Are Sweet Treats Your Trigger Food?

Let's face it. Sugar is a recreational drug. Sugary foods are designed to be addictive. Changing our mindset about sugar when we're establishing new, healthy habits is 90% of the battle. Most of us were raised to think about sweets as a reward, a lovely finish to a meal, a celebration or holiday which isn't complete without dessert or a commemorative cake. I made my living baking delicious treats for loyal clients. One favorite client used to call me and proclaim "cake day".

Now, as a health coach, one of the biggest challenges with clients is cutting out sugar. Wrapping their heads around a savory breakfast. Take away the muffin or the bagel and what's left to eat? Why must breakfast include honey, syrup and other sweet additions to already starch-laden bases, like pancakes, waffles, or even oatmeal? Are you not able to cut out the sweet 3PM pick-me-up? Or finishing out the day with something sugary before bed? Do you fall into these patterns?

Sugar is one of the most hormone-disrupting foods, and also one of the most plentiful. It's hidden in everything. Recently I had a client ask me if she could eat grilled Chick-Fil-A. I checked out the nutritional information on their website. There are 4 types of sugar including dextrose and maltodextrin. In grilled chicken! It's the sugar that creates the addictive property and keeps you going back for more. Check it out for yourself. I always encourage people become label-readers. Simply starting with finding sugar in all of its forms is a great way to become more aware of what you're eating.

This summer, as we emerge from the pandemic, more of us will be hitting the road. Road food is one of the biggest culprits of unhealthy ingredients. Google ingredients on your phone while you're on the road, choose the best of the worst if you must. Pack some healthy snacks, too. Don't wait until you're starving and desperate to make a choice, and have no good options.

Let's presume you have your sweet cravings under control. Good for you. You're making healthy choices and occasionally indulging in "worth it" foods. You've come a long way, baby! What is the best way to navigate finding the healthier choices while still gratifying the occasional craving:
1: Rather than diving face first into a vat of ice cream with two spoons, grab some fruit. A fresh sliced apple with a sprinkle of cinnamon, grilled peaches or a cup of fresh berries.
2: Buy the best quality dark chocolate you can find. Ingredients matter here. Don't purchase anything that includes "cocoa liquor" because it's a finished ingredient that contains sugars, unhealthy oils and emulsifiers. And it's not required to disclose those ingredients. Good quality chocolate contains cacao mass, cocoa butter and perhaps some cane sugar. That's it. Choosing by the percentage is also a good indication of better quality. The percentage is the amount of cocoa mass, the higher the better. I love 72%.
3: If you must have ice cream, try blending bananas and other frozen fruits in the food processor to create a creamy treat. One of my favorite appliances for this is called YoNanas. You can find it on Amazon. Caution, however, you may find that it takes 3 bananas to make what you consider a "normal" portion of ice cream. Would you ever eat 3 bananas in one sitting? Probably not.
4: Finally, back to my first point, starting your day with a high-glycemic food can trigger your sugar cravings all day. Avoid toast, bagels and other starchy foods, which will only turn to sugar when you digest them, firing up insulin and cortisol production, which keeps you wanting more all day. Pack your breakfast with protein to stay satiated until lunch. When you're ready for that sweet indulgence, you will have earned it.