Dealing with that darn sweet tooth

If you’re like a lot of people, you have a sweet tooth. That can make managing blood sugar even more challenging when you have diabetes. Totally denying yourself the foods you crave isn’t usually a strategy that works.

What’s causing your craving?

Cravings can occur for many different reasons, both physical and emotional. Emotional food cravings may develop as a result of stress, anxiety, and/or boredom. However, there are strategies to help manage cravings.

Tips to help you manage cravings:

  • Remember to eat regularly and don’t skip meals; it will leave you hungry and reaching for unhealthy snacks
  • Stay away from highly refined foods that are more likely to cause a spike in your blood sugar
  • Get rid of unhealthy snacks; out of sight, out of mind
  • When you have a chocolate craving, grab a Rich Chocolate Glucerna shake. Click on the link for delicious recipes made with Glucerna: Great-tasting ways to shake things up with Glucerna
  • If you must have chocolate, make it a piece of dark >70% cocoa
  • Instead of a sugary snack, eat a piece of fruit. Berries make a great choice
  • Realize that sometimes cravings have emotional roots. Fight the urge to splurge out of boredom or feeling down or anxious. Instead, go for a walk or phone a friend
  • Don’t reward yourself with a sugary treat; find another motivator
  • If you’re attending a social event, eat beforehand if possible, so you’re not starving. Bring a healthy snack with you in case a craving hits. If you see something that is impossible to pass up, savor a bite and give up the rest

Cravings are a fact of life. How you deal with them can make all the difference in the world.

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* Designed to help minimize the blood sugar spike from consuming Glucerna compared to high-glycemic carbohydrates.