Check Out Interesting Ways to Control Your Sweet Cravings

Did you know that sugar and processed foods are as addictive as heroin or cocaine?

Eating sugar stimulates the release of dopamine in your brain, which makes you feel pleasure. The brain recognizes and likes this feeling and begins to crave more. It may startle you to learn that heroin, morphine and sugar all stimulate the same receptors in your brain. And the dangers don’t just result in weight gain. Recent studies have linked sugar to the diseases you fear most, increasing your risk of kidney damage, heart disease and even cancer.

Here are some easy, interesting ways to curb your sweet cravings.

Add Fruit to Your Meals

By adding naturally sweet stuff to your meals, like healthy whole and dried fruit, you can trick your taste buds into thinking they’re getting sweets – shutting down cravings before you reach for dessert.

Half-and-Half Rule

If most of your sugar comes from drinks like soda and juice, dilute it with half a cup of seltzer. This will immediately reduce your sugar intake by half! Continue to reduce the amount of the sugary drinks you consume as you go and, soon, you won’t even miss them.

Chromium

Chromium plays an important role in insulin's regulation of blood glucose, and plays a role in energy production. Chromium prevents the spikes and dips of blood sugar. Take 200 mcg once a day at the start of any meal to prevent the sugar surges that often leave you reaching for more sugar later.

Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth Naturally

The all-natural sweetener Stevia has zero calories, does not raise blood sugar levels, and is 300 times sweeter than sugar. If you have sugar cravings and want to satisfy your sweet tooth safely, Stevia is your best bet.

Boost Your Serotonin

Serotonin, a.k.a. the "happiness hormone,” can be raised through diet, exercise, and the right sleep schedule. When you have plenty of serotonin, you are less likely to have cravings for sweets.

Enjoy Fermented Foods and Drinks

Fermented foods and drinks are perhaps the most important way to reduce or even eliminate cravings for sugar. Make your own young coconut kefir at home or, drink ready-made probiotic liquids for a quick cravings fix. And don't forget about cultured vegetables — they help control the desire for sweets too. Another big benefit of fermented foods and liquids: If you do happen to eat something sweet, the probiotics in fermented foods and drinks will eat up the sugar, reducing the damage that sugar would do in your body.