Trying To Wean Yourself Off Sugar? Try These Tips

Do you feel full after meals but still get a dessert? Do you find it hard to turn down a slice of cake? Maybe you are suffering from sugar addiction, which is so hard to get rid of!

Kick Sugar Addiction

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Did you know that sugar is more addictive than cocaine? Yes, let that sink in. A study discovered that 94% of rats prefer sweetened water over cocaine. Sugar addiction is just like a drug problem, it can harm your health in the long run. But sugar increase dopamine levels and activate the pleasure systems of your brain, similar to what drugs do. Your body requires carbohydrates to function. It is natural for our bodies to crave it in the form of sugar. Fruits and vegetables contain naturally occurring sugars which are healthy for your body when consumed in moderation. Unfortunately, processed foods have concentrated amounts of artificial sugar. Our body does not need high amounts of artificial sugar. Over time sugar becomes an addiction. When your sugar craving becomes an addiction, maybe you need to think about it. The signs are similar to a drug addiction. You start thinking about food more than you should, you can’t seem to stop eating even when you are full,  and you hide food so that no one would know you have it. Sugar can be a problem if you make it a habit of eating it. You feel it is obligatory to have something sweet after a meal. You don’t feel like you are done with your food until you had something sweet. Even if you are within the normal weight range, excess consumption of sugar can lead to problems. It can cause heart problems, give you headaches, make you feel bloated, and make your energy crash. People sometimes assume that they are not at a risk because their blood sugar does not fluctuate. The truth is, when you consume a high amount of sugar regularly, your sugar remains constant at that high level. That is why you do not feel any highs or lows. Going cold turkey is the best way to call it quits. If you just lower the amount, you will still be attracted to sugar. If you eat a little bit, you will feel like having more.  First five days of quitting sugar can be hard, you will have intense cravings, you will feel irritable and sleepless. It will get better after two weeks, and by the third week, you will feel completely ok. Begin by removing all sugar sources, like salad dressings, sauces, etc. Encourage your whole family to join you so that you will not feel left out while they feast on sugary goodies. Moreover, if you have a sugar addiction, your family probably has it too. When you feel a craving for sugar, divert your mind by having something like green tea. At work, resist the temptation to have birthday cakes. When your coworkers are bonding over food, go for sugar-free options. Emotion also plays a huge role in sugar cravings. When you have an intense craving, distract yourself with something else. Engage yourself in something else while the craving pass. when you feel like going back on your promise of quitting sugar, think about why you decided to kick your sugar addiction in the first place. Think about all the negative outcomes associated with sugar, like weight gain, bad skin, diseases etc. Quitting sugar might seem impossible. It requires a lot of willpower, but once you go without sugar for a week or two, it becomes easy. Your taste buds and your body gets used to the no sugar life. You will eventually stop craving sugar. In fact, even mildly sweet foods will taste too sweet to you after some time. You will automatically averse to artificially sweetened foods. Go for natural alternatives like honey and date syrup to sweeten your food. When you feel a craving, eat natural things likes dates, apples, bananas etc. 

Giving up on sugar can be a very hard decision. It is not easy to suddenly stop pumping your body with sugar when you were raised on it your whole life. But, as they say, nothing is impossible. Once you set your mind to achieving something, you will eventually achieve it. One of the best ways to quit sugar is to think about the negative health repercussions while eating it. This will make you think twice before consuming sugary goodies. Of course, it is perfectly okay to have some sugary foods once in a while, such as on special occasions. Just make sure that one time does not turn into an addiction again.

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Do you suffer from sugar addiction? How hard has it been to quit sugar? Let us know in the comments below!