Nutrition
Tips for Conquering Your Sweet Tooth
A couple of years ago, Bianna Golodryga contributed to a series of articles that looked into some of the secrets of America’s most successful eateries. One of the restaurants that were spotlighted was Dairy Queen, which serves a variety of conventional foods like burgers, fried chicken, and hot dogs—but is best known for its ice cream creations.
Dairy Queen, and numerous other establishments, know how to work off of the human sweet tooth. As Bianna Golodryga reports, Dairy Queen performs a variety of taste tests to provide its customers with the tastiest new menu items. While sugar cravings are perfectly normal, consuming too much sugar can lead to bad things, including obesity and diabetes. What are some ways you can conquer your sweet tooth?
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- are usually caused by diminished levels of glucose in your blood. Protein helps to stabilize your blood sugar. Consume some lean meat, nuts, or other
- , which empties your stomach slowly and enables you to avoid dips in blood sugar.
- Drink plenty of water. You may think your body needs sugar when in actuality, you may be dehydrated. Boosting your daily water intake helps to flush the toxins out of your body, keeping your muscles and organs functioning properly.
- Eat food containing natural, low-glycemic sugars. A serving of fresh fruit two to four times a day will help reduce cravings by giving you sweetness along with fiber and nutrients. Nuts, seeds, and dried fruits also make great snacks.
- Instead of your usual three meals, try to eat several meals throughout your day. This helps to balance and maintain your blood sugar levels over 24 hours. Holding out on meals for too long also sets you up to naturally choose fatty, sugary foods.
- Go with some gum. Chewing gum gives you a tiny bit of sweetness and has been shown to reduce food and sugar cravings.
- Avoid artificial sweeteners. They may seem like a great idea but don’t do anything to lessen sugar cravings and are, at times, just as bad as sugar. Instead, turn to natural sugar substitutes like agave nectar and stevia.
Bianna Golodryga notes the secrets of success to several staple restaurants in America, but the secret to conquering your sugar cravings is a bit more muddled. The fact is, sugar is a necessary part of your diet. It’s okay to give in and indulge yourself every so often.