When it comes to curbing carb cravings, I’ve found that people have many different ideas on how to do it. In other words, there’s no single solution.
However, several theories involve natural methods that help you reduce cravings without supplements. They suggest that making simple changes to your diet can help minimize hunger – specifically, removing certain foods.
I know this works because it happened to me. I removed all breads and pastas from my diet, and after a few months I no longer craved these previously addicting foods. Honestly, I never thought it could actually happen, until it did.
In addition, some physicians even believe that ingredients like sugar, carbs and gluten can change the way that your brain functions. Below Dr David Perlmutter explains people can actually be addicted to wheat because of the chemicals it contains:
BeBrainFit.com agrees that consuming carbohydrates actually changes brain functions and in turn can result in addictive cravings.
Although easier said than done, eating less of the addictive sugary and carbohydrate-rich foods can lead to less cravings. Over time, people on low carb diets typically report having a diminished desire for sweet treats and comfort foods like breads, pastas and rice.
Most people find that quitting cold turkey proves to be nearly impossible. Instead, substituting starchy carbs with non-starchy vegetables can help curb the carbohydrate craving without making you feel like you’re missing something.
How to Curb Carb Cravings by Switching Certain Foods:
Adjusting your diet can stop sugar and carb cravings from 2 different angles: physically (eliminating hunger) AND mentally (removing desire).
Obviously, tackling the issue from 2 sides makes the process of curbing cravings much easier. You’re basically doubling your power while exerting the same amount of effort.
…and you can accomplish this with cauliflower rice, a simple vegetable that you can buy at your local grocery store. Who knew?
Whether you mash it, rice it or mix it into a dough, cauliflower can take the place of many high-carb foods. You can even make delicious cauliflower patties, pancakes and fritters!
Note: This versatile low-carb vegetable makes the perfect substitute because it has very little taste. Therefore, it can take on the flavor of the seasonings or other foods you add to it. In addition, it has a soft non-fibrous texture that lends it to taste more like a starchy food than a green vegetable.
Empowered Sustenance suggests creating traditional comfort foods, like mashed potatoes or tater tots, with healthy cauliflower. Not only do you cut the calories and the carbs, but you can also curb the craving.
How to Curb Cravings with Food Combining…
Another way to lower carbs and minimize cravings is to combine foods. In fact, WebMD recommends combining the craving food with a healthy food as a way to get rid of cravings.
For example, instead of eating a bowl of oatmeal, mix 1/2 oats and 1/2 riced cauliflower together. You could do the same with mashed potatoes, rice stir fry or pizza crust too.
In addition, the riced cauliflower adds more volume to your dishes (without the high calories), tricking the mind into thing you’re eating more food.
But Can You Taste the Difference?
Although some people claim that they can’t taste the difference between cauliflower mash and mashed potatoes, I think it takes some getting used to. That said, once you have acquired the taste of “healthier” alternative carbs, many people end up liking it better.
In addition to using it as a potato-like substitute, people use cauliflower to create pizza crusts, stir fry rice, sandwich bread and more. Plus, it provides a low-carb way to thicken soups and casseroles.
When you can still eat your pizza or grilled cheese sandwich on a low-carb diet it becomes much easier to minimize cravings, right?
Try this strategy and see what happens to your carb cravings. Go slow and start with food combining if you want. Commit to a short time period, like a week, and don’t expect instant results. Even slower progress can end up resulting in a big impact over time. =)
