Be sweet enough this Easter
Whilst it’s normal to have a sweet tooth (I certainly do!), we're all becoming increasingly aware of just how much sugar we're actually consuming and the potential impact of over indulging. Sugar has been making the headlines recently with the 'hidden' levels contained within pre-packaged foods and alcohol, although perhaps most surprising are fructose laden fruit juices - where a single serving of some 'healthy' fruit juices have been found to contain the same amount of sugar as 13 hobnobs! The potential side-effects of consuming too much sugar, impacts not only on our waistlines but also our skin, mood, quality of sleep and long term health. With Easter just around the corner, a time when chocolate and hot cross buns seems to be everywhere, here's some fun guilt free tips:
1. Spice up your life with some cinnamon. Not only can it help curve sugar cravings, but can also help normalise blood sugar levels. Stewed cinnamon apples with natural yogurt provide a good start to the day and are also a great snack to keep in the fridge. Or why not add a cinnamon stick to your favourite herbal tea?
2. As food cravings are linked to emotions, consider other ways to treat yourself that doesn't involve food.
3. Make your afternoons more enjoyable. According to research, mid-afternoon is the most dangerous time for cravings, with 3.23pm being the time when we're most likely to give into our cravings. As stress and boredom are the most common reasons, help prevent mid-afternoon cravings by getting tedious or difficult tasks out of the way first thing and leaving more interesting and enjoyable tasks for the afternoon.
4. As our sense of smell directly affects how we feel, scientific research has shown that smelling 'neutral' sweet smells such as vanilla or mint 3 times in each nostril when hungry curbed appetite. So why not try our Limited Edition JustBe Sweet Rollerball which contains Vanilla Extract.
5. And if you do decide to enjoy the occasional sweet treat do just that. Enjoy it without any side helping of guilt. Try chocolate with a coco content of 70%+ - not only are you likely to eat less but dark chocolate has some health benefits including being rich in antioxidants (which can slow signs of ageing) as well as having a positive effect on your mood. Chocolate contains phenylethylamine - the same chemical your brain creates when falling in love!