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Apr 5, 2023 · Grab some gum. If you want to avoid giving in to a sugar craving completely, try chewing a stick of gum, says registered dietitian Dave Grotto. "Research has shown that chewing gum can reduce food ...
- Overview
- 1. Fruit
- 2. Berries
- 3. Dark Chocolate
- 4. Snack Bars
- 5. Chia Seeds
- 6. Sugar-Free Chewing Gum or Mints
- 7. Legumes
- 8. Yogurt
- 9. Dates
Eating certain foods, like fruit and yogurt, may help reduce cravings for sweets. Foods that contain whole grains, fiber, and protein may keep you feeling fuller longer.
Sugar cravings are extremely common, especially among women.
In fact, up to 97% of women and 68% of men report experiencing some sort of food craving, including cravings for sugar (1).
Those experiencing a sugar craving feel a strong urge to eat something sweet and can find it difficult to control themselves around food.
This can lead to binge eating or over-consuming calories, sometimes on a regular basis (2).
Luckily, there are things you can do to take the edge off.
When most people feel sugar cravings, they reach for high-fat, high-sugar foods like chocolate (1).
However, swapping out the junk food for some fruit when you feel like something sugary could give you the sweet hit you need and stop your craving in its tracks.
Fruit is naturally sweet but also contains lots of beneficial plant compounds and fiber, allowing you to have your fix and keep it healthy (3).
To make sure it hits the spot, eat fruits that are slightly higher in sugar like mangoes or grapes.
If you’re also hungry, try adding some yogurt to your fruit to make it a more satisfying snack.
Summary Fruit contains sugar,
Berries are an excellent, nutritious choice for stopping sugar cravings.
They taste sweet, but their high fiber content means they are actually quite low in sugar.
This could make them a great choice if you think your sugar cravings are linked to habit, rather than hunger. For example, you might crave sweet foods while you’re watching TV.
Additionally, berries are rich in plant compounds and have strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
This means they may help reduce risk factors for chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes (4, 5, 6).
Summary Berries taste sweet,
Chocolate is one of the most commonly reported foods people eat when they crave sweets. This is especially true for women (7).
However, if you find yourself craving chocolate, you can make a healthier choice by choosing dark chocolate.
Dark chocolate is chocolate that contains more than 70% cocoa. It also contains healthy plant compounds known as polyphenols.
Some studies have shown that the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of these polyphenols may help improve markers of heart health (8, 9).
However, like regular chocolate, dark chocolate contains sugar and fat, so it’s best to limit yourself to a couple of squares to satisfy your craving (10).
Summary Swap regular chocolate
Not all snack bars are healthy, and some are very high in fat and sugar.
However, if you’re craving a sweet treat, there are some good, healthier options out there.
Try looking for a snack bar made with whole oats and sweetened with fresh or dried fruit, rather than table sugar.
Also watch out for bars that contain a lot of so-called “healthy” sugar, such as honey, agave syrup or coconut sugar. These are still added sugar, and they aren’t good for you.
The best bars have been made with whole foods. They are likely to be higher in fiber and contain more beneficial nutrients, even if they are still quite sweet.
Alternatively, you could try making your own healthy snack bar using a recipe like this one.
Chia seeds are a good source of many important nutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids, soluble dietary fiber and some healthy plant compounds (11, 12).
In fact, soluble fiber accounts for around 40% of chia seeds.
This sort of fiber readily absorbs water and swells up to form a jelly-like substance in your gut, which may help keep you feeling fuller for longer and prevent sugar cravings (13).
Chia seeds are also versatile, so if you want a dessert to satisfy your sweet craving, you could try making a chia pudding like this one.
Summary Chia seeds are high in
soluble fiber, which could help you feel fuller for longer and curb your sugar
Chewing gum can be a great way to control your sugar cravings.
Gum or mints that are made with artificial sweeteners taste sweet but contain a minimal number of calories and no sugar.
Although results are mixed, some studies have also found that chewing gum could help control hunger, cravings and the intake of carb-heavy foods later in the day (14, 15, 16, 17).
In addition to helping you fight the urge for sugar, chewing gum after your meals is good for your teeth (18).
Summary Chewing sugar-free gum
can provide you with a sweet taste that may help curb your cravings and control
Legumes like lentils, beans and chickpeas are great plant-based sources of fiber and protein.
In fact, 1 cup (198 grams) of lentils provides you with around 18 grams of protein and 16 grams of fiber (19).
Both these nutrients are thought to increase feelings of fullness. Thus, in theory, including legumes in your diet could help you feel fuller and reduce hunger-driven sugar cravings.
In line with this, a recent review found that eating lentils may aid weight loss (20).
This may be partly due to the short-term beneficial effects that legumes can have on your appetite (21, 22).
Summary Legumes like lentils,
Yogurt is a healthy snack that’s high in protein and rich in calcium.
Additionally, some studies have suggested that yogurt could be a good snack to help regulate your appetite and control your cravings (23, 24, 25, 26).
In fact, one study found that healthy-weight women who had high-protein Greek yogurt for an afternoon snack were less hungry and ate less later in the day, compared to those who had a lower-protein snack or no snack at all (27).
The healthiest choice for yogurt is one that contains live cultures and is free of added sugar.
Summary Yogurt is a
high-protein snack that could help you control your appetite and cravings.
Dates are the dried fruit of the date palm tree. They are highly nutritious and very sweet.
Even though they have been dried, they are a great source of fiber, potassium, iron and beneficial plant compounds.
Having a few dates instead of a soda or some candy can give you a sweet fix and also provide you with healthy nutrients.
You could even try pairing them with nuts like almonds for a sweet and crunchy treat.
However, remember that dates are very sweet, so stick to one portion at a time, or about three dates.
Summary Dates are very sweet,
- Helen West, RD
Mar 17, 2023 · Focus on eating a balanced diet. Sometimes, the best advice is also the most obvious. “If you’re getting in the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, protein and high-fiber ...
- Get more sleep. People don't realize it, but not sleeping well can affect your sugar cravings. "Studies have shown that poor sleep leads to more intense cravings for sweets," says Samantha Cassetty, MS, RD, co-author of Sugar Shock.
- Know the difference between a craving and hunger. Oftentimes when we think we're hungry, we're actually just having a craving. What's the difference? Next time you want to reach for that chocolate cake, ask yourself: if the only thing I had to eat right now was an apple, would I eat it?
- Add some protein to a carb-rich breakfast. "A study that looked at MRI scans of people eating a high-protein breakfast found reduced activity in the regions of the brain associated with cravings," Cassetty says.
- Create structure. Don't think so much about eliminating sugar, and instead reframe it as adding more of the good stuff to your diet. Aim to consistently fill your plate with protein, healthy fat, and high-fiber carbohydrates like non-starchy vegetables.
- If You Are Hungry, Eat a Healthy and Filling Meal. It’s important to realize that a craving is not the same as hunger. It’s not your body calling for energy, it’s your brain calling for something that releases a lot of dopamine in the reward system.
- Take a Hot Shower. Some people who experience sugar cravings have found that hot showers or baths provide relief. The water must be hot — not so hot that you burn your skin but hot enough that it’s on the verge of feeling uncomfortable.
- Go for a Brisk Walk Outside. Another thing that can work is to go outside for a brisk walk. If you are a runner, running will be even better. This serves a two-fold purpose.
Jan 18, 2016 · Here are 11 simple ways to prevent or stop unhealthy food and sugar cravings. 1. Drink Water. Thirst is often confused with hunger or food cravings. If you feel a sudden urge for a specific food ...
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May 15, 2024 · If it was a while ago, this sleep deprivation could definitely be contributing to your sugar cravings. "A lack of sleep is linked to overeating, especially the overconsumption of junk food," says Dr. Crupain. "Try to get about eight hours of sleep a night so you'll be less likely to overeat sugary treats."
