Caloric intake and cravings -
The key takeaway here is that regular exercise can reduce how much people want junk foods and improve their ability to resist the temptation of these appealing foods by improving brain function and cognition.
This makes it easier to limit the consumption of these foods to achieve healthier eating and weight loss goals. When people are stressed, the body releases a hormone called cortisol , which activates what is known as the fight-or-flight response.
When cortisol levels are high, the brain thinks it needs more fuel, resulting in increased cravings for sugary or salty ultra-processed foods. Participation in regular exercise or a single bout of exercise reduces perceived stress levels and cortisol levels.
Exercise also helps reduce unhealthy drink and food consumption when people are stressed. Stress can also impact how the brain functions.
Research has shown that stress can result in decreased activity in the prefrontal cortex and increased activity in reward regions of the brain when looking at pictures of food. This makes it harder to resist the temptation of appealing junk foods. By offsetting the impact of stress on prefrontal brain function, exercise makes it easier to maintain your goals of healthier eating or reducing junk food consumption.
Twenty minutes of brisk walking can help the prefrontal cortex recover from temporary changes in activity, like the ones seen when people are stressed.
Next time you are feeling stressed, try going for a brisk minute walk. It could prevent you from stress-eating. At the end of the day, the best exercise is one you enjoy and can sustain over time. High-intensity interval training HIIT , aerobic exercise, meditation and mindfulness, yoga and strength training are all effective in helping improve diet by targeting prefrontal brain function and reducing stress.
If you are beginning a new exercise routine this new year, ease into it, be kind to yourself, listen to your body and remember that a little goes a long way. Cassandra J. Lowe is a postdoctoral fellow with The Brain and Mind Institute, department of psychology, at Western University.
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Topic Other Author Research. Headline 3 , Other Author.
Team led by researchers from Western, St. Expert insight: How exercise can curb your junk food craving. Research suggests physical activity can help promote better diet. By Cassandra J. Lowe, Special to Western News,. January 04, Explore All News.
Energy and exercise The truth is that you simply cannot exercise away a poor diet and expect to lose weight if that is your goal. Exercise also helps reduce stress When people are stressed, the body releases a hormone called cortisol , which activates what is known as the fight-or-flight response.
What exercise is best? Berries are an excellent, nutritious choice for stopping sugar cravings. They taste sweet, but their high fiber content means they are actually quite low in sugar. This could make them a great choice if you think your sugar cravings are linked to habit, rather than hunger.
Additionally, berries are rich in plant compounds and have strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This means they may help reduce risk factors for chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes 4 , 5 , 6.
Summary Berries taste sweet, but they are high in fiber and low in sugar. Regularly eating berries may also help reduce your risk of heart disease and diabetes.
Chocolate is one of the most commonly reported foods people eat when they crave sweets. This is especially true for women 7. However, if you find yourself craving chocolate, you can make a healthier choice by choosing dark chocolate.
It also contains healthy plant compounds known as polyphenols. Some studies have shown that the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of these polyphenols may help improve markers of heart health 8 , 9.
Summary Swap regular chocolate out for a few squares of dark chocolate, which contains less sugar and higher levels of healthy polyphenols. Try looking for a snack bar made with whole oats and sweetened with fresh or dried fruit, rather than table sugar.
The best bars have been made with whole foods. They are likely to be higher in fiber and contain more beneficial nutrients, even if they are still quite sweet. Alternatively, you could try making your own healthy snack bar using a recipe like this one.
Summary Snack bars that have been made with whole foods can make a healthy sweet treat. Chia seeds are a good source of many important nutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids , soluble dietary fiber and some healthy plant compounds 11 , This sort of fiber readily absorbs water and swells up to form a jelly-like substance in your gut, which may help keep you feeling fuller for longer and prevent sugar cravings Chia seeds are also versatile, so if you want a dessert to satisfy your sweet craving, you could try making a chia pudding like this one.
Summary Chia seeds are high in soluble fiber, which could help you feel fuller for longer and curb your sugar cravings.
Chewing gum can be a great way to control your sugar cravings. Gum or mints that are made with artificial sweeteners taste sweet but contain a minimal number of calories and no sugar.
Although results are mixed, some studies have also found that chewing gum could help control hunger, cravings and the intake of carb-heavy foods later in the day 14 , 15 , 16 , In addition to helping you fight the urge for sugar, chewing gum after your meals is good for your teeth Summary Chewing sugar-free gum can provide you with a sweet taste that may help curb your cravings and control your food intake.
Legumes like lentils, beans and chickpeas are great plant-based sources of fiber and protein. In fact, 1 cup grams of lentils provides you with around 18 grams of protein and 16 grams of fiber Both these nutrients are thought to increase feelings of fullness.
Thus, in theory, including legumes in your diet could help you feel fuller and reduce hunger-driven sugar cravings. In line with this, a recent review found that eating lentils may aid weight loss This may be partly due to the short-term beneficial effects that legumes can have on your appetite 21 , Summary Legumes like lentils, beans and chickpeas are good sources of protein and fiber.
Including them in your diet could help curb hunger, leaving you less likely to get a craving. Additionally, some studies have suggested that yogurt could be a good snack to help regulate your appetite and control your cravings 23 , 24 , 25 , In fact, one study found that healthy-weight women who had high-protein Greek yogurt for an afternoon snack were less hungry and ate less later in the day, compared to those who had a lower-protein snack or no snack at all Summary Yogurt is a high-protein snack that could help you control your appetite and cravings.
Even though they have been dried, they are a great source of fiber, potassium, iron and beneficial plant compounds. Having a few dates instead of a soda or some candy can give you a sweet fix and also provide you with healthy nutrients.
You could even try pairing them with nuts like almonds for a sweet and crunchy treat. However, remember that dates are very sweet, so stick to one portion at a time, or about three dates. Summary Dates are very sweet, so they can fix your craving for sugar while providing you other beneficial nutrients too.
Sweet potatoes are nutritious, sweet and very filling. They contain mostly carbs but also fiber and a number of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A, vitamin C and potassium.
For a delicious treat, try them roasted with cinnamon and paprika like in this recipe. Including a source of protein like meat, poultry or fish in your meals may help prevent sugar cravings 28 , In fact, if you are trying to lose weight , eating adequate amounts of protein may be very important for managing your food intake, cravings and weight 30 , 31 , 32 , Summary Good sources of protein like meat, poultry and fish may help keep you full and prevent cravings for sweets.
The sweetness of the fruit combined with the filling effects of yogurt can satisfy your need for something sweet, all while providing lots of beneficial nutrients.
Summary Smoothies made with whole fruits and yogurt can combat your cravings for sweets. Soda is extremely sweet, and drinking high amounts of sugar-sweetened beverages has been linked to a number of diseases, including heart disease and diabetes 36 , 37 , Switching to a sugar-free version can help you get a sweet fix without the added sugar and calories.
Summary Switching out your high-sugar drinks for ones made with artificial sweeteners can give you a sweet taste without all the added sugar. Prunes are dried plums. This means you can reach for them as a healthy alternative to candy when you just have to have some sugar. Their high fiber content and naturally occurring sorbitol also mean they may help relieve constipation.
Sorbitol is a naturally occurring sugar alcohol that tastes sweet but is absorbed slowly in your gut Summary Prunes are sweet, nutritious and high in fiber, so they can be a healthy food for satisfying cravings for sweets.
Eggs are another high-protein food that may help keep your appetite and cravings in check. In fact, research has shown that having a high-protein breakfast like eggs may reduce hunger and help people eat less throughout the day 41 , 42 , This may be partly because a high-protein breakfast suppresses the hunger hormone ghrelin and increases some of the hormones that make you feel full, including peptide YY PYY and glucagon-like peptide-1 GLP-1 44 , 45 , This suggests that an egg breakfast could keep you feeling fuller for longer and keep the cravings at bay 43 , Summary Eggs can be a good choice, especially for breakfast.
Trail mix is the name often given to a snack containing dried fruit and nuts. Nuts contain healthy fats, proteins, fiber and plant compounds. Eating them has been linked to a number of health benefits , including improved risk factors for heart disease and diabetes Summary Trail mix combines the sweetness of dried fruits with nuts.
This gives your sweet fix some added nutritional value. Fermented foods like yogurt, kimchi, kombucha and sauerkraut are sources of beneficial bacteria. This makes it possible for your gut bacteria to influence your food intake in a number of ways. Some of these compounds may even mimic hunger or fullness hormones in your body, influencing your appetite and food cravings 51 ,
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