Carbohydrates are the most important source of energy for our body. In fact they are one of the main nutrients that our body requires for its survival. However, eating too much of carb products can be detrimental to your health; it causes unwanted fat accumulation in your body.
Eating too much of carbohydrate also reciprocates to carb cravings, which is like an addiction. The need to curb carb cravings has increased in recent times, because there is very high consumption of carbohydrate, leading to various health conditions from diabetes to obesity.
Carbohydrates instantly raise blood sugar, and there is a feeling of well being and comfort, but the blood sugar plummets down as quickly as it was raised after eating carb food, which results into more carb cravings.
Foods To Stop Carbohydrate Cravings
It may not be easy to curb carb cravings, but it may not be as difficult as it looks to be. The only thing you require to follow is disciplined food habits. You have to eat foods that can cub carb cravings.
The first thing that comes in the list is water,
- Water: Many times you mistake thirst as hunger, and thus munch whatever carbs that are available easily. Therefore drink enough water every hour that keep your stomach full.It also resists the craving for drinking sweet drinks and soft drinks.
- When you have decided to curb intake of carb foods, search for foods in your refrigerator that trigger your cravings. Trash them in a bin.
- Do not keep ice cream, dough nuts or cakes and pastries in the fridge; this will eliminate your craving for those foods.
- Eat foods that keep your blood sugar stable, proteins do the trick. Consume them in every meal that you take, in breakfast as well as in lunch and dinner. Protein containing foods are tofu, legumes, nuts, food prepared from soy, fish and lean meat, boiled eggs and omelets.
- Complex carbohydrates are another good proposition to sustain the blood glucose level in the blood. Foods that are included in this category are fresh vegetables and fruits, beans and lentils, brown rice etc.
Supplements To Curb Carb Cravings
There are number of supplements available by manufacturers that help to suppress carb cravings.
However you have to consult your physician before starting these supplements.
- There are supplements in the form of mouth sprays which can be sprayed into the mouth to suppress carb cravings.
- Gymnema Sylvester herb: it is a natural herb that suppresses the craving for sweets and sweet products. The herb comes in the form of pills and it also promotes pancreatic function.
- The amino acid L- glutamine is another supplement available that curbs the carb craving. It comes in powder form and it is odorless and tasteless. It can be taken in the morning dissolving it in water.
Olive Oil for Obesity Control
The pharmacologists from the University of California have conducted a research, that has demonstrated that the fat found in olive oil stimulates the production of a particular compound in the upper part of the small intestine that curbs hunger pangs.
The compound is OEA, oleoylethanololamide. It regulates hunger, reduces appetite, and manages body weight.
It also helps lower the levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood.
Oleic acid found in olive oil, (and also in nuts and avocados), gets transformed to OEA, in the small intestine.
OEA, then gets to the nerve endings that carry the hunger-curbing signal to the brain.
The study was conducted by Daniele Piomelli and his colleagues and it was published in the journal Cell Metabolism.
Tips for Weight Loss:
- Decrease your meal size and increase the number of meals like eating 6 meals per day is ideal.
- This boosts your metabolism, improves digestion, and checks the tendency for fat deposition around the belly. Consume 5-6 small meals every day.
How to Control Obesity:
- Consuming honey first thing in the morning is good to fight those bulges. It is lower on the glycemic index; but along side, right eating, a workout schedule, and a healthy lifestyle are important aspects of a weight loss program.
- Fitting in time for exercise in your busy schedule may not be possible. But make an effort. Begin by working out on weekends, and then gradually build up on the frequency and duration.
- Don’t bother about counting calories. Instead add up your nutrients, and see whether you’re eating a balanced meal. Home-cooked meals are almost always wholesome. Hurl out – refined foods, white flour, white sugar, aerated beverages, trans fats, and excessive saturated fats from your diet.
- Be very particular about what you eat in the evenings. Never overeat. And always eat 2 hours before bedtime.
- Our state of mind plays a critical role in determining how we look. So never be harsh with yourself. Stress and emotional disturbances also affect our weight. A calm and tranquil mind aids in optimum digestion of food and helps in weight management.
How to Stop Craving:
- Walk to crush a craving for chocolates. A study has revealed that exercising curbs cravings. A test was done comparing the cravings in a group of individuals who walked (or exercised regularly) and another group which comprised of couch-potatoes. The chocoholics experienced a major drop in the chocolate cravings after only 15 minutes of walking. The trick is to keep your pace moderately brisk and you can stifle the craving in next to no time. By then, your thoughts will have moved on.
- Emotion control will help take better control of your cravings. You eat to fight anger, vexation, depression, and anguish. So take charge of your emotions, and channelize negative energy effectively.
- Science has proved that occasionally, man confuses appetite with thirst. So next time, an irresistible craving comes on, drink a glass of water.
Most importantly, always remember that, weight loss and subsequent weight management comprises of several components. A successful programme should be consistent and ought to include – a positive mental attitude, a healthy lifestyle, a balanced diet, regular eating habits, and an exercise regimen.
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