Cakes, yogurts, coffee, tea, cereals… To free yourself from sugar addiction, a nutritionist recommends adding a spice to meals and snacks. It would transform the relationship with food by regulating cravings.
Can’t resist a few squares of chocolate after a meal, a packet of biscuits in front of the television or these pastries for breakfast? Like millions of French people, you may be addicted to sugar, present everywhere in our diet. Fruit juices, sodas, prepared meals, sweets, pastries… According to the National Health Security Agency, “20 to 30% of adults and adolescents in France have sugar intakes greater than 100 g/day”a critical threshold for health. “Excess sugar can lead to overweight, obesity and related diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and certain cancers”reminds the authority. If giving up sugar seems insurmountable for many, a famous nutritionist confirms that it is possible and recommends an easy and effective culinary solution: replace sugar with a delicious spice.
To wean yourself off sugar, “you have to gradually decrease”advises Dr Jacques Fricker at the microphone of RTL. “If you made a cake and you put three tablespoons of sugar, now you will only put two and a half.” For him, “we should not consider sugar as a drug but as a danger if there is too much, hence the interest in moderating the quantities”. When we consume sugar, our blood sugar spikes, then drops sharply, causing intense cravings, often in the form of a craving for sugar. It is this vicious cycle that maintains addiction. The more sugar we eat, the more we crave it. The nutritionist’s tip is simple: “Put other flavors to replace the sugar.”
He then recommends focusing on certain spices “like cinnamon”. “You will be able to get rid of it (sugar, Editor’s note) within 1 month, 1 month and a half. he assures. LCinnamon helps regulate blood sugar levels. A study showed that “24-hour glucose concentrations were significantly lower after cinnamon administration”with a “reduction of blood sugar peaks”. The participants consumed 4g of cinnamon per day in order to obtain this reduction, or one rounded teaspoon. Cinnamon has many health benefits. She can “modulate the blood lipid profile” according to one study, by lowering cholesterol and triglycerides. CThat’s not all. Scientists have shown that this epide also helps reduce blood pressure. These effects are particularly marked when cinnamon is consumed at a rate of approximately one level teaspoon per day for more than 8 weeks.
Finally, cinnamon could protect brain function. Researchers have noted that it significantly improves memory and learning. In question? Its active compounds, such as cinnamaldehyde, which reduce the aggregation of proteins involved in neurodegenerative diseases and increase cell viability. A real shield for our neurons.
Cinnamon can easily be sprinkled on yogurt, in coffee, tea, cake or pancake batter or even morning oatmeal. And for those who don’t like cinnamon, Dr. Fricker explains that you can choose other spices or even fruits to replace the sugar. A simple gesture that can truly improve your health.
