by Andrea Sarjeant, Holistic Nutritionist
Fall is great and all, but it’s also the season of temptation. We have the beautiful and bountiful harvest that is Thanksgiving, followed by the candy bonanza that is Halloween. Then we do it all over again over the holidays.
You may wake up in the morning with good intentions. Maybe you have a light breakfast of just fruit and then a light salad lunch, but by the time 3 pm rolls around, you are starving and lacking any sense of the willpower that you had when you woke up! So when you finally eat that sweet, you’re so hungry that you hoover the first sugary treat you see.
When we eat refined foods that have no fibre such as many of the baked goods and candies that are making their office rounds, our blood sugar rises quickly. What goes up must come down and we will inevitably experience a crash.
Since glucose (sugar) is one of the main sources of fuel for the brain, when we crash, our brain sends the signal that it needs more sugar… and so it’s a vicious cycle.
The key to crushing your sugar cravings
The key to crushing your cravings is to manage your blood sugar. And you do this by eating small meals throughout the day with a little good quality protein, fibre and fat.
- Protein – eggs, fish, legumes, and small amounts of free-range meat.
- Good fats – will keep you fuller for longer and include avocados, nuts and seeds (as are quality nut and seed butters). High quality oils include first cold pressed olive oil, or virgin coconut oil.
- Fibre – foods with lots of fibre include beans and legumes, whole grains, and of course, fresh fruits and veggies.
By making sure to have small, balanced meals containing a little protein, fibre and fat, you’ll be cruising the stable blood sugar train to fewer cravings!
