During the holiday season, the availability and temptation to eat sweets is higher than ever. Sugar stimulates the brain’s dopamine or pleasure-sensing pathway, which causes us to desire more and more. So, if you try to moderate your sugar intake during the holidays, it may help New Year’s health resolutions easier to achieve. The American Heart Association recommends no more than 6 teaspoons (25 grams) for women and 9 teaspoons (36 grams) for men. Keep in mind that just one 12 ounce can of regular soda has 10 teaspoons of sugar, and provides no nutritional benefit. Our bodies simply do not need added sugars. We get enough in foods like fruit and grains that have natural sugars which digest more slowly, allowing cells to get a steady source of energy.
What can we do to help with these cravings? The first step is to consistently consume meals that you make from scratch. Most processed/packaged meals and snacks add sugar, including many foods we think of as “savory,” like crackers. This keeps your brain wanting more sugar. Instead, by cooking with different herbs, and spices, a variety of tastes can be experienced. In fact, once people begin to experience tastes other than sweetness, they can retrain their brains to enjoy a variety of tastes: salty, sour, bitter, savory, spicy and sweet.
Try marinating chicken in garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and herbs de Provence. Vegetables can be simply roasted in olive oil and kosher salt, or try adding curry powder or fajita seasoning. There are a thousand delicious and satisfying flavor combinations! If you want a little something sweet, keep some dark chocolate on hand and have a small piece after a healthy dinner. But do not stock foods like ice cream, cake, and other sweets at home during the holidays to avoid unnecessary temptation.