There are healthy alternatives when you are craving sugar

This week, I’m sharing tips from Cathy Dunleavy, Healthy Lifestyle Coach, on a topic that I believe will resonate with many people. Sugar cravings is definitely one of the most common questions Cathy is asked. I’m sharing a recipe for dark chocolate banana bread that is a great healthy alternative if you’re craving sugar.

If you have sugar cravings, especially in the evening / night, the first thing to do is look at the type of cravings. Do you feel physically hungry along with your sugary food cravings, or is it just a psychological / emotional craving? If you are feeling physically hungry and also craving sugary foods, let’s go upriver looking for clues to solve the problem at the beginning of your day.

Here are two questions to ask yourself:

1. Have I eaten? enough Eat all day? This is something I personally struggle with when I’m busy. Then, as soon as the children go to bed, I starve to death and long for sweet snacks.

2. Have I eaten enough vegetables and fruits? Again, this is an area I can forget. If the answer to any of these questions is no, then your starting point is to turn that into a yes.

When it comes to being hungry late in the day you’d be surprised how many people just haven’t eaten enough during the day, so this is definitely the first thing to check out.

Let’s take a closer look now. Protein, fiber, and healthy fats all work in your favor by keeping you full longer as they stay in the stomach longer and also act as a buffer to slow down the intake of carbohydrates. While vegetables and fruits go through the system faster, they are high in fiber and also provide you with high levels of vitamins and minerals (collectively known as micronutrients). When we don’t give our body the micronutrients it needs, it will tell us by making us crave sweet foods. Often, what is closest is sweet foods that lack any other nutritional support. That is why we need to be mindful today.

It’s also a great example of why sticking to whole foods makes sense. When we stick to whole foods, we don’t have to think about whether I’m getting enough protein, fiber, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, etc. Mother Nature did the packaging work for us! It is only when we start to base our diet on processed foods that we run into problems.

If you’ve been nailing your meals and snacks all day but are still craving sugar, it’s time to look at routines and associations, as this suggests that the problem is originating in the mind, not the body.

So first start noticing. At what time of day / week / month do you crave sugary foods? What are you currently doing? At this point, resist the urge to say, “I just yearn for them all the time.” Acknowledge when you feel this way, but then you really get to the point, when. Make a list of the times of the day / week / month and what you do at that time. You might just pass a certain store on the go or sit in your favorite armchair at night and watch your favorite show. Whatever it is, if you can spot a pattern, changing the routine can break the association.

For example, if you usually sit around 7 p.m. to watch TV in a certain chair after cleaning up from dinner and craving a certain type of candy bar, things are changing. Before you sit down, take a short walk and when you are seated change the chair you are sitting in.

Instead, eat some fruits and nuts and dark chocolate. I wouldn’t suggest having nothing as deprivation doesn’t help in this situation.

You might think this sounds crazy, but when you have long-term habits it is important to rewire the messages your brain receives around that habit. The things you do around that habit have it so firmly entrenched, not just repeating the habit itself.

If we try to stop something (e.g., eat chocolate at night) but continue our routines in the same way, we rely heavily on willpower and a high level of motivation. Willpower and motivation are fantastic, but they are temporary and when they go away we need to build habits to maintain our healthy lifestyles for the long term.

In short, don’t be afraid to take a closer look at your cravings and learn more about them. Then you will know which direction to approach them from based on the other pieces of advice above.

Fitness tip: Increase your steps this week. Take a look at your tracking app or fitness watch and decide to increase your daily average by 1,000 steps. This can easily be done, for example, by answering a work call with headphones on and walking.

Wellness tip: Set yourself a task for each time your sugar cravings arise. If you are in the mood for something sweet, this is your job to do. It can be a 10 minute walk, 20 jumping jacks, 10 sit-ups – whatever you choose. This becomes a habit and you’ll feel great (even if you’re reaching for the chocolate anyway!)

Banana bread with dark chocolate

Recipe from:Derval O’Rourke

Simple, low-sugar, high-flavor banana bread

ingredients

• 2 ripe bananas, peeled

• 2 eggs

• 70g agave syrup / honey / maple syrup

• 3 tbsp coconut oil, melted

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 160g grams of flour

• 160g whole wheat flour

• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum

• ½ teaspoon baking powder

• 50g dark chocolate (70% cocoa content), chopped

method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 ° C. Grease a loaf pan and line it with baking paper.

2. Using a fork, lightly mash the bananas in a mixing bowl and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, stir the eggs, agave syrup, butter, and vanilla extract using an electric mixer until smooth. Sift the flour, xanthan gum, and baking powder into the bowl and mix until just incorporated. Stir in the banana and chocolate and pour the cake batter into the prepared loaf pan.

4. Bake for 45 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the mold and let cool on a wire rack.

source https://dailyhealthynews.ca/there-are-healthy-alternatives-when-you-are-craving-sugar/