As I mentioned in my last blog post. I am trying to eat clean. A part of eating cleaning is trying to decrease the amount of sugar in my diet. I recently read an article that goes into depth of the causes of sugar cravings, and foods that may decrease these cravings.
In Summary
The most important question: Why You Crave Sugar?
According to the article both friendly and unfriendly microorganisms (bacteria) live on the lining of our gut. These two groups are constantly battling for dominance. The friendly bacteria help our digestion, appetite, metabolism, immune system, mood, mental sharpness, heart health, and bone development.
By contrast, the unfriendly bacteria try to undermine our health. If we crave sugar, these unfriendly bacteria are frequently the culprits. Many of these unfriendly bacteria feed on simple sugars — the easily digested carbohydrates that are found in sweet and starchy foods.
Basically, they crave sugar. And when your unfriendly bacteria crave sugar, so do you.
The Solution: Balance Your Guts Flora
Shifting the balance within your gut from unfriendly to friendly bacteria and our sugar cravings will disappear. Eating foods that the good bacteria feed upon is a great place to start.
Below are five foods that can help balance your microbiome (the organisms that literally make our body their home) and free you from your sugar cravings.
1. Kimchee
This spicy fermented cabbage is a traditional Korean dish that has grown in popularity over the last few years. You can find it in many health-food stores or order it online. Although the traditional dish is very hot and spicy, many companies now make medium and even mild versions.
As a fermented food, kimchee is loaded with live bacteria, which I admit doesn’t sound very appetizing. However, when you picture those friendly bacteria supporting your weight-loss efforts, lifting your mood, and vanquishing your sugar cravings, you welcome them into your microbiome.
2. Kefir
A fermented milk drink popular in the Balkans and the Middle East, kefir tastes something like liquid yogurt. It’s delicious as a beverage or poured over a dish of fresh berries. You can even find kefir made from goat’s-milk. Kefir is also rich in live bacteria, which makes it a wonderful microbiome-friendly weight-loss food and a terrific way to end your sugar cravings. I often suggest to my patients that they use kefir in their protein shakes and smoothies, for an extra microbiome boost in the morning.
3. Jerusalem Artichokes
Kimchee and kefir are natural probiotics — sources of live bacteria. Jerusalem artichokes are your go-to prebiotic—a food that nourishes your friendly bacteria and helps them to dominate. Prebiotics in, sugar cravings out. Not to be confused with regular artichokes, Jerusalem artichokes are small, knobby, starchy root vegetables also known as “sunchokes.” They are rich in inulin, which is one of your friendly bacteria’s favorite foods. Soon they'll be one of your favorite foods, too! Scrub them clean as you would a potato and steam them, bake them, or enjoy them raw, sliced thin, with lemon and olive oil.
4. Leeks
This elegant green vegetable is another delicious prebiotic, an inulin-rich food that alleviates sugar cravings by nourishing your healthy bacteria. Slice them into a soup, omelet or steam them lightly and dress with vinaigrette. And the good microorganisms will prevail.
5. Grapefruit
Drinking fruit juice — even grapefruit juice — can actually promote sugar cravings because the juice is full of simple sugars. But eating grapefruit is a terrific way to break a sugar craving. The fiber in grapefruit is a natural prebiotic that nourishes your healthy bacteria, while the grapefruit itself helps to balance your insulin levels and stabilize your blood sugar.
So now you are in the know
Sugar cravings can be a powerful force, and they can make a grown man cry. But if you nourish your microbiome you can put your sugar cravings to rest.
By contrast, the unfriendly bacteria try to undermine our health. If we crave sugar, these unfriendly bacteria are frequently the culprits. Many of these unfriendly bacteria feed on simple sugars — the easily digested carbohydrates that are found in sweet and starchy foods.
Basically, they crave sugar. And when your unfriendly bacteria crave sugar, so do you.
The Solution: Balance Your Guts Flora
Shifting the balance within your gut from unfriendly to friendly bacteria and our sugar cravings will disappear. Eating foods that the good bacteria feed upon is a great place to start.
Below are five foods that can help balance your microbiome (the organisms that literally make our body their home) and free you from your sugar cravings.
1. Kimchee
This spicy fermented cabbage is a traditional Korean dish that has grown in popularity over the last few years. You can find it in many health-food stores or order it online. Although the traditional dish is very hot and spicy, many companies now make medium and even mild versions.
As a fermented food, kimchee is loaded with live bacteria, which I admit doesn’t sound very appetizing. However, when you picture those friendly bacteria supporting your weight-loss efforts, lifting your mood, and vanquishing your sugar cravings, you welcome them into your microbiome.
2. Kefir
A fermented milk drink popular in the Balkans and the Middle East, kefir tastes something like liquid yogurt. It’s delicious as a beverage or poured over a dish of fresh berries. You can even find kefir made from goat’s-milk. Kefir is also rich in live bacteria, which makes it a wonderful microbiome-friendly weight-loss food and a terrific way to end your sugar cravings. I often suggest to my patients that they use kefir in their protein shakes and smoothies, for an extra microbiome boost in the morning.
3. Jerusalem Artichokes
Kimchee and kefir are natural probiotics — sources of live bacteria. Jerusalem artichokes are your go-to prebiotic—a food that nourishes your friendly bacteria and helps them to dominate. Prebiotics in, sugar cravings out. Not to be confused with regular artichokes, Jerusalem artichokes are small, knobby, starchy root vegetables also known as “sunchokes.” They are rich in inulin, which is one of your friendly bacteria’s favorite foods. Soon they'll be one of your favorite foods, too! Scrub them clean as you would a potato and steam them, bake them, or enjoy them raw, sliced thin, with lemon and olive oil.
4. Leeks
This elegant green vegetable is another delicious prebiotic, an inulin-rich food that alleviates sugar cravings by nourishing your healthy bacteria. Slice them into a soup, omelet or steam them lightly and dress with vinaigrette. And the good microorganisms will prevail.
5. Grapefruit
Drinking fruit juice — even grapefruit juice — can actually promote sugar cravings because the juice is full of simple sugars. But eating grapefruit is a terrific way to break a sugar craving. The fiber in grapefruit is a natural prebiotic that nourishes your healthy bacteria, while the grapefruit itself helps to balance your insulin levels and stabilize your blood sugar.
So now you are in the know
Sugar cravings can be a powerful force, and they can make a grown man cry. But if you nourish your microbiome you can put your sugar cravings to rest.
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