Carb cravings occur because of the effect that carbs (particularly sugars) have on your brain. When you eat carbs (sugary foods), it stimulates the levels of the “feel-good” hormone (serotonin), making you correlate feeling good with consuming carbs. Therefore, eating carbs can actually make you want more.
However, limiting your carb intake is a smart approach to managing your weight and being healthy. You can reduce the extra calories you consume by consuming fewer carbohydrates, especially simple carbohydrates like white bread and sugar.
Eating fewer carbs can also help you maintain better control over your blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, blood sugar, and blood pressure.
Reducing your carbohydrate intake may not be as simple, even though doing so may be excellent for your weight and general health. Fortunately, low-calorie, fiber-rich alternatives will satisfy your carb craving without weighing you down.
In this blog post, you will find out the healthy ways to satisfy your carb cravings.
5 Healthy Ways to Satisfy Carb Carvings
Quitting or curbing your carb cravings can be difficult, nonetheless, there are healthy ways you can satisfy your carb cravings.
1. Eat nuts and seeds
If you crave something salty and crunchy, rather than reaching for a bag of potato chips or French fries, go for healthier alternatives such as almonds, cashews, macadamia nuts, groundnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, etc. These are all healthy options for a crunchy and salty snack.
You can look for mildly salted varieties at any supermarket, buy your nuts and seeds, and roast them home.
Numerous recipes are available for making healthy sweet, and savory snacks with nuts and seeds.
In addition to satisfying your salty craving, nuts and seeds contain healthy fats that can keep you satisfied for longer periods and prevent hunger and cravings from returning.
2. Oats
Oats can serve as a nutritious alternative to a craving for sweets. You can start your day off with a bowl of oatmeal or a serving of oatcakes. They are delicious, filling, and healthy.
Beta-glucan, a unique type of fiber found in oats, decreases blood sugar levels, lowers harmful cholesterol levels, and maintains gut health. Oats’ beta-glucan also keeps you satisfied for a long time, reducing the frequency you feel hungry. This can be very effective for weight loss.
3. Quinoa
Quinoa is a nutritious complex carb that works well in place of other grains. It has a high protein and fiber content and is gluten-free. With its unsaturated fats and B vitamins, quinoa is an excellent alternative to white rice.
It is considered a complete protein because it contains all nine essential amino acids your body cannot produce on its own.
4. Sweet Potato
Another excellent choice for satisfying the craving for carbohydrates is sweet potatoes. These brightly colored root vegetables provide antioxidant vitamins A and C that help to protect the body’s cells from aging. The bright color originates from beta-carotene, converted into vitamin A, and supports strong immune systems, healthy skin, and clear vision.
5. Monitor your drinks
Thirst can sometimes disguise as hunger. You can always opt for carbonated beverages. Be sure to carefully study nutrition labels and steer clear of ones high in sugar and carbs.
Make your lemonade if you don’t want to go the carbonated route but still want a sweet drink. These healthy sweetener proxies don’t raise blood sugar levels, so you won’t need much to satisfy your sweet tooth needs.
Other alternatives you can consider include the following:
- Fruits, such as bananas, plantain, avocados, etc.
- Vegetables, especially corn and salads
- Yam and beans
- Dark chocolate, albeit in moderation
- Whole grain bread in place of white bread
- Whole wheat pasta, etc.
Conclusion
The craving for carbs is probably always going to exist. It’s both typical and natural. The idea is to restructure your brain to crave healthy carbohydrates rather than processed meals and carbohydrates.
