Manage your food intake rather than allow foods to manage you!

We Indians are famously addicted to sweets and our susceptibility to diabetes is ahead of any other race in the world. The urge to put something sweet in our mouth may have something to do with the tradition of having desserts at the end of each meal. But frankly, you need to work on it, if your diet is not well-balanced.

Curb sweet cravings

Craving for certain foods at times is not necessarily a bad thing, but a constant urge can mean that there is a problem—perhaps an imbalance in the body that needs to be corrected. Sugar craving is one of them.

Energy slumps and sugar cravings during the afternoon point towards ups and downs in our blood sugar levels. This happens when we rely mainly on sugary and starchy foods for our daily nutrition. Another reason for sugar cravings could be the presence of low levels of serotonin, the feel-good neurotransmitter. Sugar cravings need to be treated as an addiction, and managed gradually over time through diet and lifestyle changes.

Tips to beat the urge

• Balance your meals: An effective mantra for overall good health is to combine complex carbohydrates with a good source of protein. Rely on whole-grains and starchy foods for the carbs. Don’t forget to include good fats like nuts in your diet. Eating carbs with protein and a little fat tends to slow down digestion—this helps in preventing quick spikes in blood sugar and, in turn, sweet cravings.
• Eat small portions: Skipping meals —especially breakfast—leads to a drop in sugar levels and increases our cravings for sugary foods. Make sure you eat a good breakfast and in small portions through the day.
• Be label-smart: Much of the sugar we eat is hidden in processed foods. So check the labels on cereals and packaged foods for added sugar.

Let your fix:

Be natural: Sweeten your foods with a few dried fruits, instead of pure sugar. Fibre helps to slow down the release of glucose into the bloodstream too, so opt for whole fruits instead of fruit juices.

Avoid/minimise sweeteners: They are synthesised chemically. Believe it or not, artificial sweeteners make you crave sweets even more. Avoid sweeteners or diet cola. Go for a big bowl of sweet, seasonal fruits after your meal to feed your cravings.

Be treat-wise: Snack on a fruit and a small handful of nuts/seeds midmorning or afternoon. Having a wholewheat bread/cracker or a few vegetable sticks with hummus, mid-afternoon, can help curb sweet cravings. tank up on fluids Drink 1.5-2 litres of pure water every day to stay hydrated. Avoid drinks containing sugar such as squashes, undiluted fruit juices, carbonated soft drinks. Reduce stimulating drinks as they contain caffeine and are dehydrating.

Get active: Exercise stimulates the release of the ‘happy’ brain chemicals— endorphins, so get out your trainers. Exercising 3 times a week for just 20-30 mins can minimise your health risks tremendously.

Manage stress: Identify your stressors; adopt more effective time management to allow time for relaxation. Join relaxation/yoga classes that also teach you breathing techniques.

Feast on these foods

 • Vitamin C rich: amla, citrus fruits, sprouted seeds, tomatoes and peppers
 • B-Complex rich: eggs, wholegrains, pumpkin seeds, blackstrap molasses, wheat germ
 • Chromium rich: egg yolk, molasses, fruit, wholegrains and nuts
•  Magnesium rich: fish, lentils, nuts and seeds, dried fruits and green leafy vegetables
 • Zinc rich: oysters, liver, eggs, wholegrains, pumpkin seeds, mushrooms