Curb your cravings! (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)It is natural to have, and also give into sugar cravings once in a while. But doing so on an everyday basis can be harmful for health. As such, a good way to overpower such cravings is to understand and analyse your diet and be mindful of what you consume.
To help you make healthy diet choices, nutritionist Nidhi S took to Instagram to share how making certain tweaks can help avoid cravings.
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“Do you also crave for sugar after lunch? Making following modifications might help,” she said.
*If you eat too much starch and not enough fat and/or protein, add more legumes, tofu, paneer to your diet.
*Deficiencies in certain minerals such as zinc, chromium, iron, calcium, magnesium and potassium may lead to sugar cravings.
“Magnesium deficiency is specifically worth paying attention to. Adding enough chia, sesame seeds, pistachios and fruits in your diet will ensure you have enough of these nutrients. Eat more bananas for adequate potassium intake,” she advised.
*Vitamin D or B12 deficiency impacts absorption of nutrients in the body. You should get checked for vitamin D if you haven’t done in the recent past. If nutrients are not absorbed, you’ll always crave for food. Add more green, leafy veggies to diet.
Avoid refined or white sugar in your diet. (Source: Representative image/Pexels) *Chronic stress, or poorly managed stress, may lead to elevated cortisol levels that stimulate appetite, especially sugar cravings, with the end result being weight gain or difficulty losing unwanted pounds.
*Lack of proper sleep can increase appetite by changing hormones, making us more likely to eat sugary foods.
*Water is particularly important when you’re trying to cut down sugar, as it improves the digestive system so that toxins are eliminated from the body more efficiently.
“Keep the above points in mind. Get these right to reduce your cravings for sugar,” she added.
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