Natural remedies for craving sweets

Hunger control treatments to stop cravings for sweet and salty foods

How to get free free of the extreme desire to eat?

To avoid cravings, in addition to changing eating habits (see “How to avoid cravings to eat” in the listing below), we may use a variety of resources to diminish the desire to eat, especially for eating sweets or salty food. Moreover we can also use some herbs that can serve as substitutes for sweets.

Among all possible resources we can mention the following:

Supplements to remove cravings

There are a number of vitamins, minerals or other supplements that are quite effective in reducing cravings. Many of them can be harmful if taken in excess or combined with other products that enhance their properties, so it is advisable to consult your doctor or dietitian first to take them. Among all, we can mention the following:

• L-tyrosine: It is an amino acid that is widely used in weight loss diets like the Atkins diet. Among other properties, it regulates insulin levels and has beneficial properties against stress and anxiety. Therefore, supplementation with L-Tyrosine is recommended to decrease appetite.
• L-glutamine: L-Glutamine is an amino acid that, among other functions, is used to maintain levels of blood sugar stable . Widely employed in bodybuilding, it is also profited to reduce sweet cravings. (The usual dose is about half a teaspoon of powder before meals)
• Hydroxycitric acid (HCA): It is a widely used dietary supplement that many athletes take because it encourages the formation of glycogen, a source of energy that is exploited when necessary efforts are required. Hydroxycitric acid ensures a persons to be more satiated and do not feels much need to eat. (Take according to the patient leaflet conditions)
• L-5-hydroxytryptophan (L-5HTP) or oxitriptan (INN): It is an essential amino acid precursor of serotonin. There is evidence that the body feels a special need to eat candy when serotonin levels are low. (Take according to the patient leaflet conditions)
• Digestive Enzymes: digestive enzyme supplements can enhance the metabolism of food, decrease the feeling of hunger. (Take according to the patient leaflet conditions)
• Vitamin B: Supplements of vitamin B can be taken during meals to help reduce appetite. (Take according to the terms of the patient leaflet)
• Supplements of chromium, manganese and magnesium: When the levels of any of these minerals is low, the person needs to eat something sweet. Supplements of chromium, manganese or magnesium may help reduce cravings. For example, picolinate chromium supplements help the body absorb more of this mineral (Take according to the patient leaflet)

Medicinal plants to reduce cravings

Besides the above supplements, we dispose of a number of plants that can help us overcome the urge to eat. Among them, we can mention the following:

• Spirulina (Spirulina spp.) Fiber in spirulina, especially mucilage, causes a great fullness. Its high content in complex carbohydrates, that are slowly metabolized, maintains the levels of glucose in the blood constant which helps reduce hunger.
• Fucus (Fucus vesiculosus) the capacity of the preparations of this plant to increase its size make it able “to fill” the stomach, eliminating the sensation of hunger and compulsive desire to ingest food, reason why some dieticians recommend it for treatments against obesity or bulimia.
• Oats (Avena sativa) Oats are rich in soluble fiber. The soluble fiber in contact with water expands and produces a feeling of fullness that helps reduce hunger between meals.
• Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo) Pumpkin seeds, taken in moderation, can satisfy hunger and provide all its richness in trace elements.
• Guarana (Paullina cupana) It is interesting for people who are on a low fat diet, or people with food cravings.

More information about craving to eat.

Written by Editorial Botanical-online team in charge of content writing

6 August, 2024