A lot of people think that cravings are a natural way of your body telling you that you are lacking specific nutrients and hence they give in to their cravings, which are usually fatty or sugary foods. Research has found that cravings are linked to emotions and have nothing to do with hunger. Whilst it is good to treat yourself every now and again and not to deprive yourself of certain foods, frequent snacking on crisps, biscuits and chocolate can lead to weight gain and increase your risk of illnesses such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

Here are some tips on how to control your cravings!

1. Keep your blood sugar levels stable by eating a low GI diet. Small but frequent meals are better than one huge meal and then skipping the next. Eating snacks where you have replaced sugar with agave syrup, as you can see in my recipes, will help you regulate your blood sugar levels and keep those cravings in check.
2. Don’t give in to cravings straight away. Very often they pass. The University of Exeter has done some research, that walking reduces the urge to eat chocolate. So go for a walk instead of immediately opening the chocolate tin.
3. Drink enough water! Often we have a craving for something when in reality we are thirsty and our brain confuses thirst with hunger. So next time you are craving chocolate, have some water first and see if you still crave that chocolate bar after ten minutes!
4. Hide the chocolate! Keeping your biscuits and chocolate on display means that you are more easily tempted to eat them, as visual cues stimulate the brain and stimulate our cravings. Why do you think supermarkets have all their chocolate bars near the checkout? Or how often have you gone to a café for a coffee and ended up buying a muffin or croissant as well even though you had the best of intentions when you walked in. If you don’t see the cake or chocolate you are less likely to eat it.
5. Brush your teeth! A fresh taste in your mouth will keep those cravings at bay.