QuestionI was never a big sweet eater then I turned 40, for the last few years I have cravings that seem to be as bad as an addiction...I hide sweets to get my fix. Is there anyway to stop these? I have tried fruit, sugar substitute, nothing seems to help.
AnswerThere are several reasons you may be craving sweets. I will give you some common reasons and some ideas on how to help with the cravings of each.
Craving sweets is often one of the most recognizable signs of diabetes; even if your blood glucose level (also known as "blood sugar") is not high enough for you to be diagnosed as having diabetes your blood glucose level may be high enough for you to be pre-diabetic. ("Pre-diabetic" is a term recognized by many healthcare professionals but is not an official term for a diagnosis, it means your blood glucose level is higher than it should be but not high enough to be diabetes.) Other common symptoms of diabetes are being thirsty a lot, using the bathroom more than usual, unexplained weight loss, and fatigue. If you speak with your doctor and find out your blood glucose levels are running high, you will want to eat a diet of consistent carbohydrates (eating the same number of carbohydrates at each meal), increase your fiber intake (unless another health condition prevents you from doing so), and increase your physical activity/exercise, all of which will help keep your blood glucose level balanced, decrease spikes in insulin, and decrease your cravings for sweets.
Another common reason someone craves sweets is because the brain is not producing adequate amounts of endorphins (such as seratonin and dopamine), which can contribute to depression. Eating sweets causes the brain to release endorphins and make you feel better...temporarily. Some people claim to be "addicted" to sugar and the release of endorphins is probably the cause since the same euphoric feelings are involved as with gambling or other addictive activities, even if seratonin levels are naturally normal. The best way to decrease the cravings for sweets if this is the cause is to find another way to increase the production of endorphins in other ways. Exercise is a great way but any activity that you really enjoy will also cause the release of endorphins (talking with a good friend, reading a book, gardening, listening to your favorite music, etc). Studies have also shown laughter releases endorphins.
Women who get a lot of yeast infections will sometimes crave sugar. If that is the case you should eat yogurt (with live cultures) often and speak to your doctor.
I haven't seen a lot of science behind this, but there is some speculation people crave sweets due to a mineral deficiency. You could try taking a vitamin and see how you feel.
Some people find just not eating any sweets for a set amount of time (two or three weeks) keeps them from craving sweets and any little amount will make them want more again. In that case, all you can do is not eat sweets...or at least not keep them around for easy access. Other people find if they only eat carbohydrates with protein (pasta with chicken, apple with cheese, crackers with peanut butter, etc) they crave sweets less.
I personally wouldn't recommend fruit or a sweet made with sugar substitute. Fruit just won't hit the spot (been there, done that!) and studies have shown food made with sugar substitutes cause the body to release the same hormones they would if regular sweets were eaten and cravings can actually become worse because there is no sugar for the body to break down. (The sense of taste is very much a part of the digestion process.)
A craving is often not the root problem but a symptom of a greater issue. I wish you the best in determining what that issue could be and curbing the cravings. If you have any further questions, please ask.
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