Sugar cravings: techniques for moving past it?

[ccec213]

Hi friends,
I know when I am under acute stress--whether a bad mood, physical pain, or both--I crave sugar so badly. I almost always cave in and eat a ton of it. It's a self-medicating impulse gone haywire, and I'd like to redirect it.

I'm really trying to cut back on the junk I eat, and sugar is Enemy #1. So: who here struggles with sugar cravings? Who has good techniques for sidestepping sugar or replacing with other things? And does anyone else notice an emotional or pain-alleviation component to their cravings?

Thank you!

 

[nogutsnoglory]

What about a healthier sweetener like honey? Or eating a nice fruit salad?

 

[hugh]

choose - health or sugar,
cravings get less over time.......

 

[DustyKat]

I don't know if this will be of any help to you but my daughter has made some quite significant changes to her diet including becoming vegan and also cutting most of the sugar out.

She decided to significantly reduce the amount of sugar she consumed after listening to an interview with an author of book. Now the book itself is targeted at weight loss, which she as many who suffer with Crohn's do not have an issue with, she actually has more trouble maintaining the weight she is. Anyway she does state that eliminating most of the sugar out her diet does make her feel much better.

Now, the author of the original book also has a book about the ways to make the transition to quitting sugar. I know nothing of this book other than what I have read in reviews and my daughter did not purchase this book but if you are interested this is what it is called:

This is the thread I started when Sarah first made the change to her diet:

http://www.crohnsforum.com/showthread.php?t=31166

Dusty.

 

[Cat-a-Tonic]

ccec213, I feel for you and know just what you mean. Personally, I looooove chocolate, and I found a way to cut back significantly on it. There's a really expensive, high-end Swiss chocolatier not far from my house, so sometimes I will go and spend way too much money on a little box of exquisite chocolates. It's so expensive that I simply cannot justify eating more than one piece every few days or so! I would go broke if I gobbled the stuff down. It works for me - I ration it like crazy and only have a piece when I *really* need one. (Of course, this plan only works if I ONLY purchase expensive chocolate and have no other chocolate in the house.)

 

[Beach]

Not so much straight sugar, but blood glucose rising all the same and certainly sugar loaded, it seems every once in awhile I'll crave some gluten free cinnamon rolls sold locally. Most of the time I can get over the feeling, but it seems once a year or so I'll give in and pick some up. I usually get over it quickly. What seemed like a good craving idea at the time, ends up making me feel awful later.

What I've found to help me overcome often is to eat some fatty foods, such as nuts, or putting loads of coconut oil onto a meal. I've read on several low carb blogs about this being a common tactic. That helps me to feel full and not all that hungry for overly sugary items.

I haven't tried this, but plan to in the future - was reading recently also that a pinch of L-glutamine and L-tryptophan can be very helpful at controlling sugar cravings. Maybe this will be the solution to stop me from buying the yearly rice rolls.

"Forbidding foods may cause us to obsess about them, and what to do about it"

http://www.drbriffa.com/2013/06/07/...to-obsess-about-them-and-what-to-do-about-it/

 

[ccec213]

Hey guys,
Thanks for these tips! I'm a big fan of "if you're gonna cheat, cheat big"--like your chocolates, Cat-a-Tonic. And I have noticed the protein/fat intake can help the cravings, too--thanks for the reminder, Beach.

Another thing I'll throw out there: sometimes eating something super salty can help cut the craving. Like pickles, or ume plums (Japanese pickled apricots, full of probiotics.) I guess, like anything, it's a long process, but when all you want is fifteen popsicles, there's no reasoning with it!