There are many weird, outlandish diet fads out there, but one thing they can all agree on is that sugar is bad. Refined white sugar along with added sugars like high fructose corn syrup may satisfy your sweet tooth, but they damage your health. A high sugar diet increases your risk for diabetes, makes you put on weight and saps all the energy out of you. When you take the first steps to eliminate sugar from your diet, you might find it close to impossible to stick to it. This is because sugar is actually addictive. The more sugar you eat, the more your body craves. To stave off these sugar cravings, you need to start eating foods that will wean your body off sugar. Here are six kinds of foods to eat more of when you’ve eliminated processed sugar from your diet.
1. Healthy Fats
Your body’s go-to source for fuel is glucose, which is found in sugar. When you eat refined carbs and simple sugars, your body utilizes this for energy. However, simple sugars are digested very quickly, which means soon after, your body is going to feel tired again and want more sugar. When you deprive your body of sugar, it begins to burn something else for energy: fat. Your fat reserves begin to melt because they are being converted into usable fuel by your body. To make sure you don’t feel fatigued (which is when your body will start craving sugar), make sure you get plenty of healthy fats in your diet. Avocados, nuts and even organic butter (in moderation) will keep you from feeling tired. Over time, your body will get so used to burning fat for fuel that it will stop craving sugar completely.
2. Protein
Sugar cravings happen when your energy levels suddenly dip and your body desperately needs fuel. To prevent your blood sugar levels from dropping abruptly, you need to make sure that glucose isn’t burned through too quickly. A high-protein diet can actually prevent your body from absorbing sugar too fast. This means that your energy levels won’t dip and you won’t feel the need to eat more sugar. Meat sources of protein like beef and chicken are great, but vegetarian sources like lentils and soybeans work well too.
3. Spices
To combat your sweet tooth, you need to get your body used to a different flavor profile. Eating spicy foods will make you crave less sweet desserts. Apart from changing your taste preferences, certain spices can also protect your body from the effects of a high-sugar diet. Ginger for example, is anti-inflammatory and prevents your body from developing insulin resistance. Turmeric is another powerful spice which prevents your insulin levels from spiking.
4. Fiber
A diet that is high in complex fibers will slow down sugar absorption. This is the reason why sugars in fruits aren’t considered very harmful. Their high fiber content prevents your body from absorbing their sugars very quickly. Apart from keeping your blood sugar levels stable, fiber helps battle sugar cravings in another way. If you eat meals that are low in fiber, you feel hungry very soon after and reach for a sugary snack. Eating foods high in fiber keep you feeling full for much longer, so you will be less tempted to snack through the day.
5. Probiotics
A high-sugar diet allows the candida yeast to flourish in your gut. Candida is a harmful bacteria which causes inflammation and skin breakouts. Since it feeds on sugar, eating too much sweet foods can cause it to overpopulate. Probiotics are foods which contain good bacteria within them. When you eat more probiotic-rich foods, they introduce healthy bacteria in your gut and help it overtake the bad bacteria population. This restores your gut balance, improving your digestion and immunity. Take a probiotic supplement every day or eat foods high in probiotics like yogurt, sauerkraut and kefir.
6. Sour Foods
Every time you have a sugar craving, reach for something sour instead. Eating sour foods immediately kills your urge to eat sweet foods because it’s a completely different flavor. Sip on lemon water throughout the day and you’ll notice you won’t want to eat that brownie as much. You could also eat fermented foods like kimchi which are sour and contain probiotics as a bonus.
