My personal battle with sugar has been particularly ferocious in the past. It used to arise anytime. During an afternoon slump at work, first thing in the morning, after every meal, or, worst, just before sleeping. And in a sugar-laden world, it was always too easy for me to reach for a quick fix. Does that sound familiar? Read on to get behind the science of your sugar cravings.
Frequent Sugar Spikes = Cravings
Many sugar cravings stem from a blood sugar imbalance.
- When your body ingests sugar or carbohydrates, your blood sugar spikes and your body releases insulin to lower it to a safer level.
- The higher the glycemic index of the food, the faster & higher the sugar spike you experience.
- If the insulin brings your blood sugar level a bit too low, as often happens, you experience an energy crash. And your body craves foods that will raise it’s sugar levels quickly!
- You end up being on a blood sugar roller coaster, and it’s hard to get off it.
Sugar Activates Brain’s Reward Centres
- When we eat a food that contains sugar, a neurotransmitter called dopamine is released in the brain. This is one of the “happiness” chemicals — making us feel good.
- And when we eat sugar frequently and in large amounts, our brain adapts and begins to require more sugar to get the same “feel good” response. By the way, this same dopamine process happens with other addictive substances too such as some of the drugs.
In A Nutshell….
You eat high-glycemic food which gives you a sugar rush, soon followed by a crash. In the bout of energy slump, your mind tells you to go straight for even more sugary food! And then you start the whole cycle over again. In other words, it’s a recipe for addiction. So next time you crave something sweet, you know it’s your mind and body both at play!
Can I Still Eat A Cookie?
Well, I love my sweet snacks and they are very much a part of my healthy lifestyle. But it’s a mindful choice rather than a craving attack. And I make sure my sweet treat is not pure refined carb & sugar. It needs to be packed with Superfoods that are nutritious and slow digesting!
At Yoga Superfuel we are obsessed in keeping sugar levels low and nutrition profile high! That’s why our cookies are packed with superfoods that are nutritious and slow digesting! With absolutely zero refined nasties.
#NoMoreSugarRush
Shagun, Yoga Superfuel
Yoga Superfuel – Vegan, Gluten Free Cookies that are Slow Digesting.