Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth: Combat Your Cravings: Are you ready for this shocking fact?

by Sue Lemoine, RHNP

The average North American, according to recent research, consumes roughly 150 pounds of sugar a year. That sounds like A LOT, and to me, that is shocking. Hopefully, it is to you as well. When you consider that as a fact, it’s not difficult to guess why we, as a nation, struggle with obesity and diabetes Mildly overweight people usually store about 5% of the sugar they eat for energy They metabolize about 60%, and they store the rest, about 35%, as fat for future energy needs. The problem is that we rarely need to tap into those fat stores, so they just keep accumulating.

Our “Sweet Tooth” is killing us. What we whimsically call a “sweet tooth” is really just a cute name for a sugar craving or a passion for sweet foods. If you’re the person most likely to hit the dessert bar twice, you probably identify as someone with a “sweet tooth.” And that might not be entirely your fault. Recent evidence suggests a genetic root to the lust for sugar PLUS research proves that “Sugar Addiction” is as real as drug addiction and probably harder to beat Hardcore metabolic roots for those sugary cravings mean that sugar junkies who really want to combat their desires need to find healthy alternatives to satisfy their sweet teeth. What are the genetic causes for a sweet tooth?

Studies in recent years show that people who crave sugar tend to have a “weak sweet taste.” That means that they need more sugar than a normal person to taste the same level of sweetness Genetics appears to account for about 30% of the differences in people's ability to taste sweetness, according to a study of identical and non-identical twins at the Monell Chemical Senses Center.

The same resear of sugar as a kid didn’t anesthetiz e just born with a sweet tooth. So wha ors?

Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth: Combat Your Cravings: Are you ready for this shocking fact?

Sweets are more appealing to you than to most people. You eat more sugar to satisfy your desire for sweetness. And that means you take in more empty calories that your body will helpfully store as fat in case you need that energy later. Thanks What is sugar addiction?

Sugar overstimulates the reward centers in your brain and, according to some experts, causes addiction. Other experts dispute whether sugar addiction exists, but what I know is that when I eat sugar, I want more and more and more. So, regardless of what the experts say, I feel like it's an uncontrollable monster within me.

Here's what we all agree on... Foods with a lot of sugar cause our brains to release massive amounts of dopamine, the same brain chemical that illicit drugs, like cocaine and meth, amp up to create euphoria. That’s what we mean by a “sugar high.”

When we eat a lot of high-sugar foods frequently, we train the brain to be less conscious of the increased dopamine levels. And once the brain is less receptive, it takes more and more sugar to create the same feeling, just like building a tolerance to an addictive drug. Because sugar manipulates our brains’ reward centers, and functions a lot like nicotine or cocaine, folks with a predisposition toward addiction are more likely to get addicted to sugar and to lose control of their ability to regulate consumption.

Well that sucks. But I have good news! You CAN satisfy your sweet tooth and put the kibosh on those crazy cravings by choosing healthier snacks and limiting the amount of sugar you swallow. You know that you need to set down the candy bars, step away from the ice cream, and lay off the sodas and desserts, but did you also know that dairy, fruit products, and white flour pack a huge sugar punch?

The top three sources for added sugar in the North American diet are: Soft drinks, energy drinks, and sports drinks; Baked desserts with a grain base, like cookies and cake; Sugar-packed fruit drinks like juices and smoothies.

Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth: Combat Your Cravings: Are you ready for this shocking fact? cont'd

But before you start to despair, let’s get back to all of the incredibly tasty options you have to satisfy that sweet tooth and curb your cravings.

Fifteen Healthier Alternatives to Sugary Foods

Baked apple.

Banana Nice Cream (aka pureed frozen bananas)

All-fruit popsicle.

Homemade trail mix.

Baked sweet potatoes with cinnamon and nutmeg.

Strawberries dipped in cashew cream sauce.

Coconut.

Grilled pineapple.

Frozen grapes.

Sliced pear, apple or banana with almond or other nut butter.

Homemade granola bar or date square (no sugar added).

Green smoothie

Berries topped with a dollop of yogurt and granola.

Fruit crisp, also known as baked fruit with a sprinkle of nuts and granola.

Homemade protein balls.

Now, if your body has become accustomed to high-fructose, super-processed snack cakes, it will take you a while to get used to eating a frozen banana instead. But I promise that if you commit to working the sugar out of your diet, you’re going to feel so much healthier and energetic. And after a while, treats you once enjoyed will seem too sweet. You’ll be able to relish a truly divine chocolate-dipped strawberry instead of eating a sleeve of Thin Mints.

Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth: Combat Your Cravings: Are you ready for this shocking fact? cont'd You will learn to satisfy your sweet tooth with less sugar. Doesn’t that sound heavenly? To be in control of what you eat? To live without cravings? I distinctly remember the first time I decided to experiment with not eating sugar. I decided I’d quit ALL sugar for one week. I wanted to see if I was addicted, and what symptoms I would experience. The symptoms showed up on day one with a headache, and I felt very tired. I couldn’t concentrate. The next day, my symptoms were worse. I actually thought I had the flu. The third and fourth day were better until finally, on the fifth day, all withdrawal symptoms were gone, and I felt FANTASTIC. I actually felt light and alive and in such a good mood. I was shocked at how profound it was.

Now I really limit my sugar intake, but when I do have too much sugar, I actually feel like I have a hangover the next day. It’s really shocking. So let’s do it. I challenge you to go without sugar for just one week (and check all food labels for sugar, which means no ingredients with “ose”)

Do not let sugar kick your butt. Jump in and try it for just one week. And let me know how you do. It’s time to kick those sugar cravings to the curb so you can live the healthy, happy life that you deserve! if you have any questions, please reach out to me anytime.

Sue Lemoine, RHNP

Flourish Holistic Nutrition sue@flourish-nutrition.ca www.flourish-nutrition.ca