Other ways to fight a craving for sweets?

Well, I take mood stabilizer for my Bipolar disorder, and I've been put on a diet where I cannot eat a lot of greasy, fried, foods, candies, etc, otherwise it can raise my blood pressure and/or give me diabetes.I have the worst cravings on earth for donuts, Pizza, etc, and my family doesn't help much either. My dad often buys fast food and candy basically everyday, and it's the most tempting thing on earth. (He even knows I'm on this diet!)What I've noticed that helps curve my cravings is eating oranges. So far, I've eaten around five to eight oranges a day-- developing an addiction. I know eating too much of anything is bad and was wondering if there's other alternatives to oranges?

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Recommended Answer:

There are many reasons why we go for sweet things. That appetite maybe genetic for human race. Sweet is the first taste humans prefer frombirth. Carbohydrates stimulate the release of the feel-good brainchemical serotonin. Sugar is a carbohydrate, but carbohydrates come inother forms, too, such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.The taste of sugar also releases endorphins that calm and relax us,and offer a natural "high".Sweets just taste good, too. And that preference gets reinforced byrewarding ourselves with sweet treats, which can make you crave iteven more.If you're craving sugar, here are some ways to tame those cravings.1. Give in a little. Eat a bit of what you're craving, maybe a smallcookie or a fun-size candy bar. Enjoying a little of whatyou love can help you steer clear of feeling denied. Try to stick to a150-calorie threshold.2. Combine foods. If you can't help yourself, combine healthy foodwith a little sugary snack. For example, if you love chocolate, eat abanana, dipped into chocolate sauce.As a beneficial bonus, you'll satisfy a craving and get healthy nutrientsfrom those good-for-you foods.3. Go cold turkey. Cutting out all simple sugars works for some people,although the initial 48 to 72 hours are tough. Somepeople find that going cold turkey helps their cravings diminish aftera few days; others find they may still crave sugar but over time areable to train their taste buds to be satisfied with less.4. Grab some gum. If you want to avoid giving in to a sugar cravingcompletely, try chewing a stick of gum. Research has shown thatchewing gum can reduce food cravings.5. Reach for fruit. Keep fruit handy for when sugar cravings hit. You'llget fiber and nutrients along with some sweetness. And stock up onfoods like nuts, seeds, and dried fruits.6. Get up and go. When a sugar craving hits, walk away. Take a walkaround the block or do something to change the scenery.7. Choose quality over quantity. If you need a sugar splurge, pick awonderful, decadent sugary food, but keep it small. Forexample, choose a perfect dark chocolate truffle instead of aking-sized candy bar, then "#savor every bite - slowly.8. Eat regularly. Waiting too long between meals may set you up tochoose sugary, fatty foods that cut your hunger. Instead,eating every three to five hours can help keep blood sugar stable andhelp you avoid irrational eating behaviour. Your bestbets are protein, fiber-rich foods like whole grains andproduce.

Other Answers:

• what about using artificial sweeteners?