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One of the most popular and well-known foods that is found pretty much everywhere in our daily lives is sugar. Sugar is found everywhere, and it has the "ability" to give a sweet taste to drinks and food. It is often called the "scourge" of the modern age, as we can find it not only in sweets and drinks but almost everywhere: from bread to spaghetti sauces to children's yogurts. For this reason, a large number of people are addicted to sugar and often suffer from cravings, resulting in a strong need to consume something sweet.

But why is sugar bad for our health, considering it is found in almost everything we consume?

The reality is that, like all foods, sugar is not necessarily bad for our health when consumed in small and regulated amounts. But when it is consumed in large quantities and very frequently, in addition to the addiction it causes, it can harm our health:

- Sugar damages the health of our teeth and gums

- Excessive consumption of sugar contributes to weight gain

- High sugar intake enhances the growth of cancer cells

- Sugar contributes to the development of diseases such as diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disorders

- When consumed in large quantities, it disrupts our nervous system

- Excessive intake of sugar can cause bloating

Why do I crave sugar all the time?

Frequent consumption of sugar creates a kind of "dependency" on it; the more we consume, the more the need arises to eat more and more. Notice when you eat a pastry full of sugar; after a while, you wish you had more, and you end up eating something soon after your candy. Furthermore, when we become overly dependent on sugar consumption, we may suffer withdrawal symptoms. So, whenever we feel like we need energy or want to concentrate, we wrongly believe that sugar will help us.

However, the problem is that sugar gives us a temporary euphoria, and soon, blood sugar levels drop, disrupting blood glucose levels and, therefore, energy levels.

How do I deal with sugar cravings?

First, we need to recognize the signs of sugar addiction so that we can deal with them deeply and not superficially, which will only have temporary results.

The moment you recognize sugar addiction, the next step is to start dealing with it. It will undoubtedly take some time, but the result is worth it:

1. Add more protein to your diet

Protein has only a small effect on blood glucose levels. In fact, protein tends to help stabilize blood sugars by blunting the absorption of carbohydrates/sugars. As protein breaks down into glucose more slowly than carbohydrates, the effect of protein on blood glucose levels tends to occur gradually over a few hours. That means that, sufficient protein consumption causes the feeling of satiety and makes us feel full for a longer period of time. Therefore, when there is satiety it is very likely that the need for sugar will be limited and by extension our need for unhealthy snacks will be much less.

2. Get enough sleep

The importance of sleep and the benefits of quality sleep for our body are self-evident. However, sleep also helps with... cravings as according to studies that if we don't sleep enough, our body starts to produce more ghrelin, that is the hormone that triggers hunger. Therefore, when we feel hungry, we are much more likely to have an uncontrollable craving for something sweet or other junk food, which is very likely to contain sugar. So, establish a good bedtime routine and let your sleep take away your cravings.

3. Have awareness of what you eat

Everything in nutrition is… chemistry and science and many times our cravings can reveal what we are missing. For example, if we crave simple carbohydrates then we need tryptophan, which is responsible for the production of serotonin, the happy hormone. So, our low mood can be related to not consuming foods containing tryptophan and through sweets we try to fix our bad mood when in fact we can do it by choosing healthy foods. Make sure you incorporate enough eggs, salmon, cheese, and seeds in your diet since they are good sources of tryptophan and will make you happy without any sugar around.

4. Look for deficiencies

When we have cravings and need sugar, then we may have some deficiency in vitamins and minerals. Many times, when we need something sweet, such as e.g. chocolate, we may be deficient in magnesium, which contributes to the proper functioning of our nervous system and which we can get from healthier sources such as nuts, bananas and avocados. For this reason, it would be good to do a complete blood count and work with your nutritionist to see how you can fight unwanted cravings.