Most moms crave sugary treats postpartum. If you are a first-time mom and not aware of postpartum intense hunger pangs and cravings, these sugar cravings can come as quite a surprise.
There are multiple reasons why you crave high-calorie sweet foods postpartum, lets understand the reasons and tackle the cravings at the source rather than binge and then guilt over it.
In today’s post, we talk about how to curb sugar cravings postpartum.
UNDERSTAND WHY YOU CRAVE SUGAR POSTPARTUM
There are 3 main reasons you may be craving sweets postpartum.
- Sleep deprivation
- Hormone surge to aid breastfeeding
- Postpartum fatigue
Postpartum there is an intricate dance of hormones that causes appetite changes. This coupled with sleep deprivation stimulates hunger hormones like ghrelin that seek more energy aka more food.
Besides this, the body needs an extra 500 calories a day when breastfeeding, if not managed through proper nutrition this leads to cravings for sugar due to specific nutrient deficiencies.
Read this post to understand in detail, why you crave chocolate and sugar postpartum.
HOW TO NAVIGATE THESE INTENSE HUNGER PANGS AND SUGAR CRAVINGS
Focus on Whole Foods
Eat more fruits and vegetables. Fruits contain naturally occurring sugars that satisfy your sweet cravings and vegetables add extra fiber and increase the satiety of meals.
Make meals nutrient-dense
Add extra protein and healthy fats to meals to build a more complete meal and not end up in a hunger loop soon after a meal.
One tip outside of the regular protein options is to choose grains that are naturally rich in protein to increase the satiety of meals. e.g. cook with millet, quinoa, and oats instead of rice and wheat at each meal.
Another tip for adding protein, instead of one whole egg for breakfast, add one whole egg and an extra egg white to the meal to aid post-meal fullness.
Grate paneer on your breakfast cheela to boost the protein in the meal.
Look for low-sugar/no-added-sugar alternatives for sweet treats
Many low-sugar or no-added-sugar sweet treats are available in the market these days. (I linked a few options on my Amazon storefront)
When making sweets at home swap with a fruit like banana/apple or dates for sweetness instead of sugar, jaggery, or honey. Check this post with many low-sugar recipes for postpartum moms.
Whole foods-based homecooked sweet treats can be just as good as store-bought treats. Once you get used to eating Whole Foods snacks going back to highly processed packaged snacks or other such desserts becomes difficult.
Don’t forget water
Many a time thirst is mistaken as hunger. Make sure you are drinking enough water throughout the day to not fall for this mistaken hunger trap. A personal water bottle will help keep track of water intake in a day.
Try and get as much sleep as you can
Since a lot of these sweet cravings are triggered by long nights with the baby try and get as much sleep as you can with help from family. Maybe tag team with your partner throughout the night or get help with the baby in the morning so you can sleep in a bit longer.
As a mother of two, I do understand that it may not be possible to consistently get good sleep, but ask for help whenever you can and keep your health a priority too.
Identify emotional triggers
Maintain a daily 5-minute journal to understand how the day looked like emotionally, and talk with your partner and immediate family to get the best help you can. Only when we understand our emotions can we process them in healthy ways?
Satisfy cravings in moderation
Enjoy your favorite snacks in moderation. Instead of banning sweets or sugar why not portion control?
One way to do this is to make small portions in ziplock for you to enjoy whenever you crave some of your favorite chocolate/cake. This way you don’t end up overeating and satisfy those sweet cravings too.
I hope these tips help curb those nasty sugar cravings postpartum. Most importantly, remember that its natural to crave high-calorie sweet foods and not fall into a guilt trip for a few missteps. Our health is a long game and focusing on the bigger picture and continuing to build healthy habits is more important than constantly judging yourself.
Save this post and share it with your new mommy friends to guide them on their postpartum journey.