Sugar is one of the most widely consumed ingredients and for a good reason.
It makes things taste sweeter and more appealing to our tastebuds.
With this constant exposure, it’s no wonder why craving sweets is a common experience.
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What Causes Sugar Cravings?
Sugar is deeply ingrained in our food system and our daily lives.
Or, you may crave sweets more than you’d like.
Let’s look at some of the top reasons you might crave sugar.
Conditioning
By repeating our everyday habits, we condition our brains and bodies to do things regularly.
You’ve probably been doing things repeatedly for so long that you don’t think much about your actions.
The same can go for the foods and drinks you consume.
If you regularly fuel yourself with foods high in added sugar, you might eat sugar on autopilot.
Consider the types of foods that make up your diet.
Have you become used to eating and drinking things high in added sugar?
There’s a lot of societal pressure to restrict what we’re eating.
As a result, many people feel pressured to undereat or only eat certain types of foods.
Fueling your body inadequately will leave you feeling dissatisfied and undernourished.
This is a survival mechanism your body employs in preparation for not being fed regularly or adequately.
Artificial Sweeteners
Artificial sweetenerswere created to provide sweetness without the caloric addition of sugar.
They can either be low or no-calorie.
Artificial sweeteners are 180 to 13,000 times sweeter than table sugar.
They are also associated with overeating and unintentional weight gain.
If so, you’re not alone.
Acommon responseto feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or otherwise emotional is to find comfort in food.
Comfort foods for stress could be sweet or savory, depending on your preferences.
This can further promote sugar cravings in times of stress.
Sleep
Beingsleep-deprivedcan promote sugar cravings, impacting the brain’s dopamine-activated reward pathways.
Period Cravings
Approaching the start of your period and craving all the chocolate?
Research suggests that the increase in estrogen and progesterone leading up to your period is responsible for sugar cravings.
Cravings tend to start 710 days before your period starts, and then they begin to wane.
Additionally, when you eat sugary, comforting foods, your brain releases the chemical messengerserotonin.
In one study, the authors conclude that there is strong evidence thatsugar addictionis real.
Can You Rewire Your Cravings?
Here are some ways to begin retraining your palate and rewiring your brain.
Summary
Several things can contribute to sugar cravings, from stress to conditioning to undereating.
Try not to feel guilty about sugar cravingswe all have them.
2023;19(7):e290422204241.
A narrative review.Br J Sports Med.
