Stop the Urge to Snack--No Willpower Required

Obesity is huge problem in America, and one of the biggest culprits is our collective urge to snack. Snack food manufacturers make up a multi-billion industry—all focused on bringing you chips, snack bars, and cookies that are draining your wallet, expanding your waistline, and contributing to the diabetes epidemic.

Now, I could tell you to resist all those snacks with pure willpower, but you and I both know that rarely works. In fact, the urge to snack is hard-wired into our brains. Stress tends to trigger cravings for high-sugar, high-fat foods—and these foods have a strong “rewarding” effect that causes you to crave more snacks.

Fortunately, there are effortless ways to stop the snacking cycle…

* Nip stress eating in the bud with saffron. Saffron naturally boosts levels of serotonin, which influences satiety, appetite, mood, compulsiveness, and anxiety. One way to get the benefits of saffron is by adding this spice to your cooking. In addition, a new clinically proven saffron extract called Satiereal® has been developed from Mediterranean saffron. In clinical studies, it decreased hunger pangs and helped people snack 51% less.

* Reduce hunger with fiber and water. One overlooked appetite suppressant is water. I recommend drinking an eight-ounce glass of water when you feel the urge to snack. Soluble fiber from your diet (such as a juicy apple) and supplements (psyllium is a good source) also staves off hunger by causing a slower release of glucose.

* Chew gum. Chewing sugar-free gum between meals reduces snacking and calorie intake.

Now it’s your turn: Do you have any techniques that help you snack less?

You may also be interested in:

10 Easy Tips for Taking Off the Pounds

Habits That Will Pack On the Pounds