Unlock the Mystery of Sugar Cravings: Understanding the Sweet Temptation
Ever wonder why it can sometimes feel impossible to say “no” to sugary treats? Keep reading to find out why you experience sugar cravings and how these sweet treats impact your health.
The Science Behind Sugar Cravings
When we eat foods high in sugar, our blood sugar levels spike. This means that your body quickly absorbs these sugars into your bloodstream, causing your blood sugar levels to rise rapidly. This gives you a burst of energy but is usually followed by a crash, leaving you feeling hungry again soon after. This is what causes endless cravings as our bodies try to balance out their blood sugar levels.
Glycaemic Variability: The Blood Sugar Rollercoaster
Glycaemic variability refers to the changes in blood sugar levels in response to the foods that we eat. Ultra-processed foods, which are often high in refined sugars and carbohydrates, contribute significantly to glycaemic variability.
These foods cause rapid spikes in blood glucose levels followed by sharp drops shortly thereafter. This rollercoaster effect not only leaves us feeling fatigued and irritable but also triggers hunger and cravings for more sugary foods to stabilise blood sugar levels.
Repeated blood sugar spikes over a long period of time can cause a lot of health problems, including diabetes and heart conditions.
Designed to Make You Eat More: The Role of Hyperpalatability
Unlike whole food alternatives like fruit, ultra-processed sugary snacks are designed to be irresistible, or ‘hyper-palatable’. Brands combine the perfect balance of sugars, fats, and additives to hit that sweet spot of taste, texture, and aroma. This triggers our brain's pleasure centre like a fireworks display, making us crave more.
As a result, it can be very difficult not to overeat these foods. A study published in 2019 found that people eating an ultra-processed diet may consume more than 500 calories per day compared to those eating a whole food diet. Consistent overeating can lead to obesity, which is associated with a wide range of health issues.
Sweeteners – Are They a Healthier Option?
Sweeteners, whether artificial or natural, give food sweetness without the calories of sugar.
However, when we eat foods or drinks containing sweeteners, our taste buds still detect sweetness and send signals to the brain to get ready for sugar. In response, the pancreas releases insulin, a hormone that allows your body to use glucose. This can lead to a drop in blood sugar levels, triggering the same hunger and cravings you get from real sugar to compensate for the anticipated energy boost that never arrives.
Navigating Blood Sugar Balance
Here are 4 simple steps you can take to minimise those endless sugar cravings:
Choose whole, nutrient-rich foods: Fruit is a great natural option to satisfy your sweet tooth. Unlike sugary snacks and drinks, fruit is rich in fibre, vitamins and minerals. Studies have found that eating whole fruits, when compared to drinking fruit juice, results in lower glycaemic variability. This is because the fruit’s fibre and nutrient contents slows down the speed at which your body absorbs the glucose into your blood.
Limit ultra-processed sweet treats: Try to minimise your intake of chocolate, sweets, biscuits and cake, which tend to be high in refined sugars, unhealthy fats and additives. Remember, they’re designed to make you eat more, so once you start eating, it can be very difficult to stop.
Bake sweet treats at home: When craving something sweet, try baking treats at home using whole food ingredients. This allows you to control the sugar and ingredients in the recipe, making it a healthier option compared to store-bought ultra-processed treats. For example, these Banana, Cacao & Oat Cookies take just 17 minutes to bake, are high in fibre and contain only natural ingredients, which will help to reduce blood sugar spikes and keep you fuller for longer.
Be mindful of sweeteners: Be aware of sweeteners' potential to cause cravings. Treat them like ultra-processed food – limit your intake. Consider natural alternatives like honey or maple syrup in moderation.
Understanding how blood sugar spikes, glycaemic variability, hyperpalatability, sweeteners and your food choices affect each other helps you make healthier, informed decisions. Choose whole foods, home-baked treats, and try to avoid the sweet aisle to reduce your sugar cravings and improve your overall health.
