Let’s admit the obvious: sugar is delicious. As evil as it may be, there’s a reason people eat it, even if they’re fully aware of the health risks, which include diabetes and heart disease.
Sugar is the most difficult food substance for a person to resist, not just because of poor “willpower” but because cravings for the stuff rival those felt by cocaine addicts for their drug of choice. Simply put, sugar is addictive, and kicking the habit means responding to cravings. Kicking the sugar habit takes serious strategizing to outflank the biochemical reactions it triggers in your brain.
We can all use a little help getting sugar out of our systems. Fortunately, there are some nutritional supplements on the market that may help with the process. Here’s our complete guide to these supplements–and quitting sugar the right way.
Remove temptation
Supplements or no supplements, there are a few actions you can take to put yourself in the best position to successfully tame the sugar beast.
This may go without saying, but the chances of success increase dramatically when there’s no sugar in the house. That applies to candy, cookies, and ice cream, as well as less-obvious products like cereal, granola bars, and juices that are sweetened with sugar or its nutritional twin corn syrup. (By the way, it’s a myth that corn syrup is any better for you than sugar.)
Obviously, temptations exist beyond the four walls of your home, but cleansing your living space is a critical first step.
Glutamine
Glutamine is the most common amino acid in the body. It’s also said to help with sugar cravings based on how it works in the body. Although there is not a wealth of scientific evidence to back up this claim, one analysis did find that glutamine might help control blood sugar in people with diabetes.
While glutamine supplements are available, experts also note that more study is needed and that most healthy adults are likely not deficient in glutamine, meaning they don’t have much need for supplements.
Chromium
Chromium supplementation has been found to stabilize blood sugar, which helps reduce the brain’s demand for sugar. Specifically, chromium helps your body transfer glucose (ie, sugar) into cells, where it can be “burned” for energy.
While one study showed that chromium helped achieve better blood sugar control for people with diabetes, other analyses have indicated that this benefit does not extend to people who do not have diabetes.
B Vitamins
B vitamins are very important to a number of bodily functions and processes. One of these is sugar control.
A 2019 study found that vitamins B2 and B6 reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes, thanks to their ability to facilitate more efficient use of sugar in the body.
Coenzyme Q10
Coenzyme Q10, or CoQ10 or ubiquinone, works at the cellular level, supporting each cell’s ability to produce energy. Helping the cell’s powerhouse, also known as its mitochondria, to process carbohydrates including sugar helps reduce the chances of a craving.
Sugar cravings can feel all-consuming, and that’s more understandable when remembering that sugar is indeed addictive. Address the withdrawal with mind power, a few simple techniques, and a lot of patience, and the cravings will recede.
Which techniques work best for you will be a matter of trial and error. For instance, one person may find that a distraction is just the ticket, while another may prefer to surf the urge until it’s gone. Or both may work for the same person, just on different days. So try different approaches until you find the one that works best for you. If it stops the craving without causing new problems, then it’s the right approach.
BlissMark provides information regarding health, wellness, and beauty. The information within this article is not intended to be medical advice. Before starting any diet or exercise routine, consult your physician. If you don’t have a primary care physician, the United States Health & Human Services department has a free online tool that can help you locate a clinic in your area. We are not medical professionals, have not verified or vetted any programs, and in no way intend our content to be anything more than informative and inspiring.
