10 Tips To Help You Stop Sugar Cravings
Sugar is everywhere and it’s in everything! I have personally fought the sugar addiction and am sharing 10 tips to help you stop sugar cravings.
Once you’re done with this, make sure you check out how you can improve gut health and eat healthy on a budget.
Save This Recipe!
Enter your email below & I’ll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get great new recipes every week!
Causes of Sugar Cravings
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Sugar cravings can hit out of nowhere, or they can linger and be around pretty much constantly. Regardless of how often the sugar cravings hit, there are some main causes of sugar cravings you should know about so you can avoid them – or handle them as they show up.
Hormone changes, lack of sleep, low blood sugar, high stress, and sugar addiction are all common causes of sugar cravings. Some of these things we can control, and others we can’t. Being armed with the knowledge of how to beat sugar cravings will better prepare you for this battle.
You’ll need all the help you can get because it can be tough to fight sugar cravings!
Sugar is addictive by nature and it’s in almost everything we see in a box, can, or bag at the grocery store. It’s in fast food, convenience foods, and even “healthy” protein bars. Check labels for sugar content while shopping to avoid sneaky sugar additives in your daily meals.
How to Stop Sugar Cravings Naturally
Cut back on caffeine. This isn’t something many of you want to hear, but caffeine can actually cause headaches, fatigue, and dehydration. Of course, the first few days after giving up coffee you may feel extra sluggish, but after a week or two, you’ll feel much better.
Make healthy swaps. When you’re craving sugary foods like chocolate, swap them for fruit instead. Once you give up processed, sugar-filled foods, fruits will taste like heavenly desserts! Sometimes they’ll even be too sweet, so you’ll only want a few bites. That’s when you know you’ve kicked the sugar to the curb! 😉
Hint: Berries are low in sugar and high in fiber, making them a great choice for snacks in between meals.
Stay full. Eating foods that are high in protein (and fat) is key to staying satisfied throughout the day.
The less chance you give your body to get hungry and low on blood sugar, the better chance your body has to avoid sugar cravings. High protein foods include meats like chicken, beef, and salmon. Other healthy, high protein options include nuts and seeds, and avocados.
Some chicken recipes from my recipe blog, The Bewitchin’ Kitchen:
Consume nutrient-dense foods rich in magnesium, chromium, and zinc.
Magnesium-rich foods
Green leafy vegetables
Seafood
Nuts and seeds
Tofu
Dark chocolate
Quinoa
Chromium-rich foods
Sweet potatoes
Broccoli
Apples
Zinc-rich foods
Spinach
Pumpkin seeds
Mushrooms
Dark chocolate
Beef and chicken
Add spices and seasonings to your food that help control blood sugar, like cinnamon and nutmeg. I’m a big fan of Flavor God seasonings.
Eat smaller meals more frequently. Keeping your sugar levels regulated will help prevent low blood sugar and low energy, which can contribute to sugar cravings.
Each meal you eat should be high in protein and contain fat and good carbs (think avocado, not a candy bar).
Lower your stress levels. “Limiting stress sounds like a great idea, Randa, but I’m juggling 3 kids, a full time job, countless parent-teacher conferences, soccer games, and grocery store trips.”
I get it.
We are all juggling a million things, especially when kids are involved! Lowering your stress levels can be as simple as taking five minutes to meditate (or just breathe!) a few times a day. It’s tough to have an hour, but everyone can squeeze five minutes a few times a day.
Think of other ways you can lower stress: can you order your groceries online and have them delivered, or pick them up at the store?
Can you offer to switch off with another soccer mom so you only have to go to half of the games?
Regular exercise and eating a healthy, well-rounded diet can also combat stress. It’s tough to do when you’re always on the go, but if you make it a priority your body will thank you for it! {insert some of your healthy meals or exercise plans}
Add flavor enhancers to your food. If you’re a smoothie fan, you can kick the flavor up a notch by adding cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, or some vanilla or almond extract.
These small changes make the flavor so much different that there’s really no way to get tired of smoothies because you’ll always be finding something new!
Drink more water. If you stay hydrated, you’re less likely to crave unhealthy foods and sugar. When you notice a sugar craving starting to come on, grab a glass of water and start drinking. There are numerous benefits to drinking water. If you don’t like plain water, add some fruit or zero calorie flavoring packs to make it more enjoyable.
Here are tips to drink more water.
Get up and move. One last way I beat sugar cravings is by going for a walk (gotta get my 10,000 steps in!), or doing a quick workout. Get that blood pumping and you’ll forget all about those pesky sugar cravings! Plus, if you work up a sweat, you’re more likely to drink more water, which we all know is great for your skin and overall health.
I personally go for walks and workout with Beachbody on Demand. It has all the workouts I do PLUS it syncs with my Apple Watch which is awesome!
I hope these tips have helped you.
Don’t forget to share this with a friend and pin it!
