Our Incurable Love for Sweet
Who would have thought that the most popular blogs on both my web site and on the Huffington Post would have been regarding sweet?
The No-Bake Healthy Oatmeal cookies received the most traffic in the history of my site. I had a fleeting thought that maybe I should just change my blogs to cookies and desserts….but then I’d have to retire from being an R.D. My article on fake sweeteners in the Huffington Post got the most comments from readers everywhere who were indigent about getting their sweet cravings met.
Do we all want perpetual sweet or dessert in our lives?
Is this due to our taste buds, comfort or just a plain old sweet tooth? I’m asking because I don’t really know so if you have an insight please enlighten me.
Sometimes a new client will come in and say “I don’t really like sweets – it’s not my thing.” However, more often that not many will say “what can I have to help my sweet tooth?”
I for one believe in having a little treat every day – remember I grew up as the baker in my family. However, as the dietitian part of me developed I realized my figure would not handle that for long and I grew accustomed to my 2 squares of dark chocolate per evening.
AND I realized that having so much sweet made my feel bloated, lethargic and hungry for more and more food and sweets so protein became my friend. For me, I love the sweetness of feeling comfortable in my body and clothes. This overshadows the craving for sweet and love of baking. Exercising the discipline button isn’t all that easy at times but necessary to what I really want.
I think one can enjoy some sweet as long as it is balanced and does not interfere with one’s health and happiness.
If your diet is balanced and a perpetual sweet craving remains are you having enough sweetness of life? That’s my philosophical question for mid-July. If you have some thoughts to share please post a comment. I welcome your thoughts – and let’s start a dialogue about sweet.
November 30, -0001 @ 12:00 am
Ron – it sounds like you may need more protein at breakfast and less carbohydrate to calm down your sweet cravings (and enough at lunch) to turn off the desires. Having more protein and limiting your chocolate will definitely calm it down. I wonder if taking a week off of chocolate will help as well (use nuts as your snack with fruit). I took a week off chocolate a few months ago and it helped a lot (although hard for a day or two it gets better).
Christina – yes, eating less sweet does definitely calm down all sweet cravings. Thanks for sharing.
Susan
July 11, 2011 @ 4:14 am
I can't exercise the discipline button when it comes to chocolate. I'll eat a whole bar and then if I have one of those bags of Dove, I'll eat more than the serving size every day. I don't have much of a problem with other sweets. I really have to watch it with chocolate though… I have to have it every day. The only way I can get away from it is if I don't bring any with me to work and no one has any at work. If there's any to be found I will seek it out. I used to be a big sugar fiend, but for some reason I fell out of favor(thankfully) with stuff like hard candies and stuff. I definitely felt lethargic and hungry when I ate all those sweets like I used to. What can be used as a substitute for chocolate???
July 11, 2011 @ 4:52 am
I gave up eating anything with sugar in it in eighteen months ago. I started to appreciate better the natural sweetness of foods. ie. If I eat porridge made with oatmeal for breakfast, it is naturally sweet. I'm not fanatical, I have the occasional sweet item, but I happily manage without. I lost weight as well.
July 12, 2011 @ 12:18 am
Ron – it sounds like you may need more protein at breakfast and less carbohydrate to calm down your sweet cravings (and enough at lunch) to turn off the desires. Having more protein and limiting your chocolate will definitely calm it down. I wonder if taking a week off of chocolate will help as well (use nuts as your snack with fruit). I took a week off chocolate a few months ago and it helped a lot (although hard for a day or two it gets better).
Christina – yes, eating less sweet does definitely calm down all sweet cravings. Thanks for sharing.
Susan
July 29, 2011 @ 8:37 pm
Try hand made chocolate almond bark or peanut butter cups, They are easy to prepare and can really be satisfying.
Simply pre-roast the almonds (350 degrees ten minutes) then place 5-6 almonds in each paper lined mini muffin cups. Melt chocolate in a double boiler ( a pan set over simmering eater) .Pour 2 teaspoons of chocolate over the nuts. Let the "clusters" set in a refrigerator, for ten minutes.
In place of peanut butter , use sunflower butter, instead. Line the paper cup with 1 teaspoon of melted chocolate . Let set in refrigerator, then top with peanut or sunflower butter, top with another layer of dark chocolate. Chill until served.