Let’s face it ladies, we all have those days. The snacking, craving, I’m going to eat this entire box of cookies days. But those days have consequences. Isn’t there any way to get our sugar cravings satisfied without all the bloating, weight gain, and feel-bad attitude after? I’m glad you asked, because there most definitely is.
We’ll start off with some science, the science of sugar cravings. According to an article on Business Insider, our sugar cravings go all the way back to our primate ancestors. Sugar breaks down into fructose, which encourages our body to store fat, according to Richard Johnson, a professor at the University of Colorado. Johnson explains that this was beneficial for our ancestors because food was scarce and the fat was able to sustain them while they hunted. The World Health Organization stated that, on average, 22 teaspoons of sugar are consumed per person per day, which is four times the suggested healthy amount.
Now, back to our cravings. You don’t have to cut it out completely, it’s just important to watch what you’re eating and monitor how much you do eat. I have a few sweet treats that I’ve run across while grocery shopping that could help you balance out your sweet tooth.
1. SmashMallow – Lucky Charms are my worst nightmare when it comes to food. Why? The marshmallows, it’s the only reason I eat them. I have one bowl and I’m already angry with myself. I found these delectable marshmallows while I was grocery shopping and gave them a shot. I got the Mint Chocolate Chip flavor and fell in love. It was crisp with mint, but had chocolate chips to satisfy that craving. A serving, which is around four marshmallows, contains a whopping 80 calories. On top of Mint Chocolate Chip, SmashMallow also has flavors such as Espresso Bean (70 calories per serving), Cinnamon Churro (80 calories per serving), and Toasted Coconut Pineapple (90 calories per serving).
2. Ohso Good Chocolate – A chocolate bar that has actual health benefits? Yes, Ohso Good Chocolate is a Belgium chocolate bar that comes in either original chocolate or orange chocolate. The best part? Each small bar contains around 1 billion Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. In other words, it has a lot of probiotics in it. Chocolate that aids your digestive system!
3. Halo Top – I’m sure you already have a very good idea of what this lovely product is, but if not, Halo Top is good for you, feel good after eating the whole pint ice cream. It’s not soy or made with almonds and it definitely has flavor. Speaking of flavors, they range from standard Chocolate and Vanilla Bean to S’mores, Red Velvet and Mint Chip. Let’s break it down. A single serving of Vanilla Bean Halo Top is 60 calories (240 for the whole pint), compared to Ben and Jerry’s Vanilla ice cream which has 250 calories in a serving.
4. Steaz Sparkling Green Tea – Soda is just a bad road to go down. All that sugar, and not to mention the bloating that comes straight from the carbonation. Even diet drinks contain syrups that don’t do any good either. I love Steaz drinks, and this is no exception. A sparkling green tea will help you with any caffeine needs you have, and will fill you with natural sugars.
5. Honey and Agave Nectar – While this isn’t a sugary snack or drink, this can definitely help with sugar cravings. If you need a sweetener, either for drinks or for food, put the sugar sack down. Using honey or agave nectar as a natural sweetener will sweeten with natural sugars rather than anything processed. Take note, however, this does contain sugar obviously so limit the amount that you use.