Whether it’s a freshly baked cookie, a piece of chocolate, a pizza slice, or a plate of salty French Fries, you may have an intense desire to indulge in these. However, you want to have just one slice, but the foodie side of yours makes you grab another in the spur of the moment.

And why does this happen?

It happens because you want an increased volume of a particular thing until you are satisfied. It makes one jump onto the next slice without thinking twice.

Too many carbs raise and lower your blood sugar levels. It eventually leads to weight gain, poor metabolism and an increased rate of heart disease.

How much carbs should you consume in a day?

According to Medical News Today, “one should consume around 225-325 grams, which translates into 45-65% of calories.”

What drives carbohydrate cravings?

According to Ludwig, the author of the book, “Always Hungry? Conquer Cravings, Retrain Your Fat Cells, and Lose Weight Permanently,” What drives the craving is not the delicious food or the taste but a biological urge to eat something and restore the blood sugar.

Moreover, when you consume processed carbs, the insulin level rises. It directs the calories into the liver, muscle and fat cells. However, fat cells have virtually limitless capabilities to store calories. Most of these get trapped in there. Afterwards, calories in the bloodstream are less and thus, one feels exhausted and hungry soon after the meal.

Thus, restrict yourself from consuming more carbohydrates than required.

How do you reduce your carbohydrate intake without worries?

As per nutritional experts, cutting on carbohydrates is not about getting rid of carbs entirely. Instead of cutting carbs entirely, reduce the consumption of high-fat carbs. Include more high-quality ones that are high in fibre and low in added sugars. You can consume beans, whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

Apart from that, here are some other ways to cut back on carbohydrates:

1)      Pair Carbohydrates with Protein

When your blood sugar drops, people often crave sugar. It increases the sugar level for the rest of the day. On the other hand, protein helps you get energy quickly and feel full. It is because it takes longer to digest protein. So, to avoid rebound carb cravings after carbohydrates, pair carbohydrates with a lean protein diet like- boiled eggs, string cheese, yoghurt, beef, and jerky.

2)      Avoid carbs for 48-72 hours

Cutting out all simple sugars works for some individuals. Some individuals feel that reducing or skipping their carb intake for 48-72 hours helps reduce weight and cravings. At the same time, others find that they still require carbs to facilitate the taste buds and the body. They find it exhausting to go without carbs a day.

3)      Keep fruits by your side always

If you often find yourself in need of consuming something sweet, a fruit may help. However, it may not give you the satisfaction you gain with carbohydrates. But may help you ensure a healthy body and mind. Moreover, you can include dry fruits in your diet. It would help you remain energetic throughout the day and avoid cravings for something that may impact your blood sugar levels.

Moreover, some fruit types have low sugar per the standard serving. It is because these fruits have more water or less absorbable carbohydrate content. Some low-carb fruits include:

• Strawberry
• Peaches
• White Mushrooms
• Cucumbers
• Avocados
• Oranges
• Blackberries
• Raspberries
• Kiwi
• Olives

4)      Deal with stress without jumping for a sweet

Generally, it is easier to jump into carbohydrates to satisfy the dopamine rush. Thus, you may feel like craving a chocolate, ice cream or something sweeter. Instead, find a non-sweet way to deal with tension and stress. Some of these ways include:

• Going out for a walk
• Drinking enough water
• Reading your favourite book
• Listening to soothing music
• Talking with someone close
• Watching your favourite movie

These alternatives are better than pouncing on a chocolate bar because “A chocolate bar may temporarily help you relieve stress, but later you may regret it. That’s a perfect human reaction. One must look for replacement behaviour that helps release dopamine but does not rely on nutrition.”

5)      Include carbs only in breakfast

According to research, eating carbs in breakfast dampens the blood sugar levels and impacts eating carbs after lunch.” It implies that if you skip breakfast, you are likely to have high levels of blood sugar in comparison to consuming carbs at breakfast.”

However, after a week of following the routine, you can shift to including carbs in lunch. You can include high-quality grains, for example- chickpeas, Quinoa, salad, beans, lentil soup or a sandwich with whole grain bread.

6)      Avoid starchy carbs at dinner

When you consume carbs at dinner, it is more likely to increase blood sugar levels. Moreover, you do not work out much at night. Thus, the consumed carbohydrates act as unused energy and convert it into fat. It is not healthy for your body as you may gain weight then. However, keep it low if you want to eat carbs at night.

For example, limit the consumption of refined carbs like rice and white bread. However, if you encounter any health issues following the diet, contact the expert immediately.

Do not ignore the symptoms. It is the reason most dieticians advise individuals to test for deficiency or mineral imbalance before resorting to a low-carb diet. Body examinations like- HTMA (Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis) can help reveal most mineral imbalances in the body. Additionally, it provides a complete report of the body’s metabolism rate and metal toxicity. If unsure whether you can carry forward with the low-carb diet, conduct the test. It would help you decide right.

However, if unemployed, you must avoid adhering to a low-carb diet.

If you want to take the best care of the body for the job search, go for the HTMA test. It would help you know whether you need to reduce carb intake. Moreover, if not, it will save you on the cost you incur to follow the right carb diet. Do not take any such initiative without a medical consultation. If you lack the cash for the test and consultation, check loans for people on benefits from direct lenders available. Test and consultation would reveal the best route to lose weight.

7) Consume enough water

If following a low-carb diet, you must remain hydrated. The body misinterprets thirst for hunger at times. Thus, drinking water helps you curb the carbs cravings.  Most people benefit from this trick whenever they crave something sweet or salty. Moreover, it creates a feeling of fullness within the body by filling the stomach. It thus helps one drop on unnecessary snacking. This is why individuals on intermittent fasting consume enough water as it satiates hunger.

Apart from that, water helps with digesting the fats and proteins. It breaks into ketones to provide extra energy between meals. Moreover, you retain less water and excrete extra carbs on a low-carb diet. Improper water consumption may thus lead to dehydration and drowsiness. If on a low-carb diet, drink at least half of your body’s ounces of water every day. For example, if you weigh 200 pounds, drink at least 100 ounces of water per day.

Moreover, drink distilled water if possible.  It helps remove the toxins, mercury, lead, or livestock runoff that seeps into the ground.

Bottom line

Carb cravings do not send a clear message every time.  Instead, be conscious of the body’s needs and the reasons. Sometimes, it is just a habit that one consumes extra carbs that later impact the weight and blood sugar levels. When you know the right reasons, you can easily cut on carbs the right way from your diet. However, be mindful that the diet must not impact other aspects of your health.

If you face increased blood sugar levels and weight, it’s the right time to cut on carbs. Here is how you can do that the expert way.