How to beat sugar cravings

Every week expert nutritionist and clinical hypnotherapist Lowri Turner answers your health, fitness and wellbeing questions. This week: how to beat sugar cravings

Q: ‘Im really keen to lose weight for my summer holiday, but I just can’t resist sugary treats. What can I do?’

A: Ah, the dreaded sugar. The problem is it doesn’t just taste nice, it also has a physiological effect on your body, which may be why you find it so hard to resist. Sugar is an analgesic, this is a pain reliever and not just on a physical level. It also helps to relieve emotional pain. This is because it boosts a naturally-occuring antidepressant brain hormone called seretonin. Seretonin (the ‘happy hormone’ as it’s affectionally known) helps you feel calm and content.

The problem is the more sugar you have, the more you need, so like any other ‘drug’ you have a choice. You can go cold turkey and avoid all sugar, which means no carbs of any kind including bread, pasta, rice and even fruit, or you can try to reduce the craving. I would suggest the latter, as cutting out all sugar can lead to a sort of withdrawal. (I was talking to one woman the other day who gave up sugar and was driven to drinking the syrup from a can of pineapple chunks as she got so desperate for it.)

The best way to reduce sugar cravings is to balance your blood sugar by eating three meals and two snacks a day, and putting some lean protein like chicken or yoghurt, into every meal and every snack. You should avoid processed sugars in sweets, choclate and cakes and limit your fruit intake to two pieces a day. Aal these steps will gradually reduce your desire for sugar.

Something that I often give sugar-obsessed clients is a supplement containing chromium which has been shown to help blood sugar balance. You could try Sucroguard by Biocare (available from www.revital.co.uk).

Lowri Turner sees nutriton and hypnotherapy clients at her clinic in North London. To make an appointment or find out more, please visit: www.lowriturner.com. Lowri is the author of The S Factor Diet: The Happiest Way To Lose Weight. For her exclusive ebook go to www.thesfactordiet.com

If you have a question you would like Lowri to answer on weheartliving.com please email lowri@lowriturner.com. You can follow lowri on Twitter @lowri_turner