Did you know that sugar is hidden in 80 percent of the food available for purchase in the U.S.? Not only that, but many healthy carbohydrates convert to sugar in the body, and fresh fruit juices are loaded with it. Here are some easy tips to reduce your sugar cravings, fast!
Grab a few spears Asparagus is loaded with chromium, an important mineral that helps bring glucose into your cells for energy and is often lacking in our diets. Adding asparagus to your diet may reduce your sugar cravings as chromium deficiencies are often a culprit in excessive yearning for sweets.
Breathe it in Certain smells trigger reactions in the mind and body. Grapefruit oil can stop sugar cravings in their tracks. Simply place a few drops in the palm of your hand, rub your hands together and cup them over your nose. Take several deep breaths.
Drink up Your body doesn’t send a signal that you are thirsty until you are nearly dehydrated. When that happens, your body often craves sugar (which is one reason so many sport drinks contain so much sugar). Grab a glass or two of water to quench your thirst and your cravings.
Cinnamon love Yummy and filled with fiber, cinnamon helps to slow down sugar’s entry into your blood system, thereby reducing the highs of those pesky cravings, and the lows of sugar withdrawal. Add a teaspoon to your morning smoothie for a fast fix.
Mantra mindfulness Control your cravings by guiding your words. When you get the urge to splurge, grab a mantra instead, and say it over and over until you are more focused on the cure then the craving: “I am free from obsession in my body and its sensations.”
Bring on the chocolate Cacao (raw cocoa bean) is one of the highest sources of magnesium, and many of us are deficient in this mineral. Magnesium helps regulate glucose, insulin and the neurotransmitter dopamine (one of the chemical signals in your brain that allows you to feel good). See our recipe below for a sweet, no-sugar treat!
Move your booty That’s right! Dancing, running, yoga and even jumping on the trampoline moves oxygen into your blood stream, and produces a more alkaline body, which reduces sugar cravings.
Rebecca’s Raw Macadamia Nut Brownies
Ingredients
2 cups raw almond flour (or approx. 4 cups raw almonds ground into flour)
2 cups raw, coarsely chopped macadamia nuts
1 1/2 cups coconut oil (soften into liquid by placing glass container in warm water)
1 1/2 cup raw cacao powder
2 tsp raw alcohol-free vanilla
1 tbsp stevia (or to taste)
½ cup raw shredded coconut
1 tsp Himalayan sea salt
Preparation
1. In food processor, blend all ingredients (except macadamia nuts and Himalayan sea salt). Blend well until incorporated, pulsing to mix all dry ingredients with oil. Add macadamia nuts and fold in.
2. Place unbleached parchment paper in bottom of square glass pan, or oil sides and bottom of pan with a bit of coconut oil for easy release of brownies.
3. Spread brownie mixture into pan and press down lightly to mold into glass pan. Sprinkle with Himalayan Sea Salt and place in refrigerator for two hours to set before serving. Serve chilled. Enjoy!
Variations
Add ½ cup chia seeds, ½ cup goji berries, and/or 2 tbsp spirulina for extra super-food nutritional punch!
Rebecca Reynolds is a certified health coach & drugless practitioner, and founder of Green Clean. To reach Rebecca for personalized health coaching, contact her at Rebecca@greenclean.biz, or greenclean.biz.