“I just ate! Why am I still hungry?” If that sounds familiar to you, it’s probably because you’ve been eating the wrong kind of food. Some food can actually make your cravings stronger, aggravating your hunger—yikes!
Rule of thumb: Avoid foods that contain lots of sugar and carbohydrates. Why? Here’s a breakdown of what happens if you do eat these foods:
- When you eat food rich in sugar and carbs (which get processed into sugar), this causes your blood sugar levels to spike up.
- Your body then releases insulin, suddenly lowering your blood sugar.
- Sometimes, your blood sugar drops more than it’s supposed to, and so your body tries to compensate by screaming for more food.
In other words, foods that make your blood sugar spike stimulate your appetite.
Here are some foods that you should probably start avoiding:
1. White bread
White flour, which is what white bread is made of, has been stripped of its bran—the fiber that makes you feel full. Consuming bread also makes your insulin levels shoot up, causing you to hunger for more.
2. Salty snack foods
Potato chips, crackers, pretzels, etc are basically just simple carbs that digest quickly, leading to insulin highs and lows. Ever wonder why you crave for something sweet after eating these snacks? It’s because your taste buds and brain link sugar highs with sweet foods—once you crash, it only leaves you wanting more.
3. Juices
Though juicing is regarded as a healthy fad, juices contain all the sugar of the fruit but none of the fibre—its pulp or skin. Instead of juicing, blend a smoothie using the whole fruit.
4. Alcohol
Did you know that alcohol brings down your body’s levels of leptin—the hormone that keeps you feel full? Alcohol can also lower your body’s carbohydrate stores, making you crave for more. Alcohol also makes you dehydrated, which leads to you wanting to nosh on salty snacks to regain some electrolytes. It’s a vicious cycle.
5. Artificial sweeteners
When you’re avoiding sugar, artificial sweeteners seem to be the logical alternative. However, artificial sweeteners confuse your brain and tastebuds—they’re anticipating a boost of energy, but get let down. To make up for the letdown, you could end up binging on sweets.
So what should you eat?
Eat high-protein foods, which bring in less sugar and carbs into your body, leading to less binging. Go for nuts, oats, cheeses, low-sugar fruits, and vegetables.
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