How to Stop Craving Sugar Now: 7 Powerful Tips

Sugar is everywhere these days. And although nutrition advice is also everywhere, many of us still find ourselves struggling with cravings. This is a complex topic that looks a little different for everyone, but there are some key methods help you avoid feeling powerless to sugar. Here are some tips for how to stop craving sugar that you can start using today.

1. Keep Your Blood Sugar Stable

What and when you eat can have a big impact on your blood sugar. Fluctuations in blood sugar can lead to tiredness and cravings for quick sources of energy, a.k.a. sugar.

Keep your blood sugar stable by, as much as possible:

• Avoiding foods that spike your blood sugar like refined sugars, refined grains, sugar-sweetened drinks, and packaged and processed foods
• Eating plenty of low-glycemic, lower-carb foods like leafy green vegetables, healthy fats like nuts and seeds, olive or coconut oil, and grass-fed butter, whole food proteins like fatty fish, grass-fed meats, or beans and legumes, and low-sugar fruits like berries

Waiting too long between meals can also cause cravings for some people, so see if eating smaller amounts more frequently helps you. Going longer without eating can lead to extreme eating behaviors because your body is made to seek high-calorie foods if it thinks it’s starving.

2. Turn to Nature’s Candy

Whole foods like fruits and sweet vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, provide a sweetness along with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. These may help curb the cravings without all the empty calories of processed sugars.

3. Don’t Turn to Artificial Sweeteners

You’d think artificial sweeteners would be the answer, but research shows they may actually increase sugar cravings [1]. Plus, their artificial nature makes them a less-than-ideal option when you’re trying to eat better.

Stick with healthier, natural sugar substitutes if you need a better version, such as stevia, monk fruit, and xylitol.

4. Have a Healthier Version of What You’re Craving

Learning how to stop craving sugar doesn’t mean you can’t find a healthier alternative you still enjoy! Think of ways to satisfy what sounds good in a whole foods way.

For example, if you like peanut butter cups, try having a few dates dipped in peanut butter, or mix together cocoa powder, almond butter, and some stevia and chill in the freezer for a healthy, sugar-free treat!

5. Consider Low Carb

A low carb low sugar diet works for those who can’t figure out how to stop craving sugar no matter what they try.

Since you need to avoid sugar almost completely on a low-carb diet, you’ll train your taste buds to not expect high-carb or high-sugar foods. For some people, this can help eliminate sugar cravings as long as you stick to that way of eating.

Related post: 5 Proven Benefits of a Low-Carb Low-Sugar Diet

6. Ask Yourself What Else You’ve Craving

The truth is, you can have any sugary foods you want. So the real question is, do you truly want or need them?

Often, uncontrollable sugar cravings aren’t about the food at all, but about a deeper need in your life that hasn’t been addressed:

• Maybe you’re feeling lonely and need more human connection, such as a phone call to a friend or a hug.
• Or maybe you’re stressed at your job and need to include more stress-relieving activities in your life.
• Take time to write about what’s on your mind or speak it outloud to yourself or someone you trust.

If your sugar cravings are out of control, there’s likely something deeper going on that needs to be acknowledged.

Once you recognize those needs, you can start moving forward to address them.

7. Slow Down and Enjoy the Food

If you do actually just want something sweet, remember there’s no reason to feel ashamed. Life is all about balance. Try to look at food as simply choices you make in your best interests, not as a reason to feel shame or guilt.

Unless you’re following a diet like the ketogenic diet, moderation can exist. So when you do have something sugary, make it worth it. Choose quality over quantity instead of reaching for whatever chocolate or candy you can find.

And slow down enough to enjoy the experience. Pick a brand that you really like, get comfortable, maybe even put it on a nice plate before you have it.

Making all foods enjoyable and paying attention to how they make you feel can remove the need to binge on sugar or feel bad about an indulgence.

Overall, the methods for how to stop craving sugar can look different for each person. So through the process, be kind to yourself, try the tips above, and remember that food issues can be emotional as well.

Dig deep, seek support, focus on healthy foods that make you feel good, and have patience. Sugar cravings are no joke, but they can be overcome once you figure out what works for you.