Stress & Sugar Cravings
I’ve been hearing this everywhere this week, “My sugar cravings are totally out of control!!”
So, why is it? Why do we crave sugar when we’re stressed? In a nutshell, the answer is 3-fold.
Sugar makes us (literally) feel good
That tingly feel-good feeling you get during that first bite of something sweet isn’t a mirage. A sweet treat gives your body a boost of the happy neurotransmitter, serotonin.
When we have something sweet we get a burst of insulin. Insulin triggers the body to move all of our amino acids into the muscles…except for one, tryptophan. Tryptophan is a pre-cursor of serotonin but can get lost in the sea of the other more abundant amino acids. Once they’re all in the muscle, tryptophan has free rein to make lots of serotonin.
The sweeter the food the higher the boost of serotonin…but also the bigger the fall. A big fall = stronger sugar cravings and it’s a hard cycle to get off of.
A sweet treat that includes unrefined sugar and some fiber (like dark chocolate) will give you a nice boost without a big fall. This is a great way to move out of the teetertotter of super sweet cravings to find some balance again.
Chocolate (a common craving) is high in the stress-busting mineral magnesium
Many of us crave chocolate when we’re stressed. Not everyone, but it’s a pretty common craving. And there’s a very good reason your body wants a chocolate hit during a stressful day.
Chocolate, especially unrefined chocolate (like dark chocolate, cocoa, and raw cacao) is high in magnesium…a mineral we burn through quickly when we’re under stress. So, your body is asking for exactly what it needs.
Our body is such a miraculous thing!
Sweets are pleasurable
Sometimes, during a very stressful day (or week, or month) our body just wants a bit of pleasure. Pure amazing pleasure. And that’s not a bad thing!
Food can be wonderfully pleasurable, but guilt can steal any good feeling that food is trying to give.
Eating without guilt can be difficult, especially if you have a history of disordered eating. Start with just one bite. Can you stay present and taste one bite of chocolate or whatever sweet delight you’re craving? How does it feel in your mouth? How does it taste? How does it feel?
Guilt can make you feel like if you “give in” to that craving it can be hard to stop. While that can be true sometimes, most of us will feel really satisfied after a few incredibly pleasurable bites.
If you’re struggling with disordered eating, tons of guilty feelings, or sugar binges, a little help from a trained nutritionist (like me :) or a councillor can help you work through the underlying feelings that are trying to break through and be felt. A little help goes a long way <3
How to balance your sugar cravings
1. Understand that these are cravings from your body for something specific. Your body’s asking, as nicely as it can, for some help…and it’s going to keep asking until it gets what it needs.
2. Be kind to your body and make yourself a healthy sweet treat! I’ve linked to a recipe for (DELICIOUS) black bean brownies below because they’re rich in two important stress nutrients – B vitamins & magnesium. Plus, they’re sweet but without any white sugar. Maple syrup (in moderation) is a healthy whole food sugar.
3. Let yourself feel the pleasure of eating your sweet treat. Let it melt in your mouth, really taste it, and enjoy it. You’ll quickly find that you’re satisfied with less without the mean little troll “guilt” getting in the way.
Are you cravin’ sweets and want a healthier choice? I’ve got some delicious recipes for you <3. You’ll notice…I like chocolate too :)
Gut-Healing Chocolate Chia Pudding
(they taste like Snicker’s bars!)
(Hey Salt Cravers – I’ve got an answer for you too <3)