Are you hooked on sugar?
People develop dependencies on sweet treats for three major reasons:
1. Habitual cravings
2. Emotional cravings
3. Physical cravings.
Physical cravings are often the hardest of the three to battle unless we remove sugar from our diets.
Sugar is often added to unexpected foods and pantry staples: canned sauce, dairy products, breads and more. This can create an inflammatory response that interferes with regular brain chemistry.
The result? You become even more hooked on sugar.
The biggest culprit are foods with high-fructose corn syrup, which is said to be more addictive than cocaine.
Additionally, the fewer the microflora in your GI tract, the more likely you will crave sugary foods; good bacteria, like bifidobacteria which is found in many probiotics, prefers fiber to sugar. Increasing your good bacteria will help curb those cravings.
So what can you do to kick your sugar craving? Be mindful of why you what that sugary treat – is it your body or your emotions? Try going for a walk or doing your favorite activity before reaching for that cupcake. Reducing sugar overall will help with the physical cravings.
