“Kuchh toh meetha khana hai.” “If I don’t get a pastry now I will either kill myself or you.”

There is no chance that you have never said or heard these words. This, my dear readers, is a typical case of sweet cravings. Guilty ? Worry not, through this article you will learn all about how to manage this without an act of killing.

Sweet craving is not an independent concern. It is a sign your body raises in response to one or more of these health issues – dehydration, micronutrient deficiencies, poor sleep. So, here is what you need to know and follow –

1. Avoid long meal gaps – Not eating for long hours during the day is the top reason why you have to have that ice cream after dinner. Plan your meals just like you would plan your work meetings or study schedule. Nuts, fruit, cheese cubes, chutney toast, and homemade small laddoos are a few simple foods that you can prepare/ stock up on over the weekend and have as mid-meals through the week. Make sure that these are accessible to you when needed. Keep them in your handbag, car, work desk drawer, or office pantry, take a 5-minute break, finish your snack meal, and find yourself refreshed and more energetic for the tasks in hand.

2. Don’t be discriminatory towards any one food group or nutrient group – High protein, low sugar, no dairy, carb-free diets are good for the profits of the food and healthcare industries, not your individual health. All food groups and nutrients have specific roles and functions to play in our bodies. ‘Balanced meals’ is the key to maintaining a good nutrient profile, and achieving nutritional satiety so that the uncontrollable urge to eat ‘meetha’ does not haunt you.

3. Add sugar where it must be – All your beverages like tea, coffee, nimbu pani, lassi, and sherbets need to have sugar in them. The benefits of sugar cannot be emphasized enough. Then why is it labeled as ‘white poison’? Well, that’s another whole series of articles, and here are the links for the same – All about sugar (interview with ISMA) | All things sweet.

4. Use spices the way they were meant to be – Intelligent use of spices in our cooking is an age-old wisdom that is often underrated or ill-used. We must use spices in our dals, curries, rice, meat and even sweets, judiciously. Boiled veggies and salad for dinner is the pathway to late-night binging sessions. All spices have a blood sugar-regulating effect which translates to a steady release of glucose preventing dips and spikes. However, essential fatty acids as a medium are important in facilitating the same. No benefits are reaped in consuming haldi shots or pills, methi pani, jeera kadha, raw garlic etc. etc.

5. Regulated use of gadgets – Believe it or not, the phone, today, is one of the top factors affecting our health in more ways than one. Poor hunger and satiety signals, difficulty in excretion, bad sleep and disturbed circadian rhythm are a few side effects. It is imperative that we learn to part with what we have converted and accepted as our own body part. Do not take it to the washroom, keep it away while eating and outside the bedroom at least 30 minutes before your sleep time.

Practice these and observe your sweet cravings disappear !

Would love to hear your feedback and related questions on this article. Feel free to also post your suggestions in the comments section. Thank you.