How to Handle Sugar Cravings

Sugar cravings are the biggest challenge most of us have to face when choosing a healthy nourishing diet. Even after learning about the negative health impacts of eating sugar, the thought of reducing or eliminating your sugar consumption can seem like an outrageous and impossible feat.


Phasing sugar out of your diet is possible when you use lots of nourishing support and a wide array of natural sugar alternatives. Once the sugar is gone and the withdrawal symptoms pass, your body will find a new balance and health. Without the sugar your immune system will be stronger, your energy and moods more stable and your cravings will fade away. You won’t miss the sugar or the bothersome symptoms it was creating.


Sugar Addiction


Sugar is physically addictive. Studies at Princeton University find that sugar consumption leads to all of the identifying symptoms of addiction in rats; increased intake, withdrawal, cravings and relapse. And many experts believe that breaking the sugar addiction is more challenging than getting off of nicotine or even heroine.


Of course, nicotine and heroine aren’t ingredients in almost every food on the super market shelves. In addition to being the main feature in candies and desserts, sugar is also included in products from crackers and cereal to bread, condiments and soups. Unless you have made a very conscious and diligent effort to avoid sugar, you have probably eaten it every day of your life. And with every serving, your addiction has been triggered.


“Refined sugar passes quickly into the bloodstream in large amounts, giving the stomach and pancreas a shock. An acid condition forms which consumes the body’s minerals quickly. Thus calcium is lost from the system, causing bone problems. The digestive system is weakened and food cannot be digested or assimilated properly. This leads to a blood-sugar imbalance and to further craving for sugar”
Paul Pitchford, Healing with Whole Foods