10 Healthy Hacks to Beat Bread Cravings

According to the New York Times, a study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reports that processed carbohydrates like the ones in white bread can cause serious health problems. They can also cause huge spikes in blood sugar.

When there are huge spikes, there are inevitably crashes. During a sugar crash, the body will crave more carbs and sugars to replace what’s been lost. It’s a vicious cycle that can cause people to overeat to regulate the sugar in their bodies. Remind you of the Holiday season? More bread, more eating, more energy crashes.

The best way to avoid those highs and lows is to replace carbs with a healthy alternative to keep blood sugar on an even plane. Protein is a great substitute for bread. It has the ability to keep you satisfied for longer, which leads to less hungry moments that call for snacks. Better habits can also be a great substitute for bread cravings.

Now, I am aware it is not that easy to pick up protein snacks in an effort to avoid bread or to skip the breadbasket at a restaurant. However, here are a few tricks to hopefully inspire you to skip the bread and in the process establish some healthier eating habits.

1. Almond Butter Apple Sandwiches
This snack will help you avoid processed carbs. It has apples, cinnamon, and Almond butter. The sliced apples act as the bread in these sandwiches. The complex carbs in the fruit and granola will deviate any bread cravings. If you’re short on time, pre-cut your apples in advance and bring them in a plastic bag to work or when on-the-go. Spread the almond butter and enjoy. Check out The Kitchn for a great recipe.

2. Low-Carb Breads
Instead of using traditional bread in your lunches, pack a low-carb bread such as, Ezekiel 4:9 Flax Bread or almond bread. While it may be pricier than basic breads found in the bakery section, there are tons of great options for low-carb breads in the freezer section of your grocery store. Read the ingredients and beware, because some low-carb options do contain a list of chemicals to get them low-carb. Look for breads with whole food ingredients. A general rule, the fewer ingredients on the list, the better. Add some avocado, hummus, sprouts, and veggies for a great plant-based low-carb sandwich.

3. Sweet Potato Fries
If you’re craving carbs, replace chips and bread with home-made baked sweet potato fries. You can add a bit of sea salt and olive oil to the slices and bake them in the oven. It’ll give you a satisfying crunch without all the carbs of white bread or potatoes. Sweet potato’s still have carbs but if made at home, it’s slightly less than eating regular fries.

4. Homemade Apple Granola Bars
Granola bars bought in a store are deceiving. They often have a lot of processed sugars and carbs in them, which is a double whammy of badness. When you create your own, you avoid all that added sugar. Natural ingredients like dried apple, toasted oats, pecans and cinnamon give them tons of flavor. I’m loving this recipe from Lovely Little Kitchen.

5. Visualization
This may sound silly to some but stay with me here. Consider that most top athletes use visualization techniques to get them through tough hurdles. Well, why not do the same with bread cravings? Visualize how you want to react when the craving comes on, strong and committed perhaps? By seeing yourself in a victorious win over not reaching for the bread basket, you’ll likely have the confidence to do it over and over again.

6. Drink More Water
Often, we think that sugar or carb cravings are directly related to food. In fact, sometimes when we think we’re hungry, it’s actually thirst. Make sure you’re getting enough water per day. Experts recommend 8 glasses of 8 ounce water per day. If you drink water by the bottle, that means four 16 ounce bottles each day.

7. Whole Food Alternatives
Instead of crab-filled foods like pasta, replace them with squash. For example, spaghetti squash has the texture and consistency of spaghetti, which can be a substitute that doesn’t seem like much of a sacrifice at all. Mashed potatoes can be replaced with cauliflower mash. Better choices can reduce carb and bread cravings.

8. Sour Citrus
If you’re craving sugars or breads, turn to sour citrus, which can squash the sweet sugar craving. Squeeze lemon juice into a glass of water, or consume some herbal tea with lemon. You might also have some grapefruit to combat the cravings.

9. Nuts
Almonds, Brazil nuts and cashews are providing vitamins and minerals that you need in your diet. You can consume them alone, with a small amount of semisweet dark chocolate or in multi-grain bread for complex carbs. Don’t eat them in a trail mix that has added oils, fats and sugars.

10. Eat Frequently
Many people believe that they should eat less to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, but they should actually eat more frequently. Hunger can lead to bad decisions. Have frequent, healthy snacks like those on this list to ensure that you’re beating back the bread cravings.

When you need to deal with a strong craving, these healthy snacks can help. Once you’ve eliminated bread and processed carbs from your diet, you’ll have less cravings in the long run. You should also make sure you’re not waiting until you’re starving to eat something. It can ruin your careful planning. You should get enough sleep and make sure you’re taking vitamins too.

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