more sugar. At the present time, everyone should know the side effects of having more sugar. Due to sugar consumption, most people have various health issues, which can get chronic at a certain point in time. For that reason, paying more attention to daily sugar intake has become more essential.

What are the side effects of consuming more sugar?

Sugar is something that is loved by anyone but it does more bad than good to your body. Daily sugar consumption for years can lead to many dangerous side effects to you. It is seen that the more you will sugar, the less your body would like to function. You will feel more fatigued and have brain fog if you consume more sugar. Some of the common side effects of sugar are-

  • Anxiety
  • Stress
  • Fatigue
  • Insomnia
  • Irritability
  • Obesity
  • Type-2 Diabetes
  • Heart diseases
  • Metabolic dysfunction

These are some of the major issues that you might experience in your body if you eat more sugar. Each of them can worsen your health condition and lead to many other dangerous diseases. That is why, from early on, you should practice cutting down the sugar level in your diet. It is the only method that can help you to maintain a healthy body.

If you are trying to reduce the sugar intake amount in your body, then having certain food items can help you in many ways. Those will help you to control the sugar cravings in the most natural manner. Here are some of the food items that you should include in your diet plan-

  1. Greek yogurt:

Greek yogurt is a food item that is rich in probiotics and protein. It is seen that carbohydrate is a macronutrient that breaks down in our body quite easily. If the macronutrient is breaking into your body more easily, then you will have more cravings for eating something. At this time, if you have more protein than carbs, then it will take a much longer time. Protein is an element that takes a little bit more time to break down in our body. As Greek yogurt has more protein, then you will be able to maintain your daily protein intake amount. It will have a direct influence on your sugar consumption.

  1. Green vegetables:

All the non-starchy green vegetables are extremely good for your body. For example, all vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprouts, zucchini, cabbage, and squash are extremely helpful when it comes to cutting off sugar from your diet. All these vegetables are filled with fiber that will keep you full for a long time. People eat more sugar items because they get hungry quickly. As their meals do not have the right nutrients, they become hungrier within a brief time. If you consume green vegetables that are healthy and can keep you full, then you can take the control much more easily. So, it is a step that can be truly helpful for you. This particular step can be useful in many ways.

  1. Chia seeds:

Chia seeds are another item that has a huge impact on sugar cravings. 1 ounce of chia seed has nearly 4 grams of protein and 10 grams of fiber. You might neglect chia seeds and not include them in your diet but these small seeds are filled with excellent nutrients. You will also get omega-3 fatty acids with the help of chia seeds, which is another necessary and helpful element for our body. If you can consume yogurt with chia seeds, then you will get the opportunity to create an excellent combination that is truly brilliant for your body. It can help you to get the necessary nutrients much more easily and control your sugar cravings. Therefore, add chia seeds to your diet to take care of your health.

  1. Avocado:

Avocado is a super fruit that is excellent for our body. A single avocado has a total of 9 grams of fiber and is filled with healthy fats. When these two things come together, then you will get to control your sugar cravings much more easily. It is seen that healthy fat is helpful for our body in various manners. If you can consume a sufficient amount of healthy fat, then you can control your sugar cravings. For people who tend to have more sugar spikes and obesity, then avocado can be a fruit that can be quite helpful. You can eat an avocado in many ways and prepare tasty food items. So, now, you don’t have to only eat bland foods if you are trying to take care of your body. Following this method can be quite easy for everyone.

  1. Berries:

Berries like strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and more are berries are full of fiber, antioxidants, and water. All of them are low-glycemic fruits, so it doesn’t lead to rapid glucose spikes. Therefore, it can help to balance the blood sugar level. If you eat a cup of raspberry, then you will be able to a total of 8 grams of fiber, which can be extremely helpful for your body. Having such fruits daily will assist you in controlling your sugar cravings quite seamlessly. That is why, including berries in your diet is the best way to cut down on sugar.

  1. Sesame seeds:

Among all seeds, sesame seeds are quite a healthy type of seeds. 1 tablespoon of roasted sesame seeds that help you to provide 1.1 grams of fiber. Along with that, it has healthy polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. As it has healthy fats and fiber, it plays a huge role in sugar cravings. Adding seeds to your diet plan can help you to reduce the amount of sugar in a hassle-free way. In addition to that, when you are munching on such roasted seeds, you will be able to enjoy your snacks or meals even easier manner.

  1. Pistachios:

Pistachio is a nut among all that has everything. By eating pistachios, you will get the chance to get all the healthy fats, fiber, and protein. Many think fat is good for their health. However, you will not be able to have a balanced diet if you do not have healthy fats in it. And pistachios fulfill that requirement. Pistachios is a nut that helps you stop munching on sugar food items and fight obesity. If you can stop eating over and over after some time, you will get to manage your weight quite easily. So, this is a food item that can help you to reduce your sugar consumption.

  1. Lentils and beans:

All the lentils and beans are a rich source of plant-based protein. By consuming these, you will be able to fulfill your body’s daily protein requirement. Beans and lentils are immensely helpful in balancing your blood sugar level too. Therefore, it has a direct impact on your sugar consumption. If you have lentils and beans daily, then you can maintain the glucose level and fiber intake in your body. It can help you to get the right amount of calories without messing up your healthy diet plan. So, it is a great choice that can be truly helpful for you.

  1. Sweet potatoes:

Sweet potatoes can help you to fulfill your minerals and vitamins requirements. It is observed that a cooked sweet potato has nearly 4 grams of fiber. This can help you to fulfill your hunger much more easily, which doesn’t lead you to eat a chocolate or finish a whole bowl of ice cream. It also has the potential to take care of the insulin spikes. It has many essential nutrients that help you to take care of your body. At the time of cutting down on sugar, sweet potatoes are extremely helpful. If you add this to your diet plan, then you can see a visible result in a brief time.

  1. Coconut oil:

Coconut oil is a good source of fat. It is a particular food item that has the potential to slow down the process of converting any food item into sugar and getting it into the bloodstream. It makes the process much slower, so you also do not feel the hunger every now and then. Coconut oil can maintain the blood sugar level and fight your cravings for sugar. According to nutritionists, having cold-pressed or extra virgin coconut oil is the most preferred one. If you eat this, then you will get to take care of your body and control your sugar cravings.

  1. Dark chocolate:

Chocolate is preferred by everyone and stopping it can be a difficult task. However, if you cannot stop eating chocolate, then go for the dark chocolates. These have only a little bit of sugar and also fulfill your craving for chocolate. Consumption in moderation can help you to balance your diet quite easily. Along with that, it has more magnesium which plays a significant role in reducing sugar consumption. Therefore, it is a great method that can be truly useful.

  1. Eggs:

Eggs are a brilliant source of getting protein. By adding the right amount of protein to your diet, you will get the chance to control your cravings. Protein is one of the most important elements that keeps you full. By eating an egg, you will be able to get 6 grams of protein. Along with that, you will also be able to get vitamins, minerals, and saturated fats, which are extremely helpful for our body. If you eat eggs daily, then you will be able to fulfill all the essential requirements of your body, which will lead to control the consumption of sugar.

Choosing the right food items can help you to cut down sugar much more easily. Once you start paying more attention to your diet, you will be able to reduce your sugar level and take a good care of your body.