
Here are five tips to arm yourself with and beat the carbo cravings before they hit:
Eat Complex Carbohydrates Instead of Simple Carbohydrates.
Simple carbohydrates are converted very quickly into glucose and will have the effect of triggering your blood sugar levels to rise and fall suddenly causing craving for more sugar. Complex carbohydrates on the other hand are converted slowly into glucose so they have the effect of keeping your blood sugar levels balanced and the advantage of making you feel full. This can be as simple as changing your white bread to multigrain
Stay Hydrated
So often we consume food when we are thirsty. By keeping to body hydrated, drinking 2L of water a day will help stop you reaching for that unnecessary snack. You can even add a fibre supplement such as Psyllium husks this will have the effect of making you feel full and it also helps with the digestion of food.
Take Supplements
There are a lot of good supplements on the market that are helpful with curbing carbo cravings but the downfall is most of them need to be taken before eating. The two that are particularly good are Chromium and L-glutamine. Chromium is an essential Micromineral it regulates the body’s Blood Sugar levels. Chromium supplementation decreases Blood Sugar in people with high Blood Sugar levels and raises Blood Sugar in people with low Blood Sugar levels. Amino acid l-glutamine is renowned for its ability to curd sweet cravings.
Eat Healthy Snacks
Eating a healthy snack mid-morning and mid-afternoon will help stop the carbohydrate craving and the energy lows. Keep fresh fruit, natural yoghurt or raw and unsalted nuts at your office or in your desk draw and when you are feeling like eating that biscuit or chocolate bar grab for one of the better alternatives.
Reward Yourself but Not With Food
Many of us use food as our form of emotional support and reward. Unfortunately nine times out of ten the choice of food will be a poor one. Instead of reaching for that coffee and cake when you are feeling down or even when you have achieved something worthy of reward try having a massage or ever buy yourself some beautiful smelling essential oil. This will make you feel guilt free and it is a calories free choice. The other benefits of smelling essential oil is smell in closely related to taste and often this can have the added benefit of stopping the craving. Smell your way to a healthier you!
Excellent Sugar Alternatives
Agave nectar: Agave nectar is made form the agave nectar. It pours like honey and tastes like toffy. It is 25% sweeter that sugar and has a Glycaemic Index of 11 per tbsp.
Stevia: Stevia is originally native to Paraguay, it is a small green plant bearing leaves that have a delicious taste which are 450 times sweeter than sugar. The leaves are remarkably nutritious and contain a variety of healthful vitamins and minerals. Stevia creates an intense effect on the taste buds without raising blood sugar levels and it is calorie free.