We all like to be in charge.  Even those who claim they don’t are lying.  Everyone wants control of their lives, finances, the laws of the universe, other people and especially their bodies.  We should be telling our bodies what to do – not the other way around.  But real life doesn’t work that way.  We are often subject to random and mysterious forces, like sugar cravings.  Giving in to the cravings can make them temporarily go away, but it brings on guilt and bad health.  How can we possible control sugar cravings from hell?

First Things First

The jury is still out on whether people can be addicted to sugar.   To control sugar cravings, you don’t need to split hairs.  If a scientist doesn’t agree that your body is screeching like a banshee at three in the morning for a doughnut, screw him or her.  It’s your problem – you deal with it.  You have to forget what other people think of you and just get on with your life.

A doctor, therapist or other health professional can help you to control sugar cravings.  First off, you need to be properly diagnosed.  You want to be sure your body doesn’t have diabetes or a thyroid imbalance or any physical cause needs treatment.  Tell your doctor what medicines you are taking – even any herbal supplements.  Some medications will stimulate your appetite tremendously.  You would have to discuss with your doctor whether it would be wise to change medications.  Chances are, it won’t.

Eat Something

If your cravings are not a symptom of anything more serious, then you can really knuckle down to control sugar cravings.  When the body is hungry, it starts asking for the highest calorie-laden food possible.  Your body always thinks it has to store away fat in case a famine is around the corner.  This strategy has worked for the human race for millennia, but now we are too well fed. 

Try eating something more nutritious, like an apple, other than reaching for the cookie jar.  Perhaps the craving will lessen just because you are hungry.  If you are not keen on the taste of more nutritious foods, you can train your taste buds to like foods that you’re not keen on now.  Remember when you were a kid and hated the sight of any veggies?  Perhaps now you love salad.  This is evidence that your taste buds can be retrained.

If you need even more help to control sugar cravings from hell, you can turn to internet food addiction support groups or food addiction treatment centers, even places like Weight Watchers, to get your mind off of your cravings and thinking about other things.  In time, your cravings will lessen, but you need to give yourself that time.

The reason why people suffer from chocolate cravings is that it has been found that there are a number of additives contained in chocolates which is something that has been confirmed through scientific testing, and it is claimed that chocolates also contain the very same alkaloid compounds that are present in alcohol which may be the reason why alcoholics turn to eating chocolates in order to get over their alcohol cravings. So, are aware that the cocoa contained in chocolates has alkaloid groups that have already been linked with alcoholism which explains why people cannot help but also become affected by chocolate cravings if they are not careful about their chocolate eating habits.

Dieting May Cause You To Crave For Chocolates

Another finding that will be sure to raise an eyebrow or two is the fact that even dieting may lead to chocolate cravings, and dieting is not all about the tightness of your waist, but involves feelings of guilt that are best overcome by eating more chocolates. There are certain emotions that are of a negative type which require comforting from, and the easiest means to do so would be to eat a chocolate bar that helps, albeit temporarily to improve the mood.

It is also a known fact that the best way to keep from having chocolate cravings is to make sure that you have the correct body image and also makes the right decision as well as chooses healthy foods while also foregoing the fad diets and other foods that do not lend them to long term maintenance, and which only lead to more chocolate cravings.

If one is serious about avoiding chocolate cravings, then it will require that one has the resolution to say no to an extra piece of chocolate, and if one must eat chocolate, then a good idea would be to buy a really expensive chocolate so that you are able to eat a little just to satisfy your chocolate cravings without consuming too many calories in the bargain. Another alternative worth considering would be to opt for those foods that have chocolate flavors and consume them in small amounts so that you can overcome your chocolate cravings in a simple and effective way without actually needing to eat chocolates.

There is no doubting the fact that taming the chocolate cravings beast is something that will require a lot of time and also considerable determination. So, when the cravings begin to gnaw at your guts, you must make a choice and consider how chocolate helps to cure your needs and then act in a manner that means having as little chocolate as one can possibly tolerate. Such determination and motivation can certainly lead you in the right direction which is to move away from chocolate cravings and back to normal everyday living.

Chocolate craving is perhaps more prevalent in us than any other kind of craving for foods and it is generally believed that women are the worst culprits even though eating chocolates may not always do wonders for their mood. Such chocolate craving can lead to side effects that includes feeling guilty and gaining weight as also having imbalances with regard to blood sugar, and what’s worse is that the feeling of satisfaction is usually very short lived, which only leads to further chocolate craving.

Deficiency Of Magnesium

There are many people that cannot do without chocolates and their chocolate craving is something quite beyond their control, and if not satisfied, will lead to feeling irritable and also constipated. According to research conducted on chocolate craving it has been found that such cravings are indicative of deficiencies in nutrition; especially, a lack of magnesium. And, because of the presence of caffeine in chocolates, it can lead to addiction and along with alkaloids are the same compounds that cause addiction to cocaine and alcohol as well.

Many persons with chocolate craving usually find that eating chocolates gives them pleasure that is quite like experiencing an orgasm and because chocolates have substances that help elevate the mood, this is not hard to figure out, and when such chemicals wend their way into the body, there is a lot of pleasure experienced, which in the case of some people will prove it better than having sex.

Chocolate craving can also be adduced to people having anxiety and who think of a self induced remedy in eating chocolate to find relief and they can be forgiven for doing this because chocolates contain tryptophan which is an amino acid that produces the hormone serotonin that helps becalm a person.

Another factor that plays an important part in chocolate craving is the psychological reversal in which even knowing that too much is not good for the health, people are unable to resist the next bite and one more chocolate bar which can be attributed to a network of neural pathways that make it seem almost imperative that the person eat chocolate rather than resist it.

So, when faced with the problem of eating in spite of knowing better, you need to consider a few essential steps in order to combat chocolate craving that include checking your emotional state and also thoughts, seeing naturopaths and kinesilogist or even consulting specialist doctors.

Thus, even when the problem with chocolate craving may seem insurmountable to the addict, there are thankfully means to follow in order to return to normal eating habits which should be followed without any delay.

Chocolate was only meant to be eaten or drunk as a special treat on sacred occasions, much like tobacco or alcohol.  These were considered luxuries by the ancients partially because of the intense time to make them but mostly because of the havoc a lot could wreak upon the body.  Everything is meant to be in balance, including what we eat.  If you only drink one glass of wine on Saturday nights, you are not an alcoholic.  If you knock ‘em back the moment you wake up to when you fall unconscious, then you defiantly have a problem.  If all you eat is chocolate, you may have a chocolate addiction.

But It’s Legal

True, chocolate addiction does not support any underworld culture.  Very few robberies of candy factory warehouses happen.  Very few defendants use “I have a chocolate addiction I have to support” excuse in front of a judge.  But even if you ate only Iceberg lettuce, you’d still have an addiction.  The body cannot survive on Iceberg lettuce alone, just as it cannot support itself on chocolate alone…even if the chocolate is covering fruit and nuts.

If you are eating chocolate constantly despite a doctor’s warning – say, if you have diabetes – then you definitely have a chocolate addiction.  If you stop eating chocolate for twenty four hours and get very sick (including but not limited to trembling, teeth chattering, panic attacks, migraines) then you definitely have a chocolate addiction.  The reason you got sick is due to withdrawal symptoms.

Retraining Taste Buds

So, you are used to chocolate, but know you have to drastically cut back or cut out altogether.  For the first couple of weeks, other foods will taste really bland or strange.  This is normal.  Think about when you were a kid.  Perhaps you ate weird foods like peanut butter and mustard sandwiches.  You don’t eat them now.  Why?  Because your taste buds have changed.  They can even be trained to find foods you turn your nose up now to be delicacies.

The best way to knock off a chocolate addiction is to become homeless and eat only hand-outs and what you find in the trash.  A couple of years of this, and your body will crave ANY food.  But, of course, that option is a little extreme.  But do keep trying new foods, new hobbies and drink plenty of water or herbal tea.  And cut down your portions of chocolate when you do have it.  The longer you keep at it, the easier it will be to stick to a new healthy diet.

The subject of addiction to food is being put under close scrutiny of the scientifically minded people and they are exploring it to find out the root causes and perhaps will come up with something quite like the thrifty gene theory which alludes to people having a gene that is more susceptible to consuming more calories in a response to some perceived worry that a famine might strike in the immediate future.

Theory About Thrifty Genes

There is another theory as well which believes that eating too much of fats and also sugars is some form of rational addiction because the price paid regarding withdrawal from the condition is far more than the price of continuing to overeat. What’s more, the price one is thinking of is really the physical as well as psychological costs and which decision one makes is governed by weighing the pros and cons of each alternative path that one chooses to travel upon.

Thus, to get over addiction to food, governments that follow the rational addiction theory may deem it necessary to enact laws in which the prices of vegetables that contain high nutritious value would be lowered, while the price of those foods that have excessive calories and less nutritious content would be raised so as to wean people away from the high costing foods towards lower costing foods and thus deal in an effective manner with addiction to food. In addition, it may also be a good idea to lower costs of entering weight loss programs and associated medications and there could also be better education and counseling available to keep people well informed and less prone to making irrational food choices that will only fuel their addiction to food.

While this may be a good option, in case one follows the thrifty gene line of thinking as the root cause of addiction to food, scientists would need to find ways and means to switch off such genes by developing new medicines or even through gene therapy. According to studies on addiction to food, it has been found that the relatively low cost of foods that contain a lot of sugar can lead to it’s over consumption that will harm the people that have such addiction to food, and so it is necessary for a solution that makes either pricing of such foods to be raised in order to discourage its consumption, or there should be some drugs or medications available that will prevent such over consumption.

In the final analysis it can be said that both the thrifty gene and rational addiction theories regarding addiction to food are equally valid and that it requires re-education of people about proper eating habits and also providing them with drugs and medicines that will help them overcome their addiction to food.

Chocolate addiction at one time was only associated with negative things including cavities in the teeth and elevated blood sugar levels though recent studies have shown some positive aspects to eating chocolates, though these will not mitigate the problem and are no more than a silver lining on an otherwise dark cloud. So, if one goes by recent clinical studies on the effects that dark chocolate, and cocoa in particular, have on our health, there is reason for some joy and a good bit of optimism.

Cocoa Has Some Positive Effects

Eating the cocoa contained in chocolates gives the body polyphenols that help in reducing inflammations and which also give the immune system a boost while also gobbling up free radicals all of which is for the good of one’s health. Still, it is no excuse for chocolate addiction, which in the old ages was more or less confined only to the very rich, nobility and of course royalty who were the only people that could afford this dark brown stuff, and when their chocolate addiction was not satisfied for whatever reasons, the results were certainly very testing on those who had to work at providing the chocolates to the addicted gentry.

With the spread of chocolate eating to countries such as Italy, Switzerland, England as well as Holland there was a noticeable shift in terms of chocolate addiction which had become known outside of France and had begun to be known in other European countries as well, and which also took on a more civilized garb. And, in the next fifteen hundred years, chocolate making was mastered and countries such as Switzerland had become world famous for their chocolates.

Also, given the fact that Casanova consumed chocolate to further his love making conquests and also that chocolate is greatly instrumental in elevating a person’s mood and can often be more satisfying than sex, its allure to the consumer is so great that the risk of chocolate addiction will prove even more real than for any other food.

The all pervading power of chocolate over our senses is best seen when chocolate addiction takes over our being and whatever good intentions we may have had about kicking the habit gets thrown out the window the next time the urge hits us and we are unable to resist one more chocolate bar. Thus, it is clear for all to see that chocolate addiction cannot be overcome with just will power, because chocolate addiction is a result of unconscious decisions made in the mind over which the heart and will power have no control.

To overcome chocolate addiction may in fact require some kind of re-education of the mind and not simply willing one to refrain from eating more of the sweetly addictive brown stuff.

Having an addiction to chocolate is quite common and from an early age people start eating candy and chocolates which if not checked, can lead to a heavy dependence on it that can in turn lead to serious health problems. No doubt, there would hardly be a person that does not relish eating of chocolates and with many varieties available, the problem is further compounded and not eased. In fact, such is the pervading presence of chocolates that they are also used to flavor medicines, especially those that are given to young children.

Passion, Love And Attraction Is What We All Want

Thus, given that chocolates are associated with passion and love, which are two things that most of us cannot resist, there is plenty of attraction to them that can often lead to addiction to chocolate. What’s more, eating chocolates will elevate the mood thanks to the serotonin that when it enters the blood will make a person feel more romantic, satiated as well as happy and, who would not want to feel all these things?

However, it is only when this love of chocolate turns into addiction to chocolate that there is serious cause for worry and in fact, chocolates are usually blamed for everything is it acne or even cavities in the mouth. The burning need to eat chocolates in spite of these possible ill effects does not seem to dampen which is why there are millions of pounds of chocolates being consumed each year.

Thus, even though Saddam Hussein may have boasted of his own weapons of mass destruction to destroy Americans, there is still something equally powerful that is already working to do the same and that is addiction to chocolate. So, if you are one of the many Americans who cannot forego eating at least about twelve bars of chocolate each week and craved for chocolates almost daily, you can safely consider you as having an addiction to chocolate.

Addiction to chocolate can definitely be shown as being present in a person when the amount of chocolate that he or she consumes was directly proportional to the cravings for chocolate and a consequent lack of control in the eating of chocolates that is centered on not being able to resist the taste, texture as well as smell of chocolate. What may have started out as a casual pattern of eating of chocolates may have degenerated into compulsive patterns leading to addiction to chocolate and such transition also has drug-induced changes in the brain of the addict and some psychological changes as well.

So, if you do not want to destroy yourself by your own hand, then makes sure that you keep your desires for chocolate under control and that it does not lead you to addiction to chocolate and further complications such as diabetes that can even take your life and even make living a virtual hell on earth.

You can answer the question “why do I crave sugar?” with the obvious answer that to look at it, smell it and taste it is pleasurable.  Most sugary confections are attractive to the eye and the palate.  Almost everybody knows what their most favorite colors, textures, flavors and temperatures are in sugary confections. 

Eating sugar even causes a temporary mood elevation, which adds to the pleasure of eating sugar.  The brain finds sugar to be useful as a quick energy boost so it gives us all these signals of pleasure in exchange for providing sugar to the body.  It is no wonder that sugar is one of the top craved foods.  Instead of asking, “Why do I crave sugar”, your brain may be asking “why not?”. 

Sugars are popular with almost everyone.  Many celebrations have their own sweet treats that are associated with that time of year.  We are bombarded with text and images that are all about sugary foods.  Everyday, you can see advertising about sugary confections on commercials, signs, and the Internet.  It is not just the corner store that carries sugary treats; you can find confections at the check out line or in the different aisles of many kinds of stores including movie rental stores, grocery stores, department stores, hardware stores and other stores. 

Loss of Vitamin Bs

Eating too much sugar can deplete vitamin Bs from our body.  When you do not have enough vitamin Bs in your body, you can feel tired and for a quick energy boost, you may crave sugary foods.  The two factors can create a circular pattern in your behavior towards foods that are high in sugar.  Natural unprocessed and highly nutritional foods can give your body a longer lasting energy boost so you will not crave the quick energy boosts of sugar.  Nutritional supplements and a healthy diet can help you if this is your situation and you are asking the question “why to I crave sugar?”. 

Medical Conditions

A craving for sugary foods can also be a symptom of medical conditions.  It is important that you visit your doctor if you have developed a craving for sugar so that you can rule out any medical condition that could be the cause for the sugar craving.  This is particularly important if your cravings for sugar started suddenly.  Intolerance to carbohydrates (also called insulin resistance), nutritional deficiency and other medical conditions can cause a craving for sugar. 

Coping with Stress

Sometimes sugary treats are used as a comfort food.  A typical situation may be that you am having relationship problems and are not coping well with the situation and when you feel frustrated about it, you may turn to a bowl or two of ice cream and then turn around and feel guilty about eating the ice cream and finally end up eating more ice cream and feeling depressed about it all.  It can turn into a vicious circle of avoiding the stress issues, overeating and gaining weight.  This cycle is compounded by the fact that eating sugary treats can make us crave more of them.

Boredom and availability of sugary treats can cause you to crave sugar.  You may eat a sugar-laden soda or a piece of cake simply because the treat is there and it tastes good.

Ask yourself the question “why do I crave sugar” when you are reaching for that candy bar or other sweet calorie laden treat.  When you know the answer to the question “why do I crave sugar”, you can begin to address the sugar craving effectively. 

There are certainly many mind-boggling statistics concerning sugar cravings and it would come as quite a surprise to you to know that an average American takes in as much as nearly one hundred sixty pounds of sugar in a year which is more than twenty-five percent more than what it was thirty years ago. What makes matters worse is that most people find it very difficult to control their sugar intake though there are some nutritionists that have come up with effective ways to cut down sugar cravings.

Additive Properties

Sugar is supposed to contain some properties that are addictive and when the sugar content is reduced it can cause certain withdrawal symptoms and there is a lot of fat content in it as well. So, the next time you eat more sugar than is recommended you will not only put on weight which is a health risk in it, but are also running the risk of having your teeth decay earlier than is proper. So, if you want to know how to beat sugar cravings you may need to avoid skipping meals, eat only natural sugars, try out substitutes for sugar and also brush and gargle after a meal. It also helps if you forego buying sugary foods and taking a walk is another good solution to curbing your sugar cravings.

According to researchers that have studied sugar cravings, it is not a true addiction though it is quite similar to cocaine addiction and even obesity. And so, if you are like many other people that want to beat their sugar cravings, try using honey, barley malt or even fructose instead of sugar though some would suggest that there is no better means to control sugar cravings than to forego it completely. Nevertheless, as long as you are careful enough to take a balanced and nutritious diet, the odd spoonful of sugar is not going to do you any harm.

There are some other useful tips as well as to how to avoid sugar cravings and they include not using sugar as a means of distraction, and also waiting for a short period of time to see whether the cravings persist or disappears. Thus, eating appropriately and at the right time will help in overcoming sugar cravings while there is also a need to become well informed about sugar so that you realize that it is not an evil nor is it your friend either – it is really a load of calories and you won’t find any real virtues about it either, which means that though its not going to do you much good, it is also not so bad that you need to avoid it like the plague.

It used to be traditional to give your faithful steed a sugar lump.  Some horses and ponies, especially if they are taken care of by children, will develop cravings sugar cravings, whether it is for the pure sugar or for sweet candy, such as peppermints that horses can become intensely fond of.  Although sugar cravings seem innocent enough in horses, they can lead to serious health and behavior problems.

You Horse Eats Enough Sugar Already

The horse spent millions of years grazing all day in order to get the calories they needed to live.  In modern times, horses usually have to work and live with humans.  That means they eat at the humans’ convenience, and not their own.  Your horse probably eats concentrated feed as well as hay.  This feed gives your horse the nutrition and strength in order to pull a plow or carry a rider.  It usually has molasses or sugar already in it.  You really don’t need to add to the strength of your horse’s sugar cravings by feeding him candy or sugar as a treat.

Behavior Problems

Sugar cravings in horses can become so strong that they will not wait for the master or mistress to proffer the treat.  If they know where the treats are stored (and they will, because they can smell it), they will eventually just chomp down on your pocket – whether it is still attached to you or not.  This can lead to a lot of blood, sweat and tears for both horse and sugar-carrier.  This can be especially frightening and dangerous for children or small adults paired with a gigantic horse.

Tooth Decay

Unlike people – or dogs and cats – horses don’t brush their teeth.  Sugar takes it’s toll on horse teeth the same as it does on your dog’s or cat’s teeth (or yours, for that matter).  Horses rely on their teeth more than other animals.  If they can’t grind their food, the food is swallowed whole or in big chunks.  This can lead not only to colic but a host of other health conditions related to poor nutrition.  A horse with sugar cravings satisfied today may lead to a horse who can’t eat tomorrow.

What’s To Be Done?

The best way to get rid of your horse’s sugar cravings is not to give him any sugar or candy in the first place.  Then you won’t get the begging and the fuss.  But if your horse has already developed sugar cravings, you must be strong.  You can’t give in to him.  Treat with apples or carrot instead.  Don’t eat any sugary treat in front of him.  And put up a sign on his stall warning all others not to give him any sugar.