How to stop cravings for sweets and sugar

Many people suffer cravings for sweets and sugar. The causes of these cravings can vary widely, but foremost among them are hormonal imbalances of insulin and serotonin, unhealthy dieting, adrenal fatigue, eating disorders, stress, and even premenstrual syndrome.

There are, however, 10 basic steps that are effective for all the various causes of sugar cravings. Here they are.

1.  Increase your protein intake

Often our bodies will exhibit cravings for sweets when what they really need is more protein. This isn't true for everyone, so if having an egg or a steak doesn't improve your cravings, please consider the recommendations below.

2.  Remove temptations

• Go through your refrigerator and pantry. Get rid of everything that has a high sugar content. When you go food shopping check again for the sugar content of all the processed foods you buy.

• Take a walk after your meal, instead of eating dessert.

• Brush your teeth after meals – toothpaste helps to take away the food taste left in your mouth.

3.  Distract yourself

Drawing your attention to something else will help you to control your cravings. Read a book, watch TV, dance to music, play the piano, work in the garden, go for a walk – do something different to forget about your sweet and sugar cravings.

4.  Replace sweets and sugar with fruits

The sugars in fruits, which contain about 50% of fructose, are digested differently to sweets and sugar, which are difficult for your liver to metabolize and a primary cause of obesity. Fruits contain fibre, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and good phytonutrients – all of which help counteract the bad metabolic effects of sweets and sugar. 

5.  Skip the artificial sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners, like saccharin, sucralose or aspartame, have not been demonstrated to curb cravings for actual sugar, and may present a higher risk of cancer. Unlike their claims, artificial sweeteners have not demonstrated effectiveness in limiting obesity among users. Research indicates that using artificial sweeteners intensely increases your desire for sugar and sweets.

Do your own home-baking with xylitol (safe for humans, but very dangerous to pets). Despite its chemical-sounding name, it's a natural sweetener, made from plant fibre.

6.  Go for quality, not quantity

Eat a small piece of 70% dark chocolate instead of sweets or so-called ‘health’ bars. Have a small scoop of real gourmet ice cream instead of an entire bowl of ‘light’ ice cream. The treat will be more satisfying and you'll be consuming less sugar and artificial chemicals in the end.

7.  Read labels diligently

You might be surprised to learn how much sugar there is in many of the processed foods that you eat. Being aware of sugar content can help you avoid high-sugar foods and kick the addiction.

8.  Improve your diet overall

There are several ways to do this, but the following may help with sugar cravings in particular:

Eat more protein and good saturated plant fats and oils, all of which make you feel full and satisfied.

Have small, frequent meals to help keep your blood sugar levels stable, and eliminate your body's need for a quick sugar fix. Avoid skipping meals.

Take a daily multivitamin. Some nutrients help to keep blood sugar stable, so ensure that you get those by supplementing your diet appropriately.

9.  Combat hypoglycaemia, or low-blood sugar, by trying the following:

Eat a breakfast that is NOT sweet, for example brown rice, or lean protein and blanched vegetables. Avoid all sweets and sugars (including fruit, refined flour, etc.) until mid-afternoon. Sweet or sugar cravings in the afternoon can be eased by a cup of pure vegetable juice – add an apple for extra sweetness.

10.  Take it slow when trying to stop cravings for sweets and sugar

Take the process slowly and don't set targets that you know you can't achieve. The cravings will be easier to control as you adopt a sweet and sugar-free lifestyle.

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