Carb cravings are inevitable on the Keto diet. We want what we can’t have.
But carb cravings are not just psychological. There are physiological reasons why we crave carbohydrates, especially sweetened carbohydrates – sugar.
Dealing with carb cravings requires a holistic mind-body approach. It also requires a little patience.
In this article, you’ll learn eight tips for controlling carbohydrate cravings on the Keto diet, both psychologically and physically. But before we get started, let’s talk about what causes carb cravings.
What Causes Carb Cravings?
Carb cravings are caused by two reasons:
Physiological Causes Psychological Causes
Obviously, these two types of causes overlap. The body affects the mind and the mind affects the body. But separating them makes it easier to understand carb cravings.
1.Physical Causes
When carbohydrates are digested, these carbohydrates end up in the bloodstream as blood glucose. This glucose provides energy to the cells.
Undergoing a keto diet requires a reduction in carbohydrate intake. This reduces the supply of glucose.
To compensate, your body activates a glucose backup system to maintain blood sugar at normal levels. However, this compensation does not happen immediately.
As a result, in the early stages of switching to a keto lifestyle, blood sugar tends to plummet, leading to a low-glycemic state known as hypoglycemia. In turn, hypoglycemia triggers hunger.
Quitting sugar can also trigger cravings. In fact, researchers have found that eating sugar triggers areas of the brain similar to addictive drugs. When the drug is taken away, we crave more.
2.Psychological reasons
Imagine smelling something good. Maybe it’s roasted cinnamon.
It would make your mouth water, wouldn’t it? Even if your stomach is full, you’ll crave this delicious flavor.
The point is that your environment – what you see, smell, hear, taste, and touch – stimulates your cravings, even if your nutritional needs are already 100% met.
Hunger is also a habit. If you eat a bowl of ice cream at 9 p.m. every night, your body will begin to expect this ritual. You will feel hungry around 8:45. The trigger is the time of day.
In the 1890s, scientist Ivan Pavlov began ringing a bell every time he fed his dog. Eventually, dogs started salivating at the sound of the bell. The hunger response has been modulated by the bell.
What’s your ringtone? The smell of toast? The sight of an ice cream sandwich? In the next section, we’ll discuss how to minimize hunger triggers to curb your cravings.
Menstrual Cycle Cravings
If you crave carbohydrates before your period, this doesn’t necessarily mean you’re pregnant. Cravings for sweets caused by hormonal changes in estrogen and progesterone are normal and common for many women, especially during the luteal (late) phase of menstruation. Keep this in mind and follow these tips to control your sweet cravings.
13 Ways to Control Carb Cravings
To control carb cravings on the keto diet, it’s helpful to have a plan. The following tips will help.
#1: Keep carbs low
The main principle of the keto diet is to keep carbs low. Keeping carbs low helps the body transition from burning sugar to burning fat.
When too many carbs invade your keto diet, it hinders this transition. Your body gets confused. Do you want to burn sugar or fat? If it thinks the answer is “sugar,” then you’ll continue to crave it.
A good rule to follow on the keto diet is to keep net carbs below 10% of your daily calories. Make this easier by logging your meals with the Carb Manager app.
#2: Control your environment
When you minimize the sights and smells that trigger cravings, you also reduce the cravings themselves.
Think of your kitchen as a science experiment. The purpose of the experiment is to encourage healthy eating behaviors.
This means keeping carbs out of the house as much as possible. If you can’t do this because of your kids, partner, or friends, do your best to keep them out of your sight. (And by “they” we mean carbs, not kids).
#3: Eat low-carb vegetables
Don’t forget about non-starchy veggies when making your keto plate. Low-carb vegetables like kale, spinach, broccoli, and asparagus are some of the most nutrient-dense foods out there.
One of these nutrients is an indigestible carbohydrate called fiber. Fiber may be a carbohydrate, but it won’t kick you out of the fat-burning state known as ketosis.
Quite the opposite. Fiber helps fill you up without adding calories. Don’t skimp on it.
#4: Get enough sleep
If you don’t sleep well, your ability to resist carbs plummets. Studies have shown that lack of sleep increases your hunger hormone, gastrin.
That’s why getting enough sleep is crucial for controlling cravings. Make sure you get seven to nine hours of sleep, and you’ll be glad you did.
#5: Replenish Fluids and Electrolytes
On the keto diet, your need for fluids and electrolytes will increase. Thirst is a good indicator of fluid needs, but electrolytes like sodium and potassium may require more planning.
You think that the craving for carbohydrates may be a craving for sodium. This makes evolutionary sense. In ancestral times, sodium was scarce, so we evolved a craving for salty foods. Research proves this.
The solution? Add a few tablespoons of salt to your water and a few more to your food. You may find your “carb” cravings disappear.
#6: Don’t Restrict Calories
If you’re trying to lose weight, it makes sense to consume slightly fewer calories than your metabolism requires. Your body then begins to utilize its own supply (body fat) to meet energy needs.
However, the initial stages of keto therapy do not lend themselves to calorie restriction. As your body adapts to the new fuel source, cravings will be inevitable. Why amplify them by restricting calories?
#7: Allow Time for Keto Adaptation
Adapting to using fat for energy – also known as fat adaptation or keto-adaptation – happens at different rates in different people. Some people may adapt overnight, while others may take a few weeks.
If you’re coming from a high-carb diet, your ketone adaptation may not happen overnight. With the help of the above tips, you may need to overcome some of your hunger.
However, once your keto diet is adjusted, your carb cravings will taper off. You’ll walk around feeling stable, satisfied, and whole. That’s a very good state to be in.
#8: Balance Your Blood Sugar
When blood sugar levels are out of balance, a host of symptoms (including carb cravings) follow.
A properly managed keto diet can help maintain blood sugar levels. But you can’t be complacent just because you’ve cut back on carbs.
Regularly consuming balanced meals consisting of high-quality protein, healthy fats, and low-carb vegetables will help maintain healthy blood sugar levels and curb cravings.
#9: Consume healthy fats
On the keto diet, you use fats instead of glucose for energy. These fats can come from your diet or from your body.
Dietary fat is especially important for satiety. By suppressing your appetite, it prevents overeating.
By consuming healthy fats at each meal, you won’t be as tempted to eat carbs.
#10: Focus on Protein
Protein is vital for recovery and repair. It provides the foundation for healthy muscle growth and maintenance.
Just like healthy fats, quality protein is satiating and keeps you feeling fuller for longer.
When protein is balanced with keto-friendly fats and low-carb vegetables, you have a winning combination for reducing carb cravings and managing blood sugar levels.
#11: Reduce Stress
If you have the urge to swallow sugar when you’re stressed, congratulations: you’re a real person.
Our brains are naturally wired to get a temporary high from sugary foods. They can really get us hooked.
Unfortunately, high-sugar diets have been linked to a myriad of health complications, including the current obesity epidemic.
Controlling stress can go a long way toward improving your diet. Cultivate healthy habits such as spending time in nature, meditating and cultivating relationships to minimize daily stress.
#12: Let the cravings pass
Hunger is a fleeting phenomenon. It will come and go.
A pleasant aroma will trigger a craving, but if you leave the environment, the craving will pass.
Even during fasting, there are limits to hunger. For example, one study found that a 12-hour and 36-hour fast had similar effects on gastrin levels.
Although hunger increased the longer the fast, the main hunger hormone remained stable. This suggests that it is psychology that drives cravings.
With a different perspective on hunger, cravings are more likely to pass.
Controlling Cravings
Instead of letting your cravings control you, follow these 13 tips to control your sweet tooth. It’s not always easy, but with the right environment, proper nutrition and the right mindset, it’s easier than you think.
