Most people experience cravings, or intense desires to eat certain foods. Studies show that over 90% of the population experiences food cravings.
Sugary foods, like chocolate, cake, candy, and ice cream, are some of the most commonly craved foods, especially among women.
While occasionally enjoying sweets won’t harm your health, eating high amounts of added sugar can increase your risk of several health conditions, such as heart disease and liver conditions. For this reason, it’s important to manage your sugar cravings.
People often turn to overly restrictive diets (e.g., very low-calorie diets or cutting out many foods) when trying to lose weight or improve their health. Denying your body specific foods, such as sweet foods, may intensify cravings.
The relationship between dieting and food cravings is complicated, but some studies show that food deprivation increases cravings. A diet that doesn’t allow added sugar may cause you to crave sugary foods frequently.
Low-carbohydrate diets may also increase sugar cravings. A study found that people following low-carbohydrate diets—both alone and combined with intermittent fasting—showed higher levels of food cravings, binge eating, and food preoccupation than people not following low-carbohydrate diets.
However, other research has shown that low-carbohydrate diets can help reduce sugar cravings.
Though more research is needed, it’s generally advised to avoid overly restrictive diets and choose more flexible, balanced diets that allow an occasional treat. This may help take your attention off of specific foods, reducing cravings.
Maintaining stable blood sugar levels is important for reducing sugar cravings. Blood sugar levels influence the brain’s regulation of food intake.
Studies show that people with type 2 diabetes who have unmanaged blood sugar control tend to have higher levels of hedonic hunger (the consumption of food for pleasure and not energy). They also have greater cravings for sugary foods than people with controlled diabetes.
Research also shows that consuming foods with a high glycemic index (GI) can increase hunger and stimulate areas of the brain associated with food reward and cravings after eating.
The glycemic index (GI) is a tool used to assess a food’s effect on blood sugar levels. High-GI foods have a more rapid impact on blood sugar, creating a more significant rise and fall in glucose levels that can impact cravings—including sugar cravings.
Eating foods high in protein and fiber can help stabilize blood sugar levels and help you feel fuller, reducing hunger and minimizing sugar cravings.
Protein and fiber help slow digestion and increase levels of satiety (fullness) hormones, like glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), cholecystokinin (CCK), and peptide YY (PYY levels).
Increasing protein and fiber intake can reduce hunger and food cravings, including sugar cravings. Eating more fiber and protein can help you feel more satisfied, which may reduce snacking and sugar cravings.
Sleep is essential for overall health, and lack of sleep may increase cravings for sugary foods.
Sleep deprivation has been shown to increase blood sugar fluctuations and food cravings. Sleep plays an important role in blood sugar regulation and appetite, so maintaining a consistent sleep schedule can help combat sugar cravings.
A small study found that when time spent in bed was reduced by 33%, participants reported increased hunger, more food cravings, and a higher intake of chocolate. Research shows that even a single night of sleep deprivation can increase hunger-promoting hormones and the desire for highly palatable foods, like sweets.
Experts recommend that adults get at least seven hours of sleep per night for optimal health.
Being overly stressed can impact your hunger and cravings for sugary foods.
One study found that participants reported increased cravings for carbohydrates, including sweets, on days they experienced more stress. Participants with higher stress levels also had more cravings for sweets than people with lower stress levels.
Stress increases levels of appetite-stimulating hormones, like ghrelin and cortisol, and stimulates areas of the brain associated with reward control, which can increase cravings for sugary foods.
Although avoiding all stress is impossible, recognizing and controlling stressors in your life and incorporating stress-reducing techniques, such as exercise and hobbies, can help you manage and reduce stress.
You may think that following a rigid plan to avoid all sugar can help you curb sugar cravings and lose weight. However, studies show that a more flexible diet may be better.
Strictly avoiding certain foods may cause you to crave that food and increase the chances of overeating. Research shows that restrictive eaters and chronic dieters are more likely to overeat highly palatable foods, like sweets.
Some studies also show that a more flexible dieting approach may be more effective for weight loss. One small study of women considered overweight or obese found that those who followed a more flexible dieting approach lost more weight over six months than those with more rigid eating behaviors.
Being flexible can mean allowing yourself to occasionally enjoy your favorite foods, like sweets, without guilt. Having dessert after dinner with a friend or savoring a small ice cream cone on a summer day fits within a balanced diet.
Many dietary choices are habitual, like eating a bowl of ice cream after dinner while watching TV or buying a soda every day at lunch. Breaking habits and replacing them with new, healthier habits takes time, but it can help reduce sugar intake and cravings.
If you always have a sugary dessert after dinner, try replacing it with a more nutritious option, such as fresh fruit or berries drizzled with a small amount of dark chocolate. If you drink a soda with lunch every day, try swapping it for sparkling water.
You can start slow, with just a few days a week, and then build from there as this new pattern becomes easier. Some research suggests that it can take up to 254 days for a behavior to become a habit, so stick with it and don’t get frustrated if it takes time.
In addition to using the tips above, you can reduce your overall sugar intake by swapping sugary sweets with foods lower in added sugars and higher in nutrients.
Here are a few healthier swaps for popular sugary treats:
- Instead of candy bars: Fill pitted dates with almond butter and dark chocolate chips
- Instead of ice cream: Make “nice cream,” a frozen, dairy-free dessert with blended fruits like bananas or berries
- Instead of soda: Flavor sparkling water with fresh juices, such as lemon or tart cherry juice
- Instead of milkshakes: Make a protein shake with sugar-free chocolate protein powder and frozen bananas
There are many other healthy alternatives to popular sugary foods and drinks. If you’re a fan of sweet baked goods, consider browsing the internet for a lower-sugar, higher-protein version of your favorite treats.
Many food companies also offer boxed mixes, such as cake and cookie mixes, that are low in sugar and made with beneficial ingredients like almond flour and monk fruit.
Consuming too much added sugar can harm health in several ways. Studies show that diets high in added sugar are linked with obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, and mental health conditions like anxiety and depression.
Regularly eating sugary foods and drinks can also harm your dental health, increasing the risk of cavities and gum disease.
To reduce these risks, the American Heart Association recommends limiting added sugars to no more than 6% of calories per day, which equates to 6 teaspoons for women and 9 teaspoons for men. Most experts agree it’s best to keep your added sugar intake as low as possible for optimal health.
Although sugar cravings are common, intense sugar cravings could be a sign of an underlying health condition, such as diabetes or reactive hypoglycemia, a medical condition where blood sugar drops after eating.
A healthcare provider can help diagnose and manage any health conditions and refer you to specialists, such as a registered dietitian, who can help you create a healthier dietary pattern and control sugar cravings.
Most people experience sugar cravings, but it’s important to manage them to keep your sugar intake low and reduce your risk of health conditions related to sugar overconsumption.
Increasing your fiber and protein intake, maintaining healthy blood sugar levels, managing stress, and getting enough sleep can help reduce sugar cravings. Swapping favorite treats for lower-sugar alternatives can also help.
