Having sugar cravings? It could be coming from your gut....

Sugar cravings is one of the most common symptoms that I see in clinic.

Sugar cravings can range in severity, so much so that you may not even realise that you're having cravings.

If you find yourself binging on chocolate, hunting out something sweet in the afternoon or just wanting to add sugar to everything- coffee included, then you may be suffering from sugar cravings.

So how does your gut impact these sugar cravings?

Well it all comes down to your gut bacteria- the good and the bad.

Studies have been able to contribute cravings, including sugar cravings, to changes in the microbiome.

It's been concluded that cravings and even acquired tastes is a result of signals from microorganisms in the body, most likely the gut, that are telling the brain what nutrients or foods they need in order to survive.

For example a common symptoms of candida (or systemic thrush) is sugar cravings. It is thought that because the candida yeast thrive from sugar, that it is in fact the yeast overgrowth that is making the body want the sugar, rather than the person themselves wanting it.

Now keep in mind that the body is a complex being, and there are often many different contributing factors to a single symptoms. But next time you're craving something, slow down, think about why your body might be wanting it.

And how to fit these cravings?

Well like I said above, there are often MANY different things that are contributing to syntooms such as sugar cravings, but reducing sugar from your diet is a great place to start. if the sugar craving is coming from your gut, then starving whatever might be in there is the best way to help bring your body back into balance.

But as always, see you health care practitioner and Naturopath for the individual care and advice that you deserve, because no 2 people are the same!

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4270213/