Craving Sweets: What It Means, What You Can Do

by Dr. Arya Krishna | May 6, 2018 | Diet + Lifestyle, Healthy Living | Reviewed by Dr. Deepak Bhanot

Craving Sweets | Diet + Lifestyle | Refined Sugar | Sugar

Table of Contents

If you’re craving sweets, you’re probably wondering just how bad it is for you (what you can get away with) and why you’re having this craving. Most of us crave sweets at various times in our lives. Recently, there are lots of questions on sugar intake from dieters on the sugar reduction diet or a sugar free diet.

What’s Wrong With Sugar?

Refined sugar provides a quick source of energy, it has no nutrients in it. In addition, sugar increases calories and thereby causes weight gain. Sugar also causes various health problems like heart disease, tooth decay and immune problems. Sugar is associated with the development of several chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Let me explain what exactly is refined sugar. White and brown table sugars are refined, meaning, they have gone through a chemical process that removes impurities and beneficial nutrients. Refined sugar is made from raw sugar, and has undergone a refining process to remove the molasses.

How To Reduce Refined Sugar From Your Diet

If you have the habit of taking dessert after each meal, try to skip those or reduce the quantity. This is because ice cream, cake, candy, cookies, brownies and pastries are loaded with refined sugar. Instead of unhealthy desserts, you can opt for a slice of fresh fruit.

Avoid sugary drinks. Replace sugary drinks, like soda, sweet tea, lemonade and even fruit juice, with water. This can save you calories and protect your health. You can always flavor your water with some freshly sliced cucumbers or lemon.

Most of the processed food that we use in our pantry has refined sugar in it as an ingredient. When grocery shopping, always look for refined sugar and avoid using items which have sucrose, glucose, fructose, maltose, dextrose, lactose, high fructose corn syrup, molasses, honey, evaporated cane juice, fruit juice concentrates, cane crystals and corn sweetener.

Instead of adding sugar to cereal or oatmeal, add fresh fruit (try bananas, cherries or strawberries) or dried fruit (raisins, cranberries or apricots).

Enhance foods with spices instead of sugar. Try ginger, allspice, cinnamon or nutmeg.

Ayurveda On Sugar And Craving Sweets

Madhura rasa, the sweet taste, is considered the most important of the six tastes. Here madhura refers to naturally sweet foods like milk, ghee, rice, wheat and other grains and legumes, as well as sweet fruits, dates, honey and jaggery. Madhura does not refer to refined sugar.

Madhura rasa pacifies Vata and Pitta dosha, and aggravates Kapha. Madhura rasa originates with the combination of Prithvi (the earth element) and Ap (the water element). The sweet taste is congenial to the body and improves the quality of body fluids, blood and also nourishes the Ojas. It soothes the sense organs and improves reproductive health.

Another important fact is that Ayurveda recommends the intake of the sweet taste first in any meal. This is because initially when we take a meal our digestive fire will be at its maximum. When you have the sweet taste first, it will be digested well. The sweet taste is heavy in quality and needs good digestive fire to be utilized by the body.

If you’re craving sweets, here are some tips to satisfy your sugar cravings in a healthy way.

Craving Sweets: What You Can Do

Go for natural and unprocessed sweeteners. For example, use honey on your porridge, make homemade cookies made with whole grains and spices (fiber), and ghee (fat), which, in turn, slows down the metabolism of sugar.
Make home cooked healthy meals, rather than take-out or processed foods.
Drink green tea or herbal tea instead of milk tea with sugar. Or you can replace dairy with coconut milk.
Palm sugar is a healthy sugar supplement. It pacifies Kapha as well as Vata and Pitta dosha.
You can always try naturally-sweet recipes like coconut covered dates, a handful of raisins or dried mango. Sweet potato makes a nice snack, and homemade chocolate with maple syrup can help satisfy your sugar cravings.

About the Author

Dr. Arya Krishna

Arya Krishna is an Ayurvedic Practitioner, educator, and speaker. She completed her Bachelors in Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) from Amrita School of Ayurveda, Kerala, India. She is registered as an Ayurveda doctor (Reg No: 14664) under the Indian Medical Council. She received a Fellowship in Orthopedic Rehabilitation from Apollo group of Institutions, Hyderabad. An editor with the International Ayurvedic Medical Journal, she previously served as the associate editor of the American Ayurvedic Journal of Health. Before moving to the US in 2015, she was Resident Medical Officer (Ayurveda) in AyurVAID hospital, Bangalore and has knowledge and experience in precision and evidence-based Ayurveda. She was an Ayurveda Domain expert with Health Connect 24 – a unique platform to bring together Ayurveda, Yoga and swadeshi. She is efficient in performing all Panchakarma procedures (purification therapies) and has knowledge of Marma Therapy. Other areas of expertise include Ayurveda diet and lifestyle, women’s health, and rasayana (rejuvenation). She works for the promotion and propagation of Ayurveda by offering lectures, webinars and contributing to various journals. She is a resource person for the Council of Ayurveda Research (CAR) and is an Ayurvedic blogger with Mother Earth Living. Currently, she is residing in Danville, Pennsylvania and is listed as a BAMS doctor with AAPNA (Association of Ayurveda Practitioners of North America). She is an Ayurveda Consultant and Educational coordinator with Be Mind Body Skin, New Jersey and Subject Matter Expert at At Home with Ayurveda, UK.

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