Podcast 076: Herbs to Control Sugar Cravings

Is Easter really the best time to give up sugar? Well, given that there’s always another holiday around the corner, there’s never really an objectively better or worse time to try it. So why not try it now? You don’t have to do it alone – herbs can help! In this episode we’ll talk about some of our favorite herbs to control sugar cravings and help you change your relationship to sweet treats.

We always combine our herbalism with rational lifestyle interventions, so we’ll also discuss holistic strategies to cope with an oversized sweet tooth. Establishing a “sugar budget”, identifying your favorite low-sugar treats, keeping dessert close to mealtime, and finding ways to treat yourself that don’t involve food are all key here. Beneath that, there’s also value in recognizing what a sugar craving really is: a communication from the body, letting you know about an unmet need. This helps stave off guilt and shame!

Mentioned in this podcast:

• How To Minimize Hyperglycemic Toxicity – this post discusses the ways in which a complex meal mitigates the glycemic impact of a carby/sugary food.
• The Holistic Herbalism Podcast, episode 23: Schisandra & Peppermint – in which Katja embarked upon her 100-day schisandra experiment.
• Nettle & Friends – our classic formula. For sugar control, add in tulsi, cinnamon, or even schisandra!
• Everything Will Be Fine – an example of a nervine blend to help cope with the difficult emotions that often drive us to seek sugar.

Herbs discussed include: cinnamon, schisandra, tulsi, nettle, ashwagandha, licorice, calamus.

If you’d like to learn more about sugar, its effect on the body, more herbs for sugar cravings, and (almost) everything else about food and your health, check out our Fundamentals of Holistic Nutrition course! In it, we teach you the foundational principles of nutrition which apply to any diet type, while identifying particular diet adjustments that can help with common troubles. We also look at herbs as nutritive in their own right – as providers of mineral, vitamin, and phytonutrient compounds that can bolster a diet that’s otherwise lacking. Learn more and get started right here: