Nutrition
4 Reasons You're Craving Sugar
Photo by Polina Tankilevitch, Pexels
Nutrition
4 Reasons You're Craving Sugar
Want a square of chocolate? There's a reason for it!
Sometimes sugar cravings seem to come out of nowhere. The thought of a sweet with your coffee or a dessert after dinner hits you, and you can't get it out of your mind. But what's happening in your body at that precise moment? Sugar cravings are often linked to physiological factors, which can occur daily or occasionally.
The reasons behind sugar cravings
1. Blood sugar
Blood sugar levels are one of the main reasons we crave sweets. Our body is constantly working to maintain a stable glucose levels. When blood sugar levels drop, our body gets a warning signal and it immediately tries to restore this balance. A quick solution: consume sugar. This is why you often crave candy or soda when you're feeling tired or in a bad mood.
While some natural factors can cause your blood sugar to fluctuate throughout the day, other behaviours, such as restrictive diets or excessive sugar consumption, can exacerbate these fluctuations.
Genetic differences, menstruation, sleep quality, hormonal imbalances, or health problems can also interfere with your blood sugar regulation, increasing your sugar cravings.
If you want to control your cravings, there are a few expert-approved tips you can try.
2. The Environment
Your environment plays a role in triggering these cravings. Imagine walking past a bakery every morning on your way to work: the smell of fresh bread or pastries can instantly trigger a sweet tooth, even if you hadn't planned on eating anything of the sort.
Your brain also associates certain places with eating habits, so regularly having dessert after dinner can make it almost inevitable every night.
3. Emotional state
Sugar can also play a comforting role. Many people crave sugar when they're stressed, sad, or tired. This is because it stimulates the brain's reward system. When we eat sugary foods, our brains release feel-good chemicals like dopamine, often called the happy hormone, and serotonin, a neurotransmitter that regulates mood and appetite.
4. Craving happiness
Sugar isn't just fuel for the body; it also stimulates our nervous system. It releases neurotransmitters and creates an immediate feeling of pleasure. Sugar is, in a way, a quick and easily accessible reward. A small dose of chocolate or a sweet treat can provide an instant feeling of happiness, which may explain the regular and sometimes irresistible cravings for a quick treat when you're on the go.
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