Signs You’re Eating Too Much Sugar And Why You’re Craving It
What are cravings?
A food craving is an intense desire for a specific food. This desire can seem uncontrollable, and the person’s hunger may not be satisfied until they get that particular food. Food cravings are very common and can be caused by a variety of physical or mental factors. They may be a sign of hormonal imbalances, a suboptimal diet, high stress levels, or a lack of sleep or physical activity. Food cravings are often a sign that you’re lacking the nutrients found in that food.
Food cravings are often for junk foods and processed foods high in sugar, salt, and fat. Though every person experiences cravings differently. Food cravings can also be a major roadblock for people trying to maintain a healthy weight or switch to a more healthful diet.
Food cravings can be a frustrating and overwhelming feeling that you might think you can’t control. But more often than not, you can control a food craving if you spend some time to sort out its cause.
DOWNLOAD MY FREE E-BOOK FOR MORE WELLNESS & NUTRITION TIPS!
Causes for cravings
Food cravings can be caused by several factors, which can usually be split into the two main categories of physical and mental. Being aware of them may help you identify which factors specifically trigger your cravings.
Some of the physical causes for cravings could be any of the following:
-
Dehydration
-
Highly processed foods
-
Lack of sleep
-
Pregnancy
Some of the mental causes for cravings could be any of the following:
-
Stress
-
Anxiety
-
Mood
-
Eating context (ex: popcorn with a movie)
Signs you are eating too much sugar
Seventy-four percent of the items in the grocery store contain added sugar. So, even if you never stop by the bakery or snack on chocolate bars, it’s likely you’re probably eating more sugar than you realize.
Natural sugar, found in things like fruit and dairy, is accompanied by fiber, which helps slow digestion and prevents blood sugar crashes. Fruit and dairy also offer other essential vitamins and minerals. On the other hand, added sugar provides zero nutritional value and can lead to blood sugar spikes.
Moreover, added calories from added sugar can quickly lead to weight gain. The big sources of added sugar include cakes, cookies, candy and breakfast cereal, but there’s also added sugar in yogurt, salad dressing, hamburger buns, hamburger meat, chicken — things you would never associate with sugar.
The American Heart Association recommends limiting added sugar intake to no more than 36 grams of sugar for men and 25 grams of added sugar for women. This is roughly the amount of sugar found in 9–12 ounces of soda or 12–15 large jelly beans. However, the average American consumes 77 grams of added sugar per day.
That being said, here are a few signs that may suggest you are eating too much sugar and craving it.
You feel tired regularly
When the sugar hits your bloodstream, it first makes your blood-sugar levels spike - giving you a boost of energy. However, since added sugar usually isn’t packaged with satiating nutrients like fiber and protein, it subsequently causes blood sugar levels to drop, which is why you feel that inevitable crash.
People think sugar gives them energy, but research doesn’t show this at all. In fact, it does the opposite, making you feel less alert and focused and more fatigued. If you have a sugary breakfast and something sweet with your lunch, your entire day may be a series of spikes and drops, causing you to rely on sugar whenever you feel sleepy.
You are gaining weight
If you’re drinking sugary drinks, whether that’s soda or a fancy coffee shop concoction, the sugary calories don’t promote fullness. That leads to a calorie surplus that will promote weight gain.
Additionally, regularly eating processed foods instead of whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, beans and other high-fiber foods can lead to weight gain. Processed food is high in added sugar, for palatability, and low in fiber, for shelf-life. This makes it easier to over-consume processed foods, leading to a caloric surplus and bigger waistline.
You are experiencing brain fog
Many people who regularly eat or drink foods high in added sugar feel hazy, confused or unable to focus on their work. This is known as brain fog. You feel lethargic and less attentive when consuming lots of sugar. Sometimes, people don’t even realize they’re in a fog until they cut way back on their added sugar consumption. The difference in energy levels can be really noticeable if you go from eating a high-sugar, heavily processed diet to a lower sugar, whole foods, plant focused diet.
Your mood is low
Sugar plays a role in the inflammatory process, which is thought to be involved in depression. There’s also an association between the healthfulness of your gut and mood disorders. Bacteria in your gut produce neurotransmitters like serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine, which are involved in mood regulation. A sugary diet hurts your gut health, which may then have a negative influence on your mood.
You are having trouble sleeping
Sleep is crucial for crushing your workouts, promoting recovery and helping with weight-loss. However, diets high in refined sugar are linked to poor-quality sleep.
Restless sleep caused by sugar consumption can subsequently be part of a vicious cycle — poor sleep may cause your hunger hormone ghrelin to spike and your satiety hormone leptin to drop, prompting you to consume more sugar when you’re tired. Over time, too little sleep could lead to weight gain.
You crave sugar
When you eat or drink something containing sugar, it activates the reward center in your brain, making you want more. The brain adapts to the dopamine released when you consume sugar, which tells the brain ‘This feels good I want more.’ The problem is, over time, you may need more sugar to experience that pleasurable feeling, the same way that you may build a tolerance to alcohol and need to drink more to feel buzzed. This can create a vicious cycle that hooks you on sweets and makes you feel like you’re ‘addicted to sugar.’
Why we crave sugar
Sugar is an earthy elemental taste, and when we think about the taste of sugar it brings us energy. It also brings us comfort and provides us with this sense of being wrapped up in something yummy and delicious. That’s often why we crave it a lot, because of the ‘good’ feelings it brings us.
Cravings, like our craving for sugar, are a way for us to take a deeper look at what our inner needs are and what our motivations for eating are.
3 reasons behind your sugar cravings
While there can be many reasons why some of us crave sugar, there are three main reasons that should be acknowledged. So lets look into them and see if there are other solutions other than simply cutting sugar out cold turkey. And if some of these reasons may even give you a deeper understand as to why you’re craving sugar.
1.Loneliness
Loneliness can range from being a state of solitude or being alone, to feeling sad and unhappy about being socially isolated. More often than not, loneliness is associated with negative feelings, and often times can lead to the fear that loneliness is going to mean that we are not worthy or that we will be alone. These feelings of unworthiness and negativity caused by loneliness, can be one of the root causes of your sugar cravings.
WHAT CAN BE DONE
The first thing to do is honor that you most likely have an emotional need for loneliness. Feel into the emotion and reach out to a safe friend. This should be someone who you know that makes you feel that way sugar makes you feel, homey. By reaching out to this person instead of indulging in your craving for sugar, you might find that your cravings with subside along with your feelings of loneliness.
2.Exhaustion
Sleep is the main way your body renews its energy levels, but another other way to obtain energy is eating foods that provide the calories the body needs to turn into energy. If you aren’t getting enough sleep or you have poor quality sleep, then your body can drive you to eat more to keep up energy levels. Poor sleep quality also changes cortisol levels, which will increase your appetite, and then likely lead to your craving for sugar.
WHAT CAN BE DONE
The first thing you’ll want to do is to establish a regular sleep schedule, and make sure your body has enough natural energy. You want to make sure that you are having a solid amount of cortisol in the morning to keep you energized throughout the day, and that your hormones are properly balanced.
3.Low blood sugar
Energy is needed to maintain yourself and your body throughout the day, and this energy comes from food. If you don’t eat enough, then your blood sugar can fall to a level that triggers cravings because your body needs energy. This craving is most often for sugar, because sugar raises blood sugar and improves energy the fastest.
WHAT CAN BE DONE
The first thing you’ll want to do is make sure that your are maintaining your blood sugar levels. You can do this by eating small and frequent meals every 2 to 3 hours, and by combining the meals with a protein and a fiber. By doing these things, your sugar cravings should be under control.
How to reduce your sugar intake
Sugar can be hidden under many names, so it’s important to educate yourself so you can read food labels and understand where sugar is showing up in your life. To get a sense of how much sugar you’re consuming, try keeping a food journal.
To cut sugar from your diet, start small by drinking more water instead of soda, energy drinks and other sweetened beverages. Another smart way to quickly reduce your added sugar intake is to focus on cooking more at home. Try a new low-sugar recipe or make meal prep part of your weekly routine.
Creating a bedtime ritual to unwind can also help you prioritize sleep and prevent sugar cravings due to fatigue. If you find you’re hungry close to bedtime, opt for something on the lighter side that’s high in protein.
***********
Food cravings can be a frustrating and overwhelming feeling that you might think you can’t control. But more often than not, you can control a food craving if you spend some time to sort out its cause. Moreover, cravings like your craving for sugar, are a way for us to take a deeper look at what your inner needs are and what your motivations for eating are.
Extra tips for cravings
-
You can use a food journal to try and understand why your cravings are there. If you do this for a week or two, then you should begin seeing an emerging pattern of behavior associated with the craving.
-
Don’t let yourself get too hungry. Eating several meals through the day may help to control cravings and even binge eating.
-
Remember to take care of yourself. If you take good care of yourselves day to day, you may be less likely to feel stressed, angry, and unhappy, and therefore less likely to crave sugar and other foods.
