They helped us:

Evgeny Arzamastsev
Nutritionist at the Margarita Koroleva Center for Aesthetic Medicine

The World Health Organization estimates that a typical Russian eats about 100 grams of sugar per day. Despite the fact that the human body can process no more than 50 g of sweet additive more or less painlessly. And modern scientific research persistently links excess sugar in the menu with such serious diseases as diabetes, hypertension, strokes and heart attacks, and colon cancer. This list alone is enough to make you forget about soda and buns forever. But there is a nuance.

Stories about the dangers of sugar, alas, cannot force those with a sweet tooth to give up candy. American biologists have long proposed equating sweet poison to alcohol and tobacco and start honestly calling it a drug. Not for the sake of shocking: the mechanism of our brain’s reaction to sugar is not much different from the addictions that develop, say, with each new glass of champagne.

One of many experiments on this topic is indicative. Scientists from Princeton University fed experimental rats sugar daily, gradually increasing the dose. Everyone was happy. But one day, terrible for rodents, people completely excluded sweets from the menu. What do you think? The animals became restless, irritable and aggressive and, if they could, would probably complain of a headache and a desire to bite. In general, the poor rats experienced a typical withdrawal in the absence of the coveted dose.

But let's get back to the people. Most of us swallowed our first dose of the sweet drug before we could speak clearly, and for decades maintained the bad attachment by buying “something for tea.” We can't just stop eating sugar, no matter how strong-willed people we are., ask any narcologist. But we can gradually (this is a key condition for success) reduce the amount of sweets in our diet to a minimum or even to zero.

WH experts have formulated several rules for those who intend to one day give up desserts. Get a plan of action.

1. Get enough sleep. Yes, it's that simple. The human body interprets lack of sleep as a stressful situation - and sends hormones that regulate appetite into overdrive. One sleepless night is enough for you to eat more than 200 extra kilocalories the next day, with priority given to fast carbohydrates, that is, sugar. A well-rested person is less drawn to cakes - proven at Harvard.
2. Analyze your diet. An irresistible craving for sweets often manifests itself as a symptom of a lack of chromium, zinc or magnesium (or maybe all at once). Only a blood test can definitely determine this, but just in case, check how regularly the products from the list at the end of the article appear on your plate.
3. Eat protein. This is a way to maintain stable levels of glucose and insulin in the blood and, as a result, crave sweets less. Ideally, protein should be ingested at every meal, but definitely at breakfast. By proteins we mean not only meat and fish, but also nuts, seeds, eggs, and legumes.
4. Eat small and frequent meals. The thought of snacking on cookies doesn’t even occur to people whose sugar levels don’t jump sharply throughout the day. Try to eat food every 2-2.5 hours (of course, distributing its volume so that by the end of the month it does not resemble a ball in shape) - and you will notice that when you do not have to experience acute attacks of hunger, it is easier to pass by pastry shops.
5. Don't keep sweets in sight. If there is a piece of cake waiting in the refrigerator, and gingerbread cookies in the table drawer, the temptation to eat them will defeat any vows. So it's simple: don't buy anything that isn't good for you. And for occasions when you are accustomed to eating sweets (coffee breaks with colleagues, meetings with girlfriends, morning tea), keep healthier alternatives to chocolate and croissants on hand. These can be seasonal fruits and berries, honey, dried fruits.
6. Move. Regular exercise is a good way to cope with daily stress, which is often to blame for our emotional attachment to chocolate and jam.
7. Add healthy fats. They are extremely important for the body's hormonal stability and help you feel full longer. Healthy unsaturated fats are found in avocados, nuts and seeds, and olive oil.
8. Cook at home. To reduce the amount of sugar entering the body, you will have to limit industrially processed foods as much as possible. Sweeteners are now even added to dumplings and pickles, and the only way to avoid excess is to personally regulate the amount of sugar in your food. Here's a simple example: cutlets bought at the grocery store will almost certainly contain syrup or something like that; in a piece of meat that you personally turn into cutlets at home - no.
9. Stop drinking calories. Any form of liquid sugar is worse than solid food containing it. Sugary drinks deliver the drug straight to your liver without even trying to create the illusion of satiety. Therefore, by drinking lemonade in between, you provoke yourself to eat more and more fast carbohydrates.
10. Add spices Cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom naturally sweeten foods, help regulate blood sugar and control your addiction.

Summer and the season of open clothing are coming, which means it’s time to take care of your figure. First of all, you need to start with proper nutrition. But if you like to eat candy and chocolate, eat a big piece of cake at someone's birthday, can't do without a couple of toasts for breakfast, and after dinner at a restaurant you order dessert - it's time to change that. But it’s not so easy to give up your favorite sweets that you eat every day. Over time, the body gets used to sweets and starchy foods, and cravings may appear. But don’t worry, you will learn how to get rid of sugar cravings in 5 minutes by reading this article.

Why are sweets and flour products harmful?

Let's talk a little about how confectionery and bakery products affect the body. They can be visualized as a coin, but as we all know, a coin always has two sides...

The first side is how beautiful the product looks, has a pleasant smell and good taste. The second side is what is hidden under the label. Any sweets and baked goods have a bad effect on the body and have a bad effect on the figure. Why is everything happening like this?

This is because confectionery and baked goods are fast carbohydrates. Unlike complex carbohydrates, after consumption they are immediately stored in subcutaneous fat. The only sweets that have a positive effect on the body are natural honey and dark chocolate. Regular consumption of foods that contain a lot of sugar can cause addiction.

How to get rid of sweet cravings quickly?

Different sweet products are harmful in their own way. Cakes, buns, cookies are prepared on the basis of margarine and other fats, which are harmful and without sugar. Chocolate bars actually contain a minimal amount of chocolate. The lion's share of their content is the same sugar. Sweets and chewing gums are “killers” of teeth: they destroy enamel and contribute to the development of caries.

• Chocolate bars sold at a pharmacy or sports nutrition store. They have a low sugar content and low calorie content.
• Use a sugar substitute or gradually reduce the amount when drinking coffee and tea.
• Instead of sweets and starchy foods, eat more fruits, which are not only tasty, but also very healthy.
• You can use honey as a dessert! It is rich in vitamins and harmless as it is produced organically. One spoon of honey fills the body with healthy carbohydrates and energy reserves for the coming hours.

What causes cravings for sweets and starchy foods?

Cravings for sweets and starchy foods are caused by the body's need for carbohydrates. Our eyes do not distinguish complex from simple ones. Only when they enter the stomach does the body decide where to go next. If carbohydrates are complex, then they take a long time to break down and are slowly absorbed and saturate us with energy throughout the day, and if carbohydrates are simple, then they immediately turn into subcutaneous fat. Therefore, it is better to replace the pie or candy with a banana, thereby satisfying the need for sweets.

Often addiction is caused by foods that contain fast carbohydrates. How does this happen? A person gets used to sweet and tasty things, and the body demands more and more portions of this poison. Without receiving the usual amount of carbohydrates, a person becomes irritable, sad or apathetic. A new portion of dessert gives the body energy, strength returns, and good mood returns. This is how an ordinary habit turns into an addiction.

Refusal of sweets and starchy foods according to Dr. Virgin’s method

Let's consider the method of the famous nutritionist - Dr. Virgin. Let's find out how to get rid of cravings for sweets and starchy foods. Reviews confirm that this technique works flawlessly.

At the first stage, we will not give up sweets and starchy foods completely. We will only reduce the amount of harmful substances consumed by replacing products with those that contain less sugar. For example: instead of sugar we will eat honey, instead of sweets - berries, instead of cakes with a lot of cream - biscuits without cream, etc. At this stage, which lasts 2 weeks, you are allowed to eat desserts, but in small quantities.

The next step is to reduce your fructose intake.

Dr. Virgin believes that at this stage the body switches from producing energy from sugar to producing energy from fat. Soon you won't have to wonder how to get rid of sugar cravings while dieting.

In the second stage, which lasts for 3 weeks, we will need to minimize not only the consumption of table sugar, but also its natural analogues. The main task is to manipulate taste buds. We need them to get used to eating minimal amounts of sugar. At this stage, fruits should be excluded from the diet, as they are the main source of fructose.

Let's try sugar again

How to get rid of cravings for sweets using Dr. Virgin's method? To do this, let's move on to the next stage, at which we must check our body. Start eating sweets again. If you did everything according to plan, then eating sweets will not be as pleasant as before. By this stage, your taste buds should get used to the minimum amount of sugar, and if you put 3 pieces of refined sugar in your tea, you should feel cloying, because you are already accustomed to one piece. We check how the body has rebuilt itself to produce energy from fats. To do this, we eat any dessert: chocolate, sweets, cakes, cream cake, pastries... If after eating them there is discomfort - heartburn, belching, bloating, then the restructuring is going according to plan, and soon the craving for sweets will disappear altogether.

You are allowed to experiment for up to 3 days.

Consolidation

At the last stage, you must resort to the first step, that is, return foods with medium sugar content to your diet. You can again indulge in a small amount of sweets, but your body will no longer feel the urgent need for sugar. By going through these steps several times in a cycle, you will be able to stop eating sugar forever or reduce your cravings for it to a minimum so as not to harm your body.

10 reasons to give up sweets

1. In addition to sugar, industrial sweets contain various chemical additives to improve taste, as well as flavors and dyes, which can cause allergies in humans or provoke the development of various gastrointestinal diseases.
2. Sugar impairs the functioning of the cardiovascular system, which makes you weak.
3. Sweets increase cholesterol levels.
4. The body will not receive any beneficial substances from sweets (fast carbohydrates).
5. Sweets can harm your teeth and increase the chance of tooth decay.
6. An increased amount of sugar in the body worsens the appearance of the skin.
7. You can’t get enough of sweets for a long time; after a couple of hours, the body will again require food.
8. Sugar can cause elevated blood glucose levels and cause the pancreas to produce more insulin than normal, which can lead to the development of type 2 diabetes.
9. Sweets are high in calories. By eating a small amount of confectionery or baked goods, you will receive a large amount of calories, and as a result you will become obese.
10. Without your usual dose of sweets, you will feel irritated and unsatisfied.

Here are some more tips on how to get rid of cravings for sweets (there are reviews on this):

1. When you exercise, your body produces the happiness hormone, and you won’t need to look for it in chocolate and other confectionery and baked goods.
2. If you still miss something sweet, you can eat a spoonful of honey. It is harmless and is a good alternative to any dessert.
3. Give up sugar gradually, for example, if you put 4 tablespoons of sugar in your tea, then gradually reduce the amount. After a while, you will drink tea without sugar and realize that it is just as tasty.
4. Instead of sweets, eat more fruits and berries.
5. Just stop buying sweets and you won't be tempted.
6. When you crave something sweet, replace it with healthy foods.
7. Find yourself an incentive. Imagine what a beautiful figure you will have after losing weight. Imagine how good you will feel without eating flour and sweets.
8. Drink more water. Water improves metabolism.
9. Use sweeteners.
10. Set realistic goals, i.e. don't try to get rid of sugar cravings in one day, understand that it will take time.

These tips will tell you how to get rid of sugar cravings.

Medication method

How to get rid of cravings for sweets? A drug that will help with this is called Tryptophan. You can also buy medications "Glutamine" and "Chromium Picolinate" in pharmacies. Taking them according to the instructions will help you get rid of the desire to eat something sweet.

How to get rid of sugar cravings in 21 days

Another common way to eliminate cravings for confectionery and baked goods is to give up desserts for 21 days. Twenty-one days or three weeks is the period during which a person can get rid of any habit. There is a chance that your overindulgence in sugary foods is a normal habit, and it will go away after three weeks. You need to set a goal and eliminate all sweets and starchy foods from your diet for 21 days. After a given period of time, you will notice that the craving for sweets has disappeared. You can also notice positive changes in the body during this period. Some of the subcutaneous fat will disappear, your figure will become slimmer, and your health will improve.

How to change eating habits?

Changing your eating habits can be a great way to lose weight. To do this, you don’t need to go on strict diets and torment your body with fasting. How to eat healthy and healthy:

• Don't eat in front of the TV. While watching TV, you become distracted and may eat much more than you should.
• Use smaller utensils and get used to putting less food on your plate.
• Drink 30 minutes before meals to improve digestion.
• Do not drink while eating, as it is harmful.
• Drink 2 liters of water a day, this is the amount of water that will maintain the body at an optimal level and improve metabolism.
• Walk after eating, so you can immediately burn some calories and enrich your body with oxygen.
• Don't eat 4 hours before bedtime.
• 70% of the food consumed should be eaten in the first half of the day, the remaining 30% in the second.
• Also, all foods that contain carbohydrates should be eaten at the beginning of the day and gradually reduce foods containing them throughout the day.

Now you know how to get rid of sugar cravings and change your eating habits. Within a few weeks after giving up desserts, you will see positive changes: the condition of your skin will improve, lightness will appear, heartburn will disappear, and digestion will improve.

For many people, a constant craving for sweets brings a number of problems: because of this, it is impossible to lose weight, and problematic rashes appear on the skin.

The situation is much more complicated when sweets are contraindicated due to some disease, but the need for them can be easily eliminated.

Why there is a strong craving for sweets: causes and symptoms ^

Everyone knows about the dangers of sweets for the figure: sugar-containing products are not only deposited on the stomach and thighs, but also cause significant harm to the body. But if sweets have such a negative effect on the body, why are they so popular?

They are instantly absorbed into the blood and provide energy. This is especially true in the modern rhythm of life, when there is not always enough time for a nutritious meal.

• The body “loves” sugar because it does not need to be processed for a long time and the energy from it is available almost immediately!
• Therefore, it is not surprising that when we are seriously hungry, the first idea is to indulge in something sweet.

Sugar is a stimulant

Sugar is a real stimulant in its properties. When there is an increase in blood sugar levels, a person feels a surge of activity, he experiences a state of mild excitement, and the activity of the sympathetic system is activated. nervous system.

• For this reason, after enjoying a chocolate bar, we notice that the heart begins to beat more often, it becomes hot (this means that there is a slight rise in blood pressure), breathing quickens, and as a result, the tone of the autonomic nervous system as a whole increases.
• The resulting energy does not dissipate for a long time. A person has a feeling of some tension inside. This is why sugar is often called a “stress food.”

The average resident of Russia eats approximately 100-140 grams of sugar in one day. This is about 1 kg of sugar per week. It should be noted that the human body has NO NEED for refined sugar. That is, by and large, we are all sugar addicts. When using this product, the same changes occur in the human brain as under the influence of morphine, cocaine and nicotine.

Sweets are beneficial for producers

Sweets are addictive, so they are very profitable for production.

• A person easily becomes addicted to chocolates, bars, cookies, cakes and candies, buying them more and more often. Because of this addiction, it is unrealistically difficult to give up sweets.
• Due to unstable blood sugar levels, fatigue and frequent headaches appear. This creates a constant desire to eat sweets.
• A portion of sweets leads to temporary relief, but after a while the feeling of hunger and the need for sweets become even more acute.

Causes of cravings for sweets

The main reason is a decrease in blood glucose levels. This occurs when a person skips a meal: after a while there is a desire to snack on chocolate or candy.

Often, addiction to sweets lies in an unbalanced diet:

• It is especially dangerous to replace a full breakfast, for example, with a croissant. This will not provide long-term saturation or optimal nutritional intake. In addition, this way you are guaranteed to eat more sweets than normal.
• If you are severely undernourished in calories or carbohydrates throughout the day, your body requires quick fuel to provide energy. And sweets are best suited for this. Therefore, as you give up sweets, avoid low-calorie and low-carb diets.

It is worth noting that sweets only temporarily “kill” the feeling of hunger, and do not bring any benefit to the body. If you practice such snacks too often, you can gain weight or develop diabetes.

In addition, the desire to eat a piece of cake or chocolate occurs in the following cases:

• Due to frequent stress, tension, anxiety;
• During premenstrual syndrome;
• With a sedentary lifestyle;
• For nervous disorders;
• With a lack of chromium in the body, or an unbalanced diet.

Symptoms of “sweet” addiction

Before getting rid of cravings for sweets, you need to familiarize yourself with its main symptoms so as not to confuse the fleeting desire to eat candy with a constant need for sweets:

• I want to eat sweets, cakes, etc. daily;
• The desire appears at any time of the day, but most often in the evening;
• “Eating” stress with sweets seems to be the only way to improve your mood;
• In the store you can’t pass by the shelves with chocolate, cakes, etc.

A special case is the craving for sweets during pregnancy. This phenomenon is considered absolutely normal, because the body requires a lot of energy and positive emotions, and chocolate is known to increase the level of serotonin, the hormone of happiness. To avoid gaining too much weight, it is recommended to replace confectionery products with fruits that reduce cravings for sweets:

• Pineapples;
• Melons;
• Nectarines;
• Peaches;
• Bananas.

In terms of taste, they are in no way inferior to chocolate, but they bring benefits to the body. In addition to the above, it is necessary to include foods containing chromium in your diet.

You can buy pills for sweet cravings at the pharmacy, but they are mainly recommended for those who want to lose weight:

• Chromium picolinate;
• Tryptophan;
• Glutamine.

The drug with chromium against cravings for sweets can be used by absolutely everyone, because... Deficiency of this substance can lead to metabolic disorders and chronic diseases.

What reduces sweet cravings: food

• Beef;
• Apples;
• Bananas;
• Potato;
• Oranges;
• Tomatoes;
• Carrot;
• Blueberries, plums, pears, cherries;
• Rye flour, bran;
• Hazelnuts.

Psychological techniques to help fight the desire to eat sweets

If you are determined to take the “sugar-free” path (if not, then decide how long you can wait), then these tips will help you:

• The main advice is just stop buying sweets. You shouldn’t test your willpower and keep sweets and chocolates at home in the hope that today you will definitely refrain from consuming them excessively.
• Another piece of advice follows from the last piece of advice: never go grocery shopping when you’re hungry. You're much more likely to give up sweets and walk past the colorful "dessert" shelves if you're full.
• Constantly watch movies/read articles and books about the dangers of sugar. Study the enemy and finally take responsibility for your health. One fine day, knowing what troubles a chocolate bar can bring you, you will easily give it up.
• If you eat negative emotions and frustrations with sweets, then try to come up with another “psychological anchor.” It could be music, a book, a movie, communication with a pleasant person, training. Wean your body off sugar as a cure for bad moods.

• If it’s difficult for you to give up sweets in one day, give yourself 2 weeks to gradually reduce sugar in your diet. Reduce the number of spoons of sugar in tea and coffee, reduce portions of cakes, eat less sweet cookies, replace white and milk chocolate with dark chocolate, etc.
• If your relatives or colleagues endlessly treat you to sweets, refer to the doctors’ ban on consuming sweets. Usually in such situations people try not to offer prohibited products.
• Use rule 5. If you really want to grab onto something tasty and incredibly harmful, count to 5. Very slowly and take a deep breath in and out for each count. Ask yourself: will I be happy if I break down in 5 minutes? Will it matter in 5 days? And what will I be like in 5 years if I don’t stop breaking down?

Many claim that they cannot live without sweets, but most have not even tried to give it up. The habit is formed over a long period of time, so it is impossible to give up sweet treats and get rid of addiction in 1 day:

• Give yourself a deadline - for example, 30 days without sweets. Just bet yourself that you can. Life without sweets is possible.
• The first time will be difficult, and you will even feel a slight “withdrawal” from your favorite bars. It's completely natural.
• But if you compensate for their absence with healthy foods, then it will be much easier for you.
• Even in 1 month without industrial sweets, you will change your taste habits, improve your figure and create a strong foundation for good health and longevity.

In order not to gain excess weight and develop serious illnesses, it is necessary to remove pathological cravings for sweets in time. This is quite easy to do if you adhere to the following rules:

1. Balance your diet. Eat 4-5 times a day, do not skip meals;
2. Make time for physical activity and lead an active lifestyle. Play sports - exercise helps produce happiness hormones, which means you don’t have to look for solace in sweets.
3. Eat only healthy foods. Replenish the lack of serotonin during disorders and stress through the consumption of protein products;
4. Allow yourself sweets no more than three times a week in small quantities, and it is better to exclude them altogether;
5. Buy remedies for sugar cravings if you can’t overcome them on your own.

The experience of our readers, how they managed to eliminate their cravings for sweets

Anna, 23 years old:

“Since childhood, I could not resist chocolate, and as a result, I gained excess weight. I solved the problem very simply: I stopped buying chocolates and sweets so that there would be no temptation.”

Lyudmila, 30 years old:

“I had not just a craving, but a whole mania to eat something sweet, and this haunted me around the clock. I tried everything: I replaced sweets with fruits, ate meat - to no avail. A friend suggested that such cravings can be fought off with cumin tea: 1 tsp. pour a glass of boiling water over the caraway seeds, strain after 10 minutes and drink. By the way, this drink does a good job of reducing appetite in general, so it will be useful for anyone losing weight.”

Olga, 33 years old:

“Now I’m absolutely indifferent to sweets, but before I couldn’t pass up cakes and chocolates. The way out of the situation turned out to be very simple: I began to eat more meat, and now I give preference to it rather than these harmful foods containing fast carbohydrates, which are invariably deposited as fat on the sides.”

Eastern horoscope for February

The first post in the “Weight loss supplements” series is dedicated to products that reduce cravings for sweets, starchy foods, and overeating. This happens very often, you stay on cottage cheese and salads all day, and in the evening an unbearable itch begins to chew something sweet and starchy. I'll talk about three supplements: chromium picolinate, 5-htp (tryptophan) and glutamine.

Let's start with the most popular supplement, which everyone who has once tried to lose weight or is already accustomed to living in a state of permanent weight loss knows, this is, of course, the famous chromium picolinate!

Chromium ranks first among all supplements in its ability to normalize blood sugar levels. More than 90% of people suffer from chromium deficiency in the body! (just think about this number).

Chromium deficiency is a vicious cycle: when there is little chromium in the body, sugar cravings increase, but the more sugar you consume, the more chromium in the body is depleted.

Therefore, regular intake of chromium is needed by almost all people, even those who are not losing weight, since it is chronic chromium deficiency that very often leads to impaired insulin metabolism and most chronic diseases (strokes, hypertension, gastritis, migraines, etc.).

Chromium picolinate reduces sugar cravings

I will not be distracted and will return to losing weight. The best way to get rid of excess fat, besides a low-carb diet, is taking chromium picolinate. Research shows that chromium picolinate hits weight loss on several fronts:

• reducing cravings for sweets, chromium makes it easier to follow a diet without failure
• even without a diet, chromium helps increase lean body mass, which speeds up metabolism (the more muscle in the body, the faster the metabolism)
• chromium prevents muscle loss during caloric restriction
• chromium increases calorie expenditure during exercise. By the way, sports and fitness accelerate the removal of chromium from the body, so it should be taken by everyone who plays sports!

Chromium has another important property: it fights cell glycation, one of the main factors in skin aging. This is a process of cell damage and dying due to high amounts of sugar in the blood, gluing of collagen fibers (this is why all fast food and sweets lead to early aging of the skin!).

How to choose the right chrome

The most effective chromium compounds is chromium picolinate and polynicotinate, but chromium picolinate has more pronounced effect. To reduce cravings for sweets, the daily dosage of chromium is 200-600 mcg per day, and for obesity or diabetes it is already 600-1000 mcg per day.

• Chromium Picolinate Solgar Solgar, Chromium Picolinate, 500 mcg, 120 Veggie Caps – $9.58

Tryptophan controls increased appetite and improves mood

I call tryptophan “vitamins of happiness”, and I drink it as a mild and safe remedy to relieve symptoms of anxiety and stress, as well as in situations when you want to eat a lot of something harmful! Not because of hunger, but only because you are in a bad mood or bored. This is familiar to everyone!))

Tryptophan is ideal with constant breakdowns in diet and when leaving them. They also successfully treat eating disorders (gluttony, bulimia), this is what we need so as not to break down and not eat everything indiscriminately! And finally forget about late-night eating and terrible hunger pangs!

How to choose the right tryptophan

The most effective form of this amino acid is this, with the number 5 in the name 5-htp. Just look for it on the label! The effective dosage of such tryptophan is 300-400 mg per day, and you can take it in doses of 100 mg or more.

Sometimes tryptophan is combined with magnesium and vitamin B6, which prolongs the action of tryptophan so that it lasts longer. I chose exactly this Solgar complex, here it is:

• Tryptophan Solgar Solgar, 5-HTP, 100 mg, 90 Veggie Caps- $23.92

I drink tryptophan 1-2 capsules, shortly before dinner, It is advisable to drink it on an empty stomach, and not during meals, like most vitamins. If this complex is not on sale (and it is quickly sold out!), then read about others

Glutamine treats alcohol and sugar addiction

Glutamine is one of the most important amino acids in the human body, it accelerates tissue healing and is used to treat inflammatory bowel diseases and prevent cancer.

But she has one more important action, glutamine helps with addictions! Nutritionist Roger Williams has successfully used glutamine to treat alcohol addiction, and about 75% of patients were actually able to get rid of cravings for alcohol!

After this experiment, researchers successfully began using glutamine to overcome uncontrollable sugar cravings. And very successfully, because glutamine helped most people get rid of sugar addiction test subjects!

Moreover, glutamine is good because it acts immediately - when a craving for sweets appears, you need to take 1-2 grams of l-glutamine, preferably with a spoonful of heavy cream, and the unbearable desire to eat sweets goes away.

In addition to treating sugar and alcohol addiction, glutamine may also be useful to us:

• Glutamine repairs muscle tissue after exercise, allowing the body to burn more fat
• Glutamine cleanses the liver of byproducts of fat metabolism
• and is also an accessible non-carbohydrate source of energy in a low-calorie diet.

This means that on a strict diet or detox you can forget about the constant feeling of fatigue and apathy when the body just lacks energy!

How to choose the right glutamine

Choose the most accessible form in the form of l-glutamine. It is available both in powder and in capsules; capsules are more convenient. Capsules are needed with a dosage of 1000 mg. To overcome cravings for alcohol and sugar, it is enough to take 1-3 grams of glutamine at the same time, it should be taken immediately after the desire to drink alcohol or eat something sweet.

• Glutamine Solgar Solgar, L-Glutamine, 1000 mg, 60 Tablets – $10.38

To stimulate the immune system, dosages of 5-20 grams of glutamine are usually prescribed per day, so a dosage of 3 grams is not at all scary))

Why do you want sweets so much? After all, it seems that the body literally demands a muffin with chocolate syrup, a cappuccino with caramel or, say, a lemon tartlet with whipped cream. We know how harmful sugar is, but we can’t control ourselves. “This obsessive need is based on both physiological reasons (for example, a lack of microelements or an unbalanced diet) and psychological ones - many of us turn to sweets as a tranquilizer in order to relieve anxiety or anxiety,” explains nutritionist Elena Morozova.

The first reason: stress

Products containing sugar, when entering the body, stimulate the production of the hormone serotonin. This biologically active substance improves mood, calms, and relieves anxiety. In fact, it is a natural antidepressant for any of us. And chocolate also contains magnesium, a microelement that has a calming effect. That is why, in a state of anxiety or depression, the hand reaches out for something sweet.

What to do: get magnesium and speed up serotonin synthesis with healthier foods.

Serotonin. In the body, serotonin is produced from its precursors, in particular from tryptophan, one of the essential amino acids. You need to consume about 1-2 grams of tryptophan per day. In a state of stress, the consumption of tryptophan increases, therefore the daily norm of this amino acid should be twice as much. Here is a list of products that are leaders in the content of this valuable amino acid:

LEGUMES (per 100 g): peas, beans – 260 mg, soybeans – 714 mg, lentils – 284 mg GRAINS, POTATOES (per 100 g): buckwheat – 180 mg, pasta – 130 mg, wheat flour (grade I) – 120 mg, oatmeal – 160 mg, millet – 180 mg, rice – 80 mg, rye bread – 70 mg, wheat bread – 100 mg, potatoes – 30 mg DAIRY (per 100 g): Dutch cheese – 790 mg, cheese processed – 500 mg, low-fat cottage cheese – 180 mg, fatty cottage cheese – 210 mg MEAT (per 100 g): beef, turkey – 200 mg and even higher MUSHROOMS (per 100 g): champignons, oyster mushrooms – 210–230 mg EGGS (1 ,5–2 pcs.): 200 mg

Magnesium. Like tryptophan, magnesium burns very quickly under stress. We should receive about 300–350 mg of magnesium per day. What products are best to get it from? First of all, among grains, for example, based on the magnesium content in 100 g of product, bran (350 mg), buckwheat (150 mg), and oatmeal (130 mg) are rich in it. One of the leaders in magnesium content is watermelon - 100 g of product contains from 220 to 440 mg of this trace element. In fact, a piece of watermelon is your daily requirement for magnesium!

Second reason: lack of microelements

An irresistible craving for sweets may be associated with a deficiency of chromium in the body. This microelement is involved in the regulation of carbohydrate metabolism and blood glucose levels. It normalizes the permeability of cell membranes to glucose and the processes of its use by cells. Also, thanks to chromium, the sensitivity of cells to insulin increases and the effect of this hormone increases. In other words, the body will produce less insulin, but there will be enough hormone to meet the body's needs. Chromium deficiency causes a significant increase in blood glucose levels. In order to maintain it at this level, simple carbohydrates must be supplied to the body uninterruptedly, which significantly increases cravings for sweets and increases the feeling of hunger.

What to do: enrich your diet with chromium through food and dietary supplements.

The daily requirement of an adult for this microelement is 150 mg. A lot of chromium (about 50 mg per 100 g) is found in fish and seafood, offal (30 mg per 100 g), chicken eggs (22 mg per 100 g), broccoli (20 mg per 100 g). After consultation with a specialist, you can take dietary supplements with chromium picolinate.

Third reason: unbalanced diet

Paradoxically, the craving for sweets is most often due to the fact that a person abuses these same sweets. Almost immediately after dessert, your body's blood sugar levels rise sharply. The body tries to “accumulate” this sugar faster, for which the pancreas produces the hormone insulin. At the same time, we feel an unprecedented surge of energy. However, this condition quickly passes, since simple carbohydrates are utilized very quickly. To maintain such energy, another portion of sweets is required.

Sugar addiction is aggravated by irregular meals. When there are long periods between meals, blood sugar levels drop significantly. You can quickly raise it with the help of simple carbohydrates; every person knows this on an intuitive level, which is why the desire to eat something sweet arises.

What to do: maintain a balance of carbohydrate intake with food.

You shouldn’t give up simple carbohydrates completely, especially abruptly. Such a strategy will lead to irritability, decreased mood and performance. Moreover, from a psychological point of view, running away from temptations is not the best way to cope with them. How should you structure your nutrition plan?

The diet must contain a sufficient amount of complex carbohydrates and proteins, which will help maintain even blood glucose levels. In particular, in the diet of people who do not lead a physically active lifestyle, the daily allowance of carbohydrates is 400–500 g, of which complex carbohydrates should account for about 80–90%. The daily protein intake is on average 1–1.2 g per kg of body weight.

Eat small meals. This will avoid sudden spikes in blood sugar. Eat small meals about 5 times a day. The volume of each serving should not exceed 200–250 g.

Distinguish between true and false hunger. Often we experience thirst rather than hunger (in the brain the nerve centers responsible for these sensations are very close). So before you eat something sweet, drink a glass of water.

Pay attention to protein foods. When you want something sweet, it is better to eat a piece of cheese, yogurt or a boiled egg. Such products stabilize blood sugar levels after 15–20 minutes, and cravings for sweets subside.

Eat sweets for dessert. After lunch, a piece of cake or cookies will not cause a sharp jump in blood glucose, which means you will be able to maintain a sense of moderation. If your meal includes only sweets, you will feel the urge to eat more within half an hour.

about the author

• Elena Morozova, nutritionist, psychologist, general director of the Elena Morozova Weight Loss Clinic