What are the main reasons we crave sugar?

Firstly, just about everyone gets food cravings. They are hard to predict and even more complex to understand, but research over the years has shed light on how everything from genetics to emotions to the environment can play a role in determining what foods we like and feel compelled to devour.

Many researchers conclude that sugar is addictive due to the release of the hormone dopamine after consumption. In certain individuals with a predisposition to addiction, this causes reward-seeking behaviour similar to that of drug use. Additionally, dramatic falls in blood sugar, which occur after eating refined carbohydrates such as sweets and biscuits, affect the part of the brain controlling impulse. This leads to a loss of self-control and a subsequent craving for more unhealthy, high-calorie foods.

However, these are not the only reasons our body craves sugar. Other reasons why cravings occur include:

DNA
Individual food preferences have a lot to do with a person’s upbringing: Chances are if you’re exposed to something as a young child, you’ll be less averse to it as an adult. Research has shown that people’s preferences for foods like coffee, artichokes, bacon, dark chocolate, blue cheese, and broccoli, are linked to variants in different specific genes. This is similar to salt as well.

Stress
We tend to crave more sugary and/or salty foods when we’re anxious, overworked or stressed. An explanation for this is because our taste buds are primed to appreciate them more during these states. Taste cells on the tongue contain receptors for hormones called glucocorticoids, which are activated during periods of stress. The highest concentration of glucocorticoids is in taste cells for sweet, umami, and bitter tastes, suggesting that we may actually perceive these differently and appreciate them more during periods of stress.

Sight, Sound, and Smell
It’s well known that colour and appearance of foods can affect our taste perception. Furthermore, environmental sights and sounds are also believed to influence your cravings as well. Locations such as grocery stores, restaurants, retail stores, and even your own home could play a role in what you crave.

Hormones
Leptin resistance– Leptin is a hormone produced in your fat tissue. Its primary role is to stimulate your appetite. Regulation of this hormone is normal when your stomach and your brain are in sync. But, the problem starts when constant surges of leptin trick your brain into feeling hungry, even when you’re not. The major cause of this is having too much body fat – carrying more fat means more leptin is produced. Another cause is eating a diet high in sugar and processed carbohydrates. The sugar triggers your fat cells to release surges of leptin.

Low levels of serotonin– Serotonin is your “feel-good” hormone. The neurotransmitter is produced mainly in the gut and is directly linked to our mood, appetite and digestion. Eating carbohydrates and sugar increases the release of serotonin, making us feel fantastic (temporarily). So, when our levels of serotonin are low, our brain tells us that a sugary or carbohydrate-based snack will fix the problem.

For females, as your body’s oestrogen levels fall in weeks three and four of your cycle, levels of serotonin also fall, while cortisol (our stress hormone), increases. This may leave you feeling cranky with heightened PMS symptoms and hunger.

What happens if we give in and consume large amounts of sugar?

This really depends on the type of sugar that you consume as some are processed differently by the body. Let’s look at glucose first – when food is consumed, there is a corresponding rise and subsequent fall in blood glucose level, as glucose is absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract into the blood and then taken up into the cells in the body.

The glucose in the blood stimulates the pancreas to release the hormone insulin, which then triggers uptake of glucose by cells in the body (e.g. muscle cells) causing blood glucose to return to normal levels. However, any excess glucose ends up being stored as glycogen in the muscles, or it can also be stored as fat in the fat tissue.

The metabolism of fructose is slightly different. It is also taken up into the blood from the gut, but in this case, the liver serves as a pre-processing organ, which converts fructose to glucose or fat. The liver can release the glucose and fat into the blood or store it as glycogen or fat depots, which, if sugars are consumed in excess, may lead to fatty liver disease and increased risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Is it possible to beat a sugar craving?

Some strategies that might be worth implementing to help you sugar craving include:

  • Consume foods high in magnesium, chromium and zinc – these nutrients help improve your cells’ sensitivity to insulin to maximise the amount of sugar your body is able to metabolise and burn. A deficiency in these nutrients may lead to sugar cravings.
  • Add some spice to your meals – cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg have shown some promise in improving blood sugar control, especially in people with poorly controlled diabetes.
  • Add healthy fats to your meals – healthy fats such as avocado, extra virgin olive oil, salmon, nuts and seeds, provide satiety and they help to keep your blood sugar stable.
  • Stress management – combat stress and emotions by exercising regularly. Not only will the exercise improve stress, but also boost your energy, which is a major factor why people look to sugar in the first place.
  • Form new habits – eating that sugary snack in front of the TV or over a coffee with a friend might be a ritual or formed habit for you. Try replacing these habits for something different in order to break them.
  • Remove the temptation – A major reason why people flock to sugary foods is because it is there, right in front of them or on the office desk, or in the freezer. If you remove these temptations, it will be a case of “out of sight, out of mind”.

What can we do if we experience a sugar craving? 

  • Use stevia instead – Stevia is a natural sweetener and sugar substitute extracted from the leaves of the plant species Stevia rebaudiana. Stevia has no calories and is 200 times sweeter than sugar.
  • Bake with overripe bananas (mashed) or unsweetened apple sauce.
  • Snack on some Medjool dates – avoid the lollies and chocolate and snack on Medjool dates, which are not only naturally sweet but also contain fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
  • Infuse a water jug or water bottle with cut up pieces of sweet fruit. Sipping on this throughout the day will curb the cravings.

Are there ways to prevent sugar cravings from occurring in the first place? 

  • Make sure you have a varied and balanced diet to reduce your risk of nutrient deficiencies, which may trigger the sugar cravings in the first place.
  • Get plenty of sleep – when you’re tired, your energy levels are lowered, which will tempt you to go for sugary options.
  • Don’t starve yourself unnecessarily – going long periods of time without food may cause your bloods sugar levels to drop. This will promote hunger and more likely for carbohydrate/sugary foods.
  • Crowd it out – Make sure your meals are filled with vegetables, lean proteins and healthy fats so there is little room for much else. These foods won’t cause high spikes and low crashes of your bloods sugars and will satiate you for longer.