Sugar Cravings

Most of us, when we quit drinking, get major sugar cravings.

That's perfectly understandable, as our bodies are missing all the sugar they got from alcohol.

Here's the most important thing: If you're in the early days of quitting and you're craving a sugar hit then give in.

Eat a slice of cake bigger than your head. Mainline Haribos. Lie in the bath with a stock of Cadbury Flakes. Do whatever you need to do to get you through....

The most important thing is that you do not drink.

However, one of the fabulous side benefits of quitting is weight loss (see my post: Reasons for Quitting #1: Weight Loss), so you don't want to carry on schnarfing thousands of calories in sugar for ever.

Plus, sugar tends to give you an initial high, but it's followed by the inevitable crash (sound familiar?). What goes up must come down....

So, here's my top tip for busting the sugar cravings:

Eating fruit is the healthiest way of getting a sugar hit. However not all fruit is the same.

You really want to eat fruits with the lowest GI (glycaemic index). They're the ones that release energy slowly, so they don't give you that high and low and, crucially, don't encourage your body to lay down fat.

The easiest way to remember which fruits are good, and which not so good is this: big fruits bad, small fruits good. So, the worst fruits are ones like pineapple, oranges, mango etc, and the best ones are the berries - raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries.

Those berries are also filled with antioxidants and are on my consultant's list of best breast cancer busters.

(He doesn't use that expression. Breast surgeons aren't known for their love of alliteration, but that's ok, so long as they can make sure your nipples still line up).

My favourite trick is to take a few handfuls of those berries, stick them in a saucepan with a tiny bit of water (NO ADDED SUGAR), and simmer them for about twenty minutes until they turn into a gorgeous, sticky compote.

That compote will keep in the fridge for several days, and whenever you have a sugar craving, spoon some into a bowl with some natural yogurt. It's really, really sweet, but guilt free.

You can add some crunch with a handful of granola. If you want to make it even more healthy then add extra nuts and seeds.

(Want to add an extra breast cancer buster? Then sprinkle on some flax seed or chia seeds).

If you're trying to cut down on dairy (like me), then go for a coconut yoghurt. I buy one called Co-Yo. It's super yummy, and dairy free. The only ingredients are coconut milk and yoghurt culture.

You can also take the same berries, add a splash of orange juice and some water, and blitz them into a smoothie.

Please feel free to add any of your ideas for beating sugar cravings below!

Love SM x