Recipes for Main Dishes That Curb Sugar Cravings
Eager to learn to prepare delicious main dishes that can also help curb sugar cravings? Then, this recipe page is for you! The recipes below combine foods that are naturally rich in anti-craving nutrients such as fiber, vitamin B3, chromium, glutamine, zinc, tryptophan, and vitamin B6.
But first, before you get down to the recipes in this section, you may want to explore the diet section (Diet Tips for Fighting Sugar Cravings) and the food section (Foods That Help Curb Sugar Cravings) of this guide in order to obtain more general information about the link between nutrition and cravings.
Apple and Onion Soup
Apples contain pectin, a type of dietary fiber that makes you feel fuller for longer, while onions are packed with chromium. Chromium plays an important role in stabilizing blood sugar levels, helping eliminate cravings. In some cases, cravings are simply a result of a chromium deficiency.
See the RecipeChilled Cucumber and Watercress Soup
Not only does watercress lend its pleasantly peppery flavor to this elegant soup, it can also help curb cravings for sweets due to its high concentration of vitamin B3. The onion featured in this wholesome soup may also be beneficial as it is one of the best dietary sources of chromium, a trace mineral that plays an important role in stabilizing blood sugar levels. See the Recipe
Tangy Tomato Soup with Basil
Both tomatoes and shallots, two key ingredients in this pleasantly tangy soup, are up there at the top of the list of the most chromium rich foods. Chromium plays an important role in stabilizing blood sugar levels, helping eliminate sweet cravings. In addition, tomatoes are a great source of serotonin, which is great news as research suggests that decreases in serotonin levels can cause us to crave sugar. Serotonin is a chemical that functions as a neurotransmitter helping brain cells and other nervous system cells communicate with one another. See the RecipeScandinavian Spinach Soup with Boiled Eggs
This delicious, vibrant green spinach soup is brimming with B complex vitamins which are known for their ability to control sugar cravings. The eggs in this soup deliver high quality protein which helps prevent overeating by making you feel full for longer. See the RecipeNourishing Nettle Soup
Nettle—the star of this intriguing jade green soup—possesses properties that can help curb appetite and cravings. As an additional bonus, this soup is loaded with antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, selenium, zinc, and flavonoids. See the RecipeShrimp and Mushroom Risotto
This simple recipe helps you create a risotto that's full of nutrients and flavor. It is particularly rich in zinc which is thought to have some extraordinary anti-craving properties. Zinc supplementation of zinc deficient subjects has been shown to increase the levels of circulating leptin. Leptin is a hormone that plays a key role in regulating the body's energy expenditure, fat storage, and appetite. Insufficient leptin levels are believed to be the primary cause of food cravings. See the Recipe
Romaine and Smoked Salmon Salad
Eating more romaine lettuce, for example in the form of this delectable salad, may help control sugar cravings. Romaine lettuce is rich in chromium, a mineral that plays an important role in stabilizing blood sugar levels. Sometimes sugar cravings are simply be a result of chromium deficiency. Also salmon, the other key ingredient in this salad, is a great food to add to your diet if you are often battling with sugar cravings. Salmon makes the body more sensitive to the hormone leptin, which can result in fewer cravings, and provides a rich source of glutamine, an amino acid that has been shown to help reduce cravings for sugar and carbohydrates. See the RecipeShrimp and Eggs on Romaine Lettuce
The eggs and shrimp in this salad pack a protein punch, which helps control food cravings and prevent overeating by making you feel full for longer. Also the romaine lettuce and tomatoes featured in this salad help control sugar cravings as they are one of the best dietary sources of chromium, a mineral that plays an important role in stabilizing blood sugar level. In some cases, sugar cravings are simply a result of chromium deficiency. See the Recipe
Tomato, Cucumber and Red Onion Salad
Tomatoes contain chromium and serotonin, both of which can help control sweet cravings. Vinegar, which is used to add pungency to this salad, has been found to lower the Glycemic Index rating of foods. This helps keep the blood sugar levels on an even keel, which in turn helps stave off cravings. See the RecipeSalmon Salad
Salmon salad makes an excellent sugar craving fighting meal. Salmon works its anti-craving magic in two ways First, it appears to make the body more sensitive to the hormone leptin. Leptin has been shown to promote development of gray matter in the part of the brain that regulates food cravings and can consequently result in fewer sugar cravings. Second, salmon is a rich source of glutamine, an amino acid that provides energy to the brain and helps build and maintain muscle mass. It may also help reduce cravings for sugar and carbohydrates. This is likely to be a result of glutamine's stabilizing effect on blood sugar levels when the levels are low, glutamine suppresses insulin to prevent further decline of the sugar levels. Glutamine also stimulates the release of glycogen to help increase the blood sugar to normal levels. See the Recipe
Arugula, Avocado and Tomato Salad
According to traditional Chinese medicine sugar cravings are a symptom of imbalance which can be corrected by eating bitter foods such as arugula. Also tomatoes may help fight sugar cravings as they are packed with serotonin. Serotonin is a chemical that can cause us crave sugar. What's more, this salad calls for a vinegar-based dressing, which is known to help keep the blood sugar levels on an even keel, which in turn helps stave off cravings. See the Recipe
Beet and Carrot Salad with Ginger
High in sugar and low in calories, beets can satisfy your sweet tooth without compromising your weight loss efforts. Also carrots have an appealing sweet taste but are extremely low in calories. See the Recipe
Beet and Carrot Soup
High in sugar and low in calories, beets can satisfy your sweet tooth without compromising your weight loss efforts. Also carrots have an appealing sweet taste but are extremely low in calories. See the RecipeWholewheat Pasta with Nettle Pesto
Don't worry, this pasta dish won't sting you! Young, blanched nettle leaves are wonderfully edible, and they are packed with compounds that help curb appetite and cravings. The whole wheat pasta this recipe calls for is a healthy, filling alternative to the traditional white pasta. See the RecipeStir-Fried Asparagus with Quinoa Noodles
Foods with a high Glycemic Index (GI) rating can cause rapid fluctuations in blood glucose levels, which can cause cravings. In contrast, low GI foods, such as asparagus, take much longer to digest, providing the body with a slow, steady supply of energy. See the Recipe
Broccoli Salad with Apples and Cranberries
This low glycemic, high-fiber salad is made of ingredients that are crammed with anti-craving nutrients such as tryptophan, vitamin B6, and chromium. See the Recipe
Cranberry Asparagus with Pine Nuts
Turbo-charge your anti-cravings diet by indulging in this delicious, low-glycemic dish that helps keep your blood sugar levels on an even keel. Also the pine nuts featured in this mouth-watering dish can help you control cravings: these little buttery nuts contain phytochemicals that have been shown to suppress appetite. See the RecipeFor more recipes that can help control cravings for sweets and sugary foods, visit the main recipe directory of HealWithFood.org's Guide to Controlling Sugar Cravings.
