When you consume too much sugar in your system, your body goes on a physical and emotional roller coaster. You get a surge of dopamine the minute you put something sweet in your mouth, and it makes you feel incredibly good. But that high isn't forever.
When sugar enters the bloodstream, insulin is released into the pancreas to regulate blood glucose. This suppresses leptin, the hormone that signals you're full, which gives your brain the green light you need to snag more sweets.
Glucose is easily digested, and the levels of your spiked dopamine and blood sugar fall rapidly. The crash is person-dependent. After eating, it can be 15 minutes to a few hours. To get another jolt of energy, your inclination is to consume more sugar, but it's really important to resist. Once your reserve of willpower is exhausted, making healthier decisions is becoming more difficult.
Peanut Butter
Maybe you want to swear off all calories after a sugar binge. Eating food with other nutrients does, however, help to fend off the unwelcome sugar crash caused by rapid digestion. A spoonful of peanut butter, or a handful of nuts, gives you gradual digestion of fat and protein. Or try hummus with vegetables that have fiber that helps slow down simple sugar absorption.
Tea with Lemon
Green tea and lemon are both diuretics, meaning you'll be taking more bathroom breaks. You don't remove sugar directly, but you push your blood to flow faster into your kidneys. Also note to remain well hydrated, which makes you feel complete and reduce suppressed levels of leptin.
Smoothie
Blend a veggie-rich smoothie for satiating fiber the day after a binge, but go easy on the fruit and cut the juice. When making a smoothie with juice, it's easy to drink many servings of fruit in one sitting, which is more than you need in a single meal.
Take the Stairs
Avoid the idea of napping after eating so many sweets and get moving. It doesn't have to be a sweaty cycling session that lasts for hours. It will help just to walk up the stairs or walk around the block. The American Diabetes Association said that walking after a meal for 15 minutes decreases blood sugar levels.
Get Rid of Temptation
After consuming so much sugar, your brain can still be craving the dopamine rush, so throw out any temptation. The trick is to rid yourself of all sweets. In a survey of 100 participants in the 2015 International Journal of Obesity, researchers found that those who kept food in plain sight were more likely to be obese and to eat more candy and less nutritious food than those with a normal weight.
Simply put, out of sight, out of mind.
