Sweet Escape

Kelly Gonzalez
Busy Bodies Health and Fitness Column
Date Published: September 24, 2008


Sweet Escape

What’s your weakness? Is it Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, your very own home- made fudge brownies, Twizzlers, or Fisher’s caramel popcorn? Sweet treats can be irresistible at times and are tough to ignore, especially when gleaming neon Candy Kitchen signs and ice cream parlors adorn the roadways and boardwalk.

How can something that tastes so good be so bad? The culprit is sugar. Sugar is needed to form glucose and provide energy to the working cells of the body. The pancreas releases a hormone called insulin to transport the glucose into the bloodstream and provide energy. When glucose enters the bloodstream too rapidly from large amounts of sugar there is an excess of insulin in the body, which promotes fat storage and causes you to feel hungry once again, as well as fatigued.

Why would your brain crave something that is counterproductive for your overall health? Our bodies are designed to want and crave sugar. Back when we actually had to hunt and gather food from natural sources to survive sweet foods were hard to come by. Our brain releases serotonin, a neurotransmitter that makes us feel content and happy when we eat sweets. It’s our body’s way of rewarding itself for finding a quick and readily available energy source. Unfortunately, the problem now is that high calorie, high fat, and sugar-loaded foods are too easy to come by. Not to mention we are no longer chasing wild game to provide the next meal. Hunting down the nearest ice cream parlor requires a lot less energy expenditure.

Cravings are completely normal. It’s good to give into your cravings every once in a while. Just remember to practice portion control and moderation. If you’re craving something sweet usually just a small amount of whatever you’re wanting is enough to satisfy your desire. There are also healthier versions of your favorites and alternatives so explore your options.

Here’s a healthy guide to a few common sweet spots at the beach.

Rita’s: The sugar free water ice has just 100 calories and 0 g of sugar compared to the 42 g of sugar a regular 12 oz. water ice has.
TCBY: Adds a healthy punch, because it is “real yogurt” made with probiotics that aids in digestion and a healthy immune system. ½ cup of TCBY’s white chocolate mousse frozen yogurt contains 110 calories, 0 g trans fat, 3 g of fiber, and 17 g of sugar.
Coldstone: Offers no-sugar added ice cream and low-fat sorbet. The watermelon sorbet has only 140 calories, 0 g fat, and 35 g sugar. Stick with a like it size, because you may love it, but do you really gotta have it?
Kohr Bros: ½ cup vanilla soft serve is 130 calories, and only 16 g of sugar.

Other healthy dessert options:

Fruit: The natural sugars in fruit could be just enough to fill that sugar craving. Plus you get the added benefit of antioxidants and fiber. Try fresh mixed berries with a dollop of cool whip topping or drizzle chocolate sauce over fresh strawberries. A warm baked apple with light butter and cinnamon is another sweet option.

Angel food cake: You’ll feel angelic for choosing this cake over the chocolate cake beside it. A small 2.5 oz. slice contains less than 1 g of fat, only 160 calories, 35 g of carbohydrates and 4 g of protein. Add fresh fruit or light jelly to sweeten if needed.

Skinny Cow Ice Cream Sandwich: “Skinny” in the title is a dead give-away. At only 140 calories, 2 g fat, 15 g sugar this ice cream sandwich is a sweet steal. Plus it adds 3 g fiber and 4 g of protein.
100 Calorie packs: These single serving sized bags of your favorite snack couldn’t make portion control any easier. So go ahead eat the whole bag.

Limiting your amount of sugar intake is not only good for your waistline, but also disease prevention. An influx in sugar has been linked to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer.

Sugar is addicting. The more you have of it the more your body wants it. Even though sugar has the ability to raise serotonin levels and improve your mood the more often you have it the less effective this is.

If you want to avoid sweets all together, but you’re being haunted by sugar cravings try some creative techniques. Brush your teeth directly after finishing a meal. This way you’ll be less likely to even sneak a bite of dessert since the minty fresh taste still lingers. Another option is to pop in a piece of sugar free gum or hard candy. The change of flavor and time it takes to finish and savor the minty, sweet taste can be just enough to satisfy your palette. A great method is to get busy. Clean up, go for a walk, or make a phone call. You’ll completely forget about that craving before you’re even halfway done.

The next time a sugar craving hits I hope you’re prepared with a sugar survival kit of healthy alternatives and options to find a sweet escape.