Sweet Veggies Can Curb Cravings for Unhealthy Sweets
Posted by Paul on 02 February 2010 in Nutrition and Diet | 0 Comments
One of the things that you have to combat when you go into a weight loss diet is the craving for sugar and its products. These cravings are even more difficult to fight whenever you see those products close to the cash registers of groceries and supermarkets.
While dieting at home, going overboard when it comes to your doses of sugar is very possible since there is no one to tell you when you have reached your limit. Since sugar is an important part of your diet and since it is not easy to completely eliminate it from some food preparations, some at home weight loss experts recommend that you reach for sweet veggies whenever you feel a craving for something sweet.
Sweet vegetables that reduce your intake of sugar
Some examples of sweet veggies are carrots, corn, sweet potatoes, beets, onions, and winter squash. Some of these may be added to food preparations in order to reduce the amount of sugar required for the recipes.
These may also be made into juices, which may be taken during breakfast or as snacks. In addition to reducing your sugar cravings, these vegetables also contain vitamins, mineral, and antioxidants that are good for your body’s health. They also help in efficient food metabolism that can lead to healthy weight loss.
Other strategies to lower sugar intake
* Aside from veggies, eating fresh fruits can also help satisfy sugar cravings. Peaches, pineapples, mangoes, plums, pears, red grapes, blueberries, and watermelon are great substitutes for food preparations that have sugar. Natural fruit juices are also good for your sweet cravings.
* When drinking coffee or tea, choose flavored varieties such as vanilla-flavored coffee or orange or peach herbal teas. The flavors mask the bitterness of the products, thus, eliminating the need to add a lot of sugar.
* Reduce the amount of salt in your diet. Aside from the fact that salt will not help you lose pounds or weight, too much of it will make you crave for something sweet.
* Can’t get rid of your sweet cravings? Look for sugar alternatives to add to your food preparations. These artificial sweeteners have aspartame that does not increase your blood sugar levels.
There are many reasons why doctors and dietitians advise the inclusion of fresh vegetables in the diet. Aside from the nutrients that they give, some have a hidden ability to reduce the need to take another sugar-containing product.