One of the banes of healthy eating is sugary foods. It is hard to turn them down despite knowing they are high in calories but it's even harder to stop craving for them! Experts, however, say that there's a mineral nutrient that can help lower these cravings and that, most surprisingly, it is lacking in the average American diet!
Consuming more of this mineral will not only help you tamp down on your longing for sweets, but it can also help improve your daily sleep routine, aid digestion, and boost your immune health.
That mineral is magnesium. Experts say, consume more magnesium-rich foods, and you'll be able to control your sugar cravings.
Susan Yanovski, MD, co-director in the Office of Obesity Research at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, says that up to 80% of people in the U.S. may be deficient in the essential mineral.
Research indicates that Americans can't simply get enough magnesium from their daily diet. The situation has been labeled "a public health crisis," by the journal Open Heart because magnesium has proven beneficial to overall health concerns, including bone health, heart function, sleep, digestion, as well as, mood and energy levels.
According to experts, an individual found to be chronically deficient in magnesium, therefore, has increased chances of developing debilitating diseases like high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and osteoporosis.
Thankfully, all you have to do is simply load up on magnesium-rich foods like chocolate, which contains cacao (a rich source of magnesium), beans, dark leafy greens, nuts, brown rice, and dried fruits.
The recommended daily allowance for adults is 420 milligrams for men and 320 milligrams for women. Seeds have especially been credited with providing the highest amounts of magnesium per serving — for example, an ounce of pumpkin seeds contains 168 milligrams!
Other magnesium-rich foods include salmon and spinach. If you don't particularly like these, then you want to research more magnesium-rich foods that you can incorporate into your daily diet.