How to beat those sugar cravings

Find yourself craving something sweet after every meal, or thinking about sweets almost all the time? You are not alone!! From that afternoon slump, to something sweet after dinner, cravings are not an easy thing to shake.

Sugars can be considered as empty calories, they are very low in nutrients and if you consume more than your body needs it can lead to excess weight gain. You don't need to eliminate it from your diet completely, but I would strongly advise to limit your overall intake and eat more nutrient-rich meals which help you feel your best.

When you begin to eliminate it from your diet you can start to feel some pretty wicked withdrawal symptoms. These can include headaches, fatigue and a massive drop in your energy levels. By sticking out those hard couple of days/weeks you will begin to notice an improvement in your sleep, energy levels, waistline and even skin tone.

A healthy alternative to reach for other than the bar of chocolate or sweet muffin is a piece of savoury snack with a piece of fruit, some of my suggestions are

• vegetable sticks with hummus or cottage cheese and an orange

• apple/date spread with natural peanut butter

• brown rice cakes with cottage cheese and cucumber

• home made bliss balls (recipe can be found below)

Add some spices into your cooking to really boost the natural sweetness of the overall dish, things like cinnamon, mixed spice, vanilla and cocoa powder can be added to foods to provide enough sweetness.

My last piece of advice is to keep up with your regular meals so your blood sugar levels remain stable. The cravings kick in when our energy levels drop, so if you fill your days with protein, lots of vegetables, and nutrient-rich wholegrains, all of these foods will help keep your levels balanced and keep you satisfied for longer.

If you are after any further tips, or healthy alternatives please send me a message in the "contact" tab.

Happy health, Chelle.