Sweet tooth? How to get that sugar high in a healthier way?

During stressful times it is easy to find yourself relaxing and getting complacent on your food prep, blood sugar/hormone balancing meals and hydration. If anything, the opposite is what your body needs.

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I won’t get technical on you but keeping your blood sugar stable (keeping insulin low) and ensuring that you support your stress hormones (cortisol) is critical.  

Take notice of how much you are eating, when and why. Make a note of it somewhere for a day or two to assess the reality of what comes in. If you don’t actually write it down how will you know/remember? Right? Just being practical here.

The number one thing that I see with my clients is they don’t eat enough at mealtimes…I’ll have just a little of the lunch (in the hope of losing some weight) only to snack on biscuits an hour later…sound familiar? If the meal times are not sorted properly you will be craving foods throughout most of the day, guaranteed. I witness this every day with my clients!

Quick fact for you: on average, cravings last for two to three minutes…see if you can handle it next time.

So, make sure your meals are nourishing and filling enough (protein in every meal) that you don’t (physically) feel the need to snack.

If you find yourself craving foods, then that’s a good indicator you need to support your hormones and/or support your mental well-being as cravings are usually a sign something is not working properly. Emotion and stress come in here… but that’s another story.

When we find ourselves suddenly in a new situation that causes overwhelm, stress or depression, we could be more tempted to snack on the foods we wouldn't normally eat because we are dealing with emotions we may not normally experience. Additionally, boredom can also play a major role in our eating behaviours. These are factors many have faced during the 2020 lockdown and ensuring these behaviours haven't become the norm is really important for us.

Today, I’m going to share my quickest tips on what to have instead when the sweet tooth strikes:

Alternatives

Instead of chocolate:

2-3 squares of dark chocolate (70%+ Cocoa) and 3 Brazil or other nuts - it’s a treat… followed by a glass of water, of course…
Food for thought: we mistake thirst for hunger 40% of the time!

  • A handful (30 g) of dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, prunes - great if constipated).
  • 2-3 dates are an amazing substitute (my favourite…work like a charm).
  • A piece of fruit never fails; banana, apple, pear or other you fancy.

Instead of biscuits:

  • Rice cake or cracker with peanut or almond butter.
  • Sliced apple with peanut or almond butter.
  • A handful of plain nuts (7-8 walnuts, almonds or other of your choice).

Instead of cake/after-meal dessert:

  • 3 tablespoons of Greek yoghurt with a handful of blueberries mixed in with a tablespoon of milled almond or flaxseed + a teaspoon of honey if you wish. Gives much-needed probiotics and fibre + tastes amazing - you've got to try it.

If you feel you need some help in shifting these eating patterns then a qualified nutritionist could help. Search Nutritionist Resource for a professional nutritionist who can help you gain control.

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The views expressed in this article are those of the author. All articles published on Nutritionist Resource are reviewed by our editorial team.

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Sutton, Surrey, SM1
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Written by Angelika Cutuk-Short
MSc Functional Nutritionist / Hormone and Weight specialist
location_on Sutton, Surrey, SM1
Angelika is a functional nutritionist. She specialises in weight loss, hormones and gut health. She helps peri/menopausal women discover the root cause of their health issues using functional testing. She helps women to look and feel healthier than e...
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