Are You a Sugar Fiend?
Do you dream of cookies, candy and sweet cozy beverages? You may be a sugar monster!
I used to be a sugar addict. When I first started working out, I would stop at the gas station on my way to the gym to get sour candies, which I would keep with me and eat during my workout. For real. I almost forgot to mention this, I was 27 at the time. Super grown-up of me to pop fruit sours between sets, don’t you think? But I had a hard time saying no to my urges to eat insane amounts of sugar, and I have a feeling I’m not the only one.
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To put it mildly, sugar dependence is not super fun to live with. Symptoms include irritability, energy crashes, sleep problems, dyslipidemia (high cholesterol), diabetes, and low sex drive. Nobody wants that.
But what’s even worse than feeling bad is knowing that with a high sugar intake, there’s a real risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cancer, and more. According to the World Health Organization, the ideal amount of sugar someone should consume per day is less than 25 grams. There’s more than that in an 8 oz. glass of soda.
What causes sugar dependence?
Several things drive sugar addiction, and as they say, knowing is half the battle.
Poor sleep
Getting less than 6 hours of good sleep at night generally makes the body crave simple carbs like sugar the next day, according to this study published in 2020. It also makes reaction times slower (think DUI level).
Unmanaged Stress
This is probably a shocker to no one. When we get stressed out, we like sweets and simple carbs (like sweets or chips). Our body’s primary stress hormone cortisol increases blood sugar under acute stress, which is followed by a dip, which makes us crave sugars and simple carbs.
Medication
Medications like prednisone and other corticosteroids, as well as opioid replacement and insulin, can all contribute to cravings. This happens because they can interfere with your blood glucose levels, causing peaks and crashes.
Inactivity
I don’t know about you, but I get snacky on long car rides or when I fly. Working in an office is a notorious form of inactivity, as well as driving, which is the primary means of transportation for most Americans. According to one study, Americans spend 55% of their waking time engaged in sedentary behaviors. The body starts to run off blood sugar rather than stored body fat, which is what we usually use during rest.
Unbalanced Diet
If your diet is high in processed carbohydrates, chances are you aren’t getting enough fiber and protein, which help regulate blood sugar. When blood sugar gets low, cravings kick in.
Break the Cycle
Even if you’re having big-time sugar cravings and things feel hopeless, there are still a few things you can do that can make a huge difference. Everyone is different, so some methods may work better for some. Taking the first step is the most important part.
Eat fiber: Eat a balanced diet with plenty of protein and fiber. This will help keep your blood sugar more stable and make cravings less intense, less often, and easier to manage.
Try this fiber-packed breakfast parfait to get a head start on your day.
You can try a fiber supplement like Thorne FiberMend to get fiber a little easier. It dissolves in liquid and can be added to just about anything!
Eat resistant starches: Include resistant starches like beans, green plantains, not-so-ripe bananas, whole grains, and cooked-then-cooled potatoes and grains. Resistant starches act more like fiber than starch in your body and help to keep blood glucose stable.
Cold potato salad is a good example of resistant starch, as is cold pasta salad.
Rice that is cooked, and then cooled can be reheated and still maintains its resistant properties.
You can make bread a more resistant starch by freezing it. During the freezing process, the glucose molecules change and become more resistant to being broken down.
If you want to try a supplemental resistant starch, these UCAN bars make great snacks. As far as resistant starch goes, UCAN is the best you can get, with a patented process making it the most resistant of the resistant starches.
Walking: Go for a walk ASAP after you eat. Post-meal walking helps with digestion and helps even out blood sugar levels.
Aerobic exercise: Elevating your heart rate regularly through exercise can help improve circulation and control blood glucose.
Weight training: Weight training teaches the body to regulate blood sugar better.
Non-exercise activity: Get lots of activity throughout your day, whether it’s an improptu dance party or taking the stairs more often (here’s a how-to full of ideas). Use an activity tracker to aim for 8,000+ steps a day (or just more than you are currently getting).
Get proper sleep: Did you know that getting less than 6 hours of sleep per night adversely affects blood glucose?
Manage stress: Blood sugar is adversely affected by poorly managed or unmanaged stress.
Limit sugars and processed carbs: The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends getting less than 25 grams of added sugars per day, and many fitness professionals recommend getting less than 50% of your daily calories from carbohydrates.
Berberine: Consider supplementing with berberine, which is often called nature’s Ozempic. This natural compound helps the body store blood sugar, which can help stabilize it, which in turn can reduce hunger and cravings. read more about it here.
One of the biggest things to remember if you are struggling with cravings is that you are not alone and that every time you attempt to quit sugar, you get better at it.
It can be helpful to work with a coach to help you put the pieces together and finally find a way to (eventually) have a healthy relationship with sugar.
It is possible to break the cycle. You’ve got this.