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How to Manage Sugar Cravings for Better Health

sugar cravings

The disadvantages of eating refined sugar are becoming increasingly recognised by health-conscious consumers.

Sugar & Health Problems

Far from being something that only causes problems for the dentist, people are now understanding that sugar is responsible for a lot of serious health problems. Research has even shown that sugar can contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease and cancer. For this reason, and many more, it is imperative that we reduce our sugar intake or eradicate it from our diets altogether.

Given that so many of the processed foods we eat are laden with sugar, this can prove to be difficult. However, by opting for a plant-based diet you’re much more likely to avoid such foods.

Addiction & Cravings

Sugar is a fairly addictive substance to the point where our bodies crave it if you suddenly stop consuming it. This is a temporary and completely manageable sensation and there are several things you can do to help prevent such cravings. Beginning your day with a high protein breakfast is one of the best things that you can do.

Between 15 and 20 grams of protein will help to ensure that your blood sugar level stays steady throughout the day. Sugar cravings are much more likely to take hold when your blood sugar levels are fluctuating too high or too low.

Snacking on Healthy Fats

By snacking on foods that are high in healthy fats throughout the day, such as an avocado or nuts, you are more likely to feel full. This in turn will prevent you from reaching for sugary snacks.

Coconut oil is an especially good fat and you can even try swallowing a tablespoon or two during the day. This will not only leave you feeling full but also full of energy which is something we can all use at some point in the day!

What About Artificial Sugars?

Replacing sugar with artificial sweeteners is never a good idea. Although they are generally calorie free, they contain harmful chemicals which can be just as detrimental to health as sugar.

When you use artificial sweeteners, the levels of dopamine in your brain are reduced. This will prompt a sugar craving as your body tries to balance itself. There are so many healthy natural sweeteners that can be used, such as cinnamon, date sugar or maple syrup that there really is no need to rely on the unhealthy alternatives.

Sleep

Getting enough sleep is a simple way to tackle sugar cravings. When you deprive your body of an adequate amount of rest, you are causing chemical imbalances which increase hunger. When you’ve got a busy schedule and you’re hungrier than usual, it’s easy to eat junk food that was produced to be convenient.

These products are generally full of sugar and other harmful chemicals. For this reason it is essential that you provide your body with the rest it needs and plan your meals in advance to avoid being caught short.

Detox!

The first few days of a sugar detox can be difficult but after this initial period you will soon begin to feel happier, healthier and much more energetic. Your cravings will also quickly subside and you can enjoy a wholesome diet full of natural flavour!

This Post Has 19 Comments

  1. sounds like good advice. i’m very lazy with my diet. and almost always go for the easy fix without thinking things through. lack of sleep is an issue for me, too.

  2. It is SO HARD! i try to cut it all the time but cannot resist… I just try not to binge and find that cutting choc entirely is the only way I can not binge on it…

  3. I’m pretty good about avoiding sugar, but I grew up with processed cookies in the house, and that’s hard to completely banish from your life. I do my best.
    They are saying now that if you swish coconut oil through your teeth for 20 minutes a week(?) it kills plaque and keeps your teeth in good shape. Very hard to keep it in your mouth that long though. You can do 5 minutes a day, I think.
    I love Wallace and Gromit, by the way.

  4. Oh Oh! I just started with a sugar detox for 30 days and I feel like an hard core addict! Good to hear it will be better. I stopped drinking any sugary drinks for almost year now. I got that one down.. but chocolate.. ooh dear.. 😉

  5. It’s so hard to cut down on sugar, especially when it seems to be added to everything (I was surprised at how much sugar is in spaghetti sauce.) I like your tips about healthy fats – I’ve been hearing more about coconut oil… I want to give that a try!

  6. Love this article! Thank u for following my blog but this is just downright necessary information. I’ve been doing Nutribullet smoothies to help control my sugar cravings because diabetes is on both sides of my family. I find that walnuts and cinnamon work wonders! Keep on giving us this literally vital information. The world needs it.

  7. Thank you so much for this. I am already a little way along this road but reading this has helped keep me on track. I have found eating 6 times per day (but obviously small amounts!) really helpful – within an hour of rising, 90 minutes after that, lunch (main meal) at 11:30am – 12pm, afternoon snack between 2 and 3pm then light supper at 5:30 and final snack of nuts or similar no later than 1 hour before bed. This is to reduce inflammation as I have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and as a clerk by day and knitter / spinner in my free time I cannot bear to think of restricted movement in my wrists.

  8. This is such an interesting article! I know cutting excess sugar from my diet will help me out but I find it so difficult to maintain this! Hopefully these great tips will help 🙂

  9. Great advice! It is helpful and important for us to know the reasons behind our sugar cravings so we can work on preventing the sugar cravings before they happen.

  10. Hi what is a good substitute for corn syrup in a recipe? I’ve heard bad things about it but I am unsure what to replace it with

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