Why Stress Could Be the Source of Your Sugar Cravings

Do you tend to crave more carbs, sugar, and candy when under a lot of stress? First off-you’re not alone. Second off-there may be more to the story here than just a lack of willpower to say no to sugar.

Say hello to cortisol!

Cortisol is a bodily hormone that is pumped out when you’re super stressed—think fight or flight mode! This mode is a survival mechanism that makes us ‘ready to fight’ – due to the ancestral connection to the need to fight for our food or run from a predator!

So, is this a good or a bad thing?

Both! In the short term, it is good that we have elevated cortisol so we have the energy to make it through a good stressor—like a tough workout class or running to catch the train you’re running late for.

The downside of long-term stress

When it is activated over the long term; chronically elevated cortisol can be detrimental to the entire body. Some of these effects include adrenal fatigue, obesity, digestive issues, insomnia, and even fertility struggles. More specifically, in the context of sugar, high cortisol levels trigger the liver to release glucose into the bloodstream, therefore increasing blood sugar levels. Simultaneously, certain “flight or flight” muscles (think those that help you run from a predator) become more insulin-sensitive because those muscles need to store sugar for energy.

Over time, this constant exposure to glucose causes the cells to become resistant to the insulin that your pancreas is secreting. Insulin resistance is NOT good—it means your cells don’t know how to uptake the sugar for fuel and more of it sits in your blood aka HIGH BLOOD SUGAR and increased diabetes risk! The empty cells become starved of sugar and therefore signal to the body that they need more sugar and carbs—causing sugar cravings and cortisol spikes. Studies have also supported that cortisol binds to hypothalamus receptors in the brain causing appetite stimulation (2). Increased appetite can lead to a tendency to overeat and increase insulin resistance and diabetes risk as well.

In summary: long-term high stress=chronically elevated cortisol that can cause insulin resistance and increased sugar cravings.

How to Combat Sugar Cravings and Start Your Sugar Detox

Stress can never be eliminated—that’s life! But what you CAN do is improve how you manage your stress and cortisol levels naturally. If you’re looking for sugar detox FAQs or how to crack a sugar craving, Five Journeys can help. Check out the blog post ‘How to Sweeten Up Your Mood Without Sugar‘ to get rid of your sweet tooth, fight cravings, and control your body weight in the most natural way possible. 

References:

1. http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/111609p38.shtml
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4454811/