There was an interesting article in one of the Sunday papers magazines today by a leading UK nutrionist about combating sugar cravings.

She suggested that foods rich in chromium such as cheese and shellfish (as well as wholemeal bread, pasta and cereals, which we can't have) can help.

However, what caught my attention was her tip about carrying a small bottle of vanilla essence around with you. Apparently, whenever you feel a sugar craving coming on, you should take a sniff of it, and the cravings quickly disappear.

Has anyone heard of this before or tried it?

Vanilla would make me think of baking and baking would make me thing of chocolate chip cookies and thinking of chocolate chip cookies would force me to run to the refrigerator and get out the tub of chocolate chip cookie mix... dollup some on a cookie sheet and in minutes be consuming warm, melty cookies!!!

(Heck.. I'd probably not even bake them!)

Lisa

Demi,

In aromatherapy, vanilla's most common use is as a calmative. In fact it is one of the most effective essentials for relaxation.

I would suggest it is that quality of vanilla that is reducing the cravings rather than anything else. Calm the mind, ease the mind, take your thoughts elsewhere. Vanilla is very good for that.

Vanilla would have to be just about one of my favourite smells in the whole world! I hadn't heard of it being used as a 'craving reducer' though - I might give it a try

I found that simply cutting out the carbs was enough to deal with sugar cravings after about the first two days

I must be among the lucky ones too. My cravings disappeared after about 3 days on the CAD plan. I was so amazed then and I still am! I have had maybe 2 small rolls in about 4 1/2 weeks and haven't missed bread at all.

I wonder if a vanilla candle burning would work well ?

Lisa

I had heard of the vanilla scent curbing appetite. I never paid much attention to it, I can't stand the smell of vanilla ... I burned too many vanilla candles during one of my pregnancies (30 years ago) and can't abide the scent now. The same thing happen with my other pregnancy (35 years ago) ... lemon scented liquid soap was new, and now I can't stand that smell either.
Nancy