The consequences of overindulging your sweet tooth are easy enough to recognize. You’ll feel as if you’re buzzing with energy for a short period, but 15 minutes later, you’ll want nothing more than to crash on the couch.
Eating sweets gives you a surge of dopamine, the feel-good hormone. As sugar enters your bloodstream, insulin is released by your pancreas to control glucose levels, which then suppresses leptin – the fullness hormone. As a result, you get the urge to eat more.
Controlling this instinct is very important, otherwise you’re going to end up binging. Here are four ways to pump the brakes.
1. Eat a handful of nuts. After overloading on sugar, what you need to do is eat food with other nutrients to curb the crash caused by fast digestion. The fat and protein in nuts will take some time to digest, and give you the respite you need. A spoonful of peanut butter will also do the needful. Hummus and vegetables full of fiber, are another alternative that works well.
2. Go for a quick run. Or a brisk walk round the block. Not only will you burn off some of the calories you consumed, you’ll also be able to fight off the urge to lie down, overcoming the crash period.
3. Have a cup of lemon green tea. Being diuretics, both green tea and lemon help kidney function, making blood pump faster to the kidneys, getting rid of excessive sugar, so sipping on lemon green tea is a good idea after having too much dessert.
4. Substitute the next meal with a smoothie. Having a veggie-based smoothie for the next meal is a good way of balancing your sugar overload with healthy fiber. In this case, it’s best to stay away from fruit, as most fruits have a lot of natural sugar. Carrot and spinach with unsweetened yogurt is always a good option.