Sugar cravings- almost all of us experience them, some of us more so than others. While there’s nothing wrong with the occasional sweet treat or dessert, I do think it’s an issue when that desire turns into a “need” i.e. needing to end every meal on a sweet note. I say that because not long ago, that was me. To some extent, dessert & chocolate had some sort of power on me. Pre-healthy living days, I used to eat a Kit Kat Chunky bar every single day after lunch, and would be outraged if there was none at home. Yeah it was pretty bad but I’m just keeping it real here. Even during the early days of my weight loss journey, I seemed to crave sugar all the time.
Since the last couple of years, I have consciously been working towards reducing my sugar cravings. As somebody with a hormonal imbalance, I can’t afford to eat too much sugar without it affecting my health and weight. Without sounding like a Debbie Downer, overconsumption of sugar has been linked with a number of health issues including diabetes, heart disease, inflammation, depression, acne, Alzheimer’s…I could go on & on! Let’s just say that cutting back on sugar can only be positive. As my diet has evolved over the last few years, fortunately my sugar cravings have consequently dropped significantly. I still eat chocolate almost every single day but it’s controlled- a square or 2 of dark chocolate is enough to satisfy the craving. I know many of you are working on getting your sugar cravings under control so I wanted to share a few tips which have worked for me, in no particular order:
Getting Your Sugar Cravings Under Control
1) Fill your diet with real, wholesome ingredients: Sugar cravings are often a result of some kind of nutrient deficiency. Given that whole foods naturally contain an array of vitamins & minerals, improving the quality of your diet will help nourish your body, increase feelings of fullness & satiety and essentially curb the desire for a sweet fix.
2) Eat protein, especially at breakfast: Protein has become the Holy Grail and it certainly contains some merit in terms of controlling sugar cravings. Along with stabilizing blood sugar levels, consumption of protein leads to increased satiety. Rather than eat a bowl of cereal alone, add in some Greek yogurt or a side of eggs.
3) Don’t skip meals: Long periods without food trigger and intensify cravings for sugar. Grabbing a coffee to “tie you over” doesn’t count as a meal. Nip this in the bud by eating a meal/snack every 3-4 hours and be sure to include some protein, fat and fiber to increase satiety, prevent cravings and fluctuations in blood sugar. If you’re snacking on a piece of fruit, pair it with some nuts and/or Greek yogurt.
4) Eat enough calories to fuel your needs: Cravings are essentially a signal from the brain. When you are not eating enough food, your body becomes starved for energy, preferably in the quickest form possible: SUGAR!
5) Stop buying low-fat products: When manufacturers remove a portion of fat in a product, they replace it with extra sugar to compensate for the loss of taste. As consumption of sugar leads to more cravings, these low-fat products can actually leave you craving sugar and consuming more calories than you intended.
6) Nix the artificial sweeteners: As someone who used to drink Diet Coke daily and add Splenda to all teas & coffees, trust me when I say that if I can give it up, anyone can. To put it simply, artificial sweeteners tickle our taste buds but can’t fool the brain. The pleasure we get from consuming sweet treats is the result of a chemical called dopamine, which is released in the brain when sugar is consumed. Although they taste sweet, artificial sweeteners and other low-calorie options do not cause the same reaction in the brain, leaving consumers with intense cravings and also more likely to binge on sugar later on.
7) Switch to a dark variety of chocolate as it contains less sugar & a higher cocoa content. As a result, it takes a smaller amount to satisfy a craving and therefore reduces overall sugar consumption.
8) Go cold turkey temporarily: When I did the Whole30 in January 2014, sugar was one of the many foods that was off-limits. Although I was eating fruit, many foods were off-limits including fruit juice, chocolate, dessert, fizzy drinks, alcohol, processed foods, deli meats…basically any food/drink containing sugar. Although I can’t see myself ever doing anything like the Whole30 again, I am pleased that such a “detox” helped me reset my taste buds & sugar tolerance. By the end of the month, certain foods started even tasting too sweet & my desire to eat them almost disappeared.
9) Identify whether it’s a craving or habit: Many of us associate post-dinner as the time to relax & whip out something sweet. Once your dinner is over, try to occupy yourself for at least 30 minutes (e.g. by getting ready for the next day or going for a walk) and see whether you are still left craving something sweet. Often times, 20-30 minutes is enough time for a ‘craving’ to pass.
Going through this list, it amazes me just how much of healing power our diet can offer. It’s pretty sweet if you ask me ;)!
Are you more of a sweet or savory person?
What helps you reduce your sugar cravings?
I am definitely more a sweets person than a savory foods person – but I have noticed taking a multi and either eating more protein or drinking a protein shake seriously helps me curb my sugar intake during the day!
That’s so great to hear that you’ve been able to curb your sugar intakes. Great point about the multi!
This post comes at the perfect time, as I’m currently trying to nix my daily gelato habit! Three days strong 😀
It’s funny how much eating sugar comes down to habit. I did a Whole 30 type diet a couple of years ago, and the first week or so was pretty rough, but after that I didn’t crave it anymore. It felt amazing! Now I just have my daily dark chocolate. I will think about stopping my daily Diet Coke too, but one thing at a time here haha
Ahhh being in Italy and no gelato- that’s serious willpower ;)!
I have a huge sweet tooth, in fact a mouth full of them and indulge occasionally using with whole foods or home cooked baked goods. I by no means consume mass amounts of sugar though.
I think half the battle is watching liquid sugar. So much can come in the form of sodas, iced teas, juices and specialty coffee drinks. Without even realizing it, you can consume large amounts of sugar just that way.
Super point about liquid sugar- it’s crazy how much sugar a mere can of Coke can pack in! Even fruit juices can be so ridiculously high in sugar yet wear the halo of being “healthy”!
Hi K! I’m totally a sweet person, but try to limit my sweet consumption to the weekends mostly (although that hasn’t been happening lately!) These are some great tips, and it’s awesome you’ve got a handle on your sugar cravings! Have a fabulous and sweet day!
That’s awesome that you’re able to limit your sweet intake to weekends, Ashley 🙂
Agreed with all of your tips. And since I just went through my own no added sugar “thing,” I can personally attest to how powerful cutting back on sugar can be.
I knew we’d be on the same wavelength 🙂
Going along with the theme of ‘re-evaluating’, I think it’s so important to review our relationships with sugar – and all types of sugar at that!
Your points on artificial sweeteners and low fat foods in particular are such major points that most people don’t even think about!
I love that I can satisfy any sugar craving now with a couple of dates or a square or two of dark chocolate – but I always ask myself first – why am I craving this?
Great point about questioning the craving i.e. Is it a habit? Am I hungry? Do I actually want to eat X? It definitely helps put the craving in perspective!
I find that when I eat a lot of sugar, I get a couple pimples. I literally just cut sugar out of my diet cold turkey, and if I’m feeling it, I’ll have a cracker with some peanut butter or something. I do allow myself desserts like twice a week, but it’s just not a requirement anymore.
Peanut butter is an excellent sugar replacement- it definitely helps kill the craving for me!
Habit is key – if I’m really trying to break it, I have to go cold turkey. But in the day-to-day I find the biggest help is not getting hungry, lots of water, chewing gum or brushing my teeth to have that “fresh” flavor that you don’t want to ruin… and some dark chocolate as a night cap. 😉
Dark chocolate is definitely a saviour…and luckily all it takes is a square or 2 to get my fix :)!