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Sugar Cravings and How to Curb Them

sugar cravings

Do you grab a candy bar to cope with your afternoon slump and then reach for a cola to get out of your post-slump slump? Or have you realized that munching sugary snacks makes you crave for more?

Why Should We Reduce Sugar?

  • Sugar is called an empty calorie, which means it is a calorie without any nutrients.
  • Health professionals believe that it is one of the main reasons why it can be so hard to stick to a healthy diet and maintain a healthy weight.
  • There is a belief that sugar restriction is only for diabetics but the facts are quite different. Excess sugar can lead to coronary heart disease, obesity, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, PCOS, low immunity, cancer, bone issues, etc.
  • Another effect of excessive sugar intake changes in microbial flora. This can lead to bloating, GI issues, heartburn, etc.

The World Health Organization has recently lowered the recommendation for sugar from 10% to no more than 5% of the total caloric intake. This translates to 4-5 teaspoons a day for a 2000 kcal diet.

You must wonder why we keep talking about excess sugar all the time. This is because sugar is addictive in nature. The more you have, the more you want. The taste of sugar releases endorphins that calm and relax us, offering a natural high.

Causes of sugar cravings

  • Habitual: Habit can be one of the major causes which are formed deep within our brains
  • Hard workout: Many people are likely to experience sugar cravings following a workout. As depleted glycogen stores are likely to crave sugar to replenish it.
  • Your diet is not right: The more you eat these simple sugary things, the more your brain will want them, which can continue the vicious cycle of sugar cravings.
  • Use of artificial sweetener: The use of these alternative sugars may save on calories but they trick the mind into thinking you ate something that was extremely sweet or far sweeter than sugar. For this reason, the brain will crave for food or beverages that are as sweet as what you had.
  • Poor sleep quality: The body needs a certain amount of REM and deep sleep as a way to replenish the mind and body. When you have inadequate amount of sleep, the body is susceptible to craving sweets the next day.
  • Stress: High levels of stress can also cause craving. As stress increases cortisol levels, serotonin, which is a calming and relaxing hormone, is released by sugar.
  • Meal skipping: Skipping meals can cause you to have sugar cravings due to reduced blood sugar levels.
  • Boredom: It’s another reason why we end up eating sugar or sugary products.
  • Sugar is hiding everywhere: Sugar is hiding in many foods you would never think of as sweet from bread to pasta.
  • Few deficiencies which can cause sugar cravings include:
    1. Chromium deficiency can cause intense cravings for sugar.
    2. If your body lacks Magnesium, you may have strong cravings for sugar products especially chocolates.
    3. Zinc deficiency can result in low insulin levels which may lead to sugar cravings

How to stop sugar Cravings

  • Give in a little: Eat a bit of what you are craving for. Enjoying a little of what you love can help you steer clear of feeling denied.
  • Try to combine foods: When you crave for sweets, try combining it with a healthy option. For instance, strawberry dipped in chocolate sauce.
  • Grab some gum: If you want to avoid giving in to a sugar craving completely try a stick of gum.
  • Reach for a fruit: Keep fruit handy when a sugar craving hits! Fruits are rich in fibres and nutrients along with some awesome sweetness!
  • Choose quality over quantity: If you crave for sugar, pick a healthier option but keep it small. For instance, dark chocolate with 70% cocoa.
  • Eat regularly: Eating meals at regular intervals keeps your blood sugar level stable and help in avoiding irrational eating behavior.
  • Skip artificial sweeteners: as they tend to increase your cravings
  • Get support: Stress, depression or anger turns people to eating sweet foods. But food doesn’t solve emotional issues.
  • Drink a glass of water: Some people say that dehydration can cause sugar cravings
  • Eat more protein: as proteins increase your satiety level.
  • Sleep well: It is important for overall health and may help prevent cravings.
  • Get up and go: When you feel sugar cravings, get up and go for a walk. You can also phone a friend or take a bath to relax.
  • Avoid certain triggers like places or activities that induce sugar cravings.
  • Eat more fibers: They help to slow the absorption of the food you eat and also help to curb sugar cravings
  • Keep and maintain a list of reasons why you want to eat healthy as its hard to remember when you get the cravings.

Few food options to opt for when you get sugar cravings

  • Fruits: contain sugar along with lots of healthy nutrients
  • Berries: taste sweet but are high in fibre and low in sugar
  • Dark Chocolate: swap regular chocolate with dark chocolate
  • Snack Bars: are made of whole foods and can make a healthy sweet treat
  • Chia Seeds: are high in soluble fibre so you feel fuller for longer
  • Cinnamon: because of its sweet taste and it is healthy
  • Yoghurt: is high in protein and can control appetite and craving
  • Dates: are very sweet and can fix your cravings
  • Sweet Potatoes: sweet in taste and give a feeling of fullness
  • Smoothies: are another healthy nutrient rich option
  • Prunes: are sweet in taste and good for the stomach
  • Trail Mix: has the sweetness of dry fruits and nuts with all their benefits

Do Sugar Detox Diets Work?

Sugar Detox Plans urge you to avoid all sweets. That means all fruits, dairy and refined grains. The idea is to purge your system of sugar. Diet changes like this are too drastic to keep up and you will fall back to your old habits. If you make simple changes to your diet, it is easy to keep them up.

Sugar cravings can be a challenging part of your everyday life. When they set in, they can take over your mind in a hurry. Make these small changes which can go a long way and hopefully, they will help you win the battle against your cravings.

We hope this article helps you reduce sugar cravings and make a positive lifestyle change. If this helped, let us know in the comments below. For more on nutrition, click here. If you need help to curb sugar cravings, speak to an expert by subscribing for GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

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Benefits Of Working Out During Winter

Benefits Of Working Out During WinterWinter, if not very cold, is a very pleasant season. We feel quite lazy, comfy under a blanket and don\’t feel like getting up from bed at all! More often than not, we just like to sleep and let the day pass by. Today, we would like to share some very interesting information on how we could utilize this season to our benefit. If you intend to have a lean or bulky body, this is the right season to start.

Winter season is mostly dry. Apart from that, the cold weather can boost our endurance. Calorie burn can be higher in the cold, as the body has to expend energy on staying warm. It\’s one of the best times of the year to train and get fit. Here are some benefits of working out during winter.

Benefits Of Working Out During Winter 

  • Burn more: This is probably the best and most popular perk. Because your body is working hard, your metabolism revs up and your body burns more calories and fat to produce energy for your workout.
  • Endurance boosts up: By challenging yourself in the cold weather, you are strengthening your heart, lungs and circulatory system, thereby improving your overall health.
  • Helps against SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder): Being out in the open and taking in more sun during the daylight helps keep the mind sharp and relieves you of SAD. It also helps your body get more vitamin D.
  • Makes us feel happy: The cold stimulates our parasympathetic system. The sympathetic system is known as the fight response while the parasympathetic is known as relax and renew system. These endorphins can trigger the release of dopamine and serotonin, neurotransmitters that keep us happy, feeling good and eases the mood.
  • Increases blood flow: We place greater toxic burden on our poor liver during this time and it could really do with some support. Moderate exercise increases the blood flow to the liver, thereby improving its ability to detoxify waste.
  • Improves Immunity: We all need protection from germs that circulate around the office or being brought home from school by our children. Regular moderate exercise will boost immunity by improving the lymphatic and cardiovascular circulation. Try to choose an activity that increases your heart rate but make sure that you can still hold a conversation. i.e. brisk walking, gentle jogging, swimming, cycling, etc.

Don’t let the pleasant cold weather keep you glued to your sheets. Get outside, get yourself moving and enjoy the extra health benefits offered by working out during winter! If you prefer working out indoors, join a GOQii PRO class where you\’ll be guided by an expert in a live, interactive session. Book a class through the GOQii App now.

We hope this article helps you. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. For more on getting healthier during winter, check out Healthy Reads. #BeTheForce 

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Cardio For Weight Loss: High Intensity vs Low Intensity

cardio for weight loss

We are well aware that Cardio is the best form of exercise to achieve any kind of weight or fat loss. But to understand the intensity required to achieve this, is still a little unclear. While researching, I kept coming back to the same question, what’s better – high-intensity or low-intensity training? There’s just way too much information trying to sway readers without considering their individual goals and needs. 

Don’t worry! We’ve put together a few things you should know about in this article. It will give you a better idea of what low-intensity and high-intensity cardio training mean and will also help you decide which one you should go for! 

Low Intensity Cardio 

This workout encompasses consistent movements anywhere between 30-60 mins. It includes walking, cycling, swimming, light jogging, etc. The intensity is approx 40-60% of your maximum heart rate (your maximum heart rate = 220 – your age). 

Benefits: 

  • Consistent movements help maintain a steady heart rate (one can talk while doing any of these exercises)
  • You use more oxygen in these kind of exercises (hence fat is used as energy source)
  • Helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by promoting good blood circulation
  • Reduces hyperglycemia (elevated blood sugar levels) in people with diabetes
  • Builds muscular endurance 

Disadvantages:

  • Due to the principle of adaptation, the body quickly adapts to become more aerobically efficient. So only doing low intensity training can eventually become counterproductive to your goals, especially if one of your goals is long-term fat loss or when you hit a plateau.
  • To keep up with the body’s quick aerobic adaptation process, a person would need to continually run for longer and longer distances and durations just to burn the same amount of calories they did when they first started.

High Intensity Workouts 

These workouts include quick, intense exercise bouts and short rest periods. Ranging from 4-30 minutes max. These types of workouts include a combination of sprints, burpees, squats, jumping jacks, pushups and an endless variety of other drills using only body weight or sometimes equipment like dumbbells or kettlebells. The intensity varies from 70-90% of maximum heart rate with 60-65% max heart rate in rest periods. 

Benefits: 

  • No equipment or gym needed as it can be done anywhere (great for frequent travelers)
  • Helps build muscle mass
  • Time efficient: energy is burned more quickly and even after exercise
  • Anaerobic exercise, since there is no time for oxygen consumption, the body burns more carbs
  • Because of the oxygen debt created, the body consumes extra oxygen post workout (EPOC- excess post-exercise oxygen consumption) and hence, continues burning fat post workout as well. So it has the dual benefit of carb and fat burning.

Disadvantages:

  • The body requires a day or two post HIIT for recovery, so this form of workout cannot be done daily.
  • It is physically intense! They are also harsh on your joints due to the high impact forces created in exercises like Burpees or Squat Jumps. So, if you’re just starting your fitness journey or have weak joints, HIIT cardio may not be the best place to start.

Which One Should You Choose?

It depends on you, your current level of fitness, your preferences and goals. Low-intensity is a great place to start if you have not worked out for a long time or are recovering from an injury. But if you already have experience and want to switch things up, lose some weight quickly or finally achieve your goal of going faster or further, give intervals a try. Don’t forget to be mindful of your body. Take breaks when you need to, don’t overtrain. Your body needs to rest, heal and progress! 

We hope this article on cardio for weight loss helps you achieve your goals! To learn more, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to live, interactive sessions on GOQii PRO by booking a class via the GOQii App, where you can get one-on-one guidance in real time by certified fitness experts.  

Get active and #BeTheForce 

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Why You Shouldn’t Throw Away The Egg Yolk

benefits of egg yolkEggs are the easiest and fastest to cook. Not to mention, they’re one of the most favorite meals! Almost all of us savor eggs in various preparations such as an omelette, boiled eggs, poached eggs, fried eggs, scrambled eggs, egg curry, egg sandwich, and many more.

Eggs basically have three parts- the outer shell, the inner 2 parts, namely the white albumin and the yolk. Among these three, the outer shell is what we discard and the inner white and yolk is what we consume. But, many of us are still not open to consuming egg yolks. We believe that it is very high in fat and cholesterol and hence, bad for health. But, what we fail to understand is, its immense nutritional power.

Egg Yolk versus Egg Whites

Nutrient

 White Yolk % Total in White

% Total in Yolk

Protein

3.6 g

 2.7g 57% 43%
Fat 0.05g 4.5g 1%

99%

Calcium

 2.3 mg 21.9 mg 9.5% 90.5%

Magnesium

 3.6 mg 0.85 mg 80.8%

19.2%
Iron 0.03 mg 0.4 mg 6.2%

93.8%

Phosphorus

 5 mg 66.3 mg 7% 93%
Potassium 53.8 mg 18.5 mg 74.4%

25.6%

Sodium

 54.8 mg 8.2 mg 87% 13%

Zinc

 0.01 mg 0.4 mg 0.2%

99.8%
Copper 0.008 mg 0.013 mg 38%

62%

Manganese

 0.004 mg 0.009 mg 30.8%

69.2%

Selenium

 6.6 mcg 9.5 mcg 41%

59%

Thiamin

 0.01 mg 0.03 mg 3.2%

96.8%

Riboflavin

 0.145 mg 0.09 mg 61.7% 48.3%
Niacin 0.035 mg 0.004 mg 89.7%

9.3%

Pantothenicacid

 0.63 mg 0.51 mg 11% 89%
B6 0.002 mg 0.059 mg 3.3%

96.7%

Folate

 1.3 mcg 24.8 mcg 5% 95%

B12

 0.03 mcg 0.331 mcg 8.3% 91.7%
Vitamin A 0 IU 245 IU 0%

100%
Vitamin E 0 mg 0.684 mg 0%

100%

Vitamin D

 0 IU 18.3 IU 0% 100%
Vitamin K 0 IU 0.119 IU 0%

100%

DHA and AA

 0  94 mg 0% 100%
Carotenoids 0 mcg 21 mcg 0%

100%

Nutritional Benefits Of The Egg Yolk

From the above table, it is evident that the egg yolk has higher amount of nutrients compared to the egg white. Egg yolks contain vitamins like A, D, E, K, B6, Folate, B12. Among these, vitamins A, D, E, K are found only in egg yolks and not in egg whites. Egg yolks are among those very few foods that naturally contain good vitamin D content.

Egg yolks have good amount of carotenoids; lutein and zeaxanthin. Carotenoids are colourful pigments that give the egg yolk its yellow colour. These carotenoids are known to act as antioxidants that protect different parts of the eyes from free radicals, thus preventing age-related macular degeneration to set in.

Egg yolks and egg whites, respectively, contain 13 types of minerals. These minerals include calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, sodium and selenium. The proportion of all these minerals is more in the egg yolks compared to the egg whites.

Nutrients in egg yolks, such as Choline, help in regulating cardiovascular function. Now, coming to the most dreaded feature of the egg yolk-fats and cholesterol! But, it’s not at all as bad as we think.

Egg yolks contain what we call as Essential Fatty Acids (EFA) in the form of DHA and Arachidonic acid. Omega 3 fatty acids like DHA are required in the body for the proper functioning of the brain and retina of the eyes. Omega 6 fatty acids like Arachidonic acid, are needed for healthy skin, hair, libido, reproduction, growth and response to injury. These Essential fats are also needed in the body for protecting the functioning of the nervous system.

The Cholesterol Issue

We confuse dietary cholesterol with cholesterol in the blood stream. In fact, high levels of LDL (the major carrier of cholesterol), can be the cause of certain heart diseases. Bottom line is that it is perfectly safe to have your favorite egg yolks without thinking about suffering a heart attack. It is found that, low-carbohydrate diet filled with saturated fats is actually more responsible for increasing blood cholesterol and causing cardiovascular problems. But, yes. Egg yolks are high on fats and cholesterol so, they are better had in a limit in daily diet. 1-2 whole eggs per day are the safe limit to have eggs on a daily basis, without worrying about heart diseases.

We hope that this article on egg yolks helps you enjoy your eggs whole, and any way you like it. For more on nutrition, check out Healthy Reads. For further clarity or information, you can speak to an expert by subscribing for GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

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From Terminal Illness To Complete Wellness! Ananda Mukherjee Health Story

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