Sugar is one of the most addictive foods in the British diet and it is very easy to become 'addicted', which can lead to cravings. This is particularly true if you have cut sugar and sugar-containing foods out of your diet for a while and then started eating them again. Sugar disrupts blood sugar levels, which in turn leads to more cravings for sugar to stabilise this and so the vicious circle can continue??..

You are right that it is best not to eat too much sugar, as it has virtually no nutritional value and, in research, has been linked to numerous health conditions and ageing. In a nutshell, sugar provides 'empty calories' that will not be helpful when trying to lose weight and, longer-term, could be detrimental to your health.

So, the best thing to do is to cut down (or preferably cut out) the cookies and croissants and replace these with low glycaemic index (GI) foods, such as wholemeal bread, oat cakes and porridge. These foods will help stabilise your blood sugar levels and gradually the cravings for high GI foods should disappear. Meanwhile, eat fruit to satisfy any sweet cravings.

You might also want to consider taking a chromium supplement for a short time. Chromium is an excellent mineral to help balance blood sugar and, by doing this, it can be beneficial in helping to control your appetite and lose weight. It is needed for the hormone insulin to work effectively and it is insulin that controls our blood sugar levels. You can buy chromium in health food stores or chemists. Just follow the recommended dose for a few weeks and see if this helps. Good luck!