Sweet Cravings – Why Willpower Alone Doesn’t Work
If you’ve cut back on sugar intake and still find yourself controlled by a sweet tooth, you’re not alone. And it’s not about a lack of willpower, I promise. Read on to learn more.
Sugar IS Addictive
Did you know food manufacturers employ food scientists to make their products more addictive? Altering the sugar and salt content in food creates more intense and immediate pleasure. And sugar impacts the brain 20 times faster than nicotine, and foods that are highly processed and sweetened are the most addictive.
Sugar Begets More Sugar
If you think you’ve cut sugar out because you stopped eating baked goods, icecream, soda and candy, you likely haven’t eliminated all of the added sugar. It hides everywhere! Think granola bars, ketchup, salad dressings, restaurant foods, dairy products, protein bars, breakfast cereal, energy drinks, some breads (including whole grain), dried fruit and other fruit snacks to name a few.
Next time you grab a packaged product of any kind, take a moment and look at the nutrition label and find how many grams of added sugar there are in the serving size. Note, the serving size is often less than what one typically consumes so you may need to multiply the added sugar grams given to get to you the actual total of added sugar. The rule of thumb I give my clients is no more than 25 grams of added sugar per day. And it’s easy to get there without having any sweets. Here’s an example:
Breakfast
1 cup of coffee w. 1 Tbsp creamer 5 g.
YoPlait Blueberry yogurt 13 g.
½ Cup Granola 10 g.
Lunch
Pasta with Chicken + Marinara Sauce 8 g.
Salad with 2 Tbsp Salad Dressing 4 g.
Dinner
Hamburger w. Bun and 1 Tbsp Ketchup 6 g.
1 Cup “Low Sugar” Costco Coleslaw 3 g.
Dole’s Fruit cup 12 g.
Total Added Sugar: 61g
Hidden sugar isn’t the only culprit behind cravings. Here are a few other possible underlying problems. See which ones may apply to you.
Low Blood Sugar (improper macronutrient balance)
Blood sugar is easily dysregulated when a meal doesn’t have a proper macro-nutrient balance (complex carbs + protein + fat). In particular, when there isn’t enough protein and healthy fat to go with our carbohydrates, or when the meal is too low in fiber and rich in refined carbohydrates (instant oats, pasta, white rice, pancakes, bread, etc) the blood sugar spikes, which causes the pancreas to release lots of blood sugar-regulating (and fat storing) hormone, insulin, to bring it down fast. This leads to the blood sugar going down too low, or worse, crash, so does your energy and you naturally start craving something to pick your energy levels back up. And sugar is often the easy grab. So when a craving hits, always explore whether your previous meal or even breakfast had enough protein, fiber, and healthy fat.
Dehydration
Sometimes a sugar craving is nothing more than the need for more hydration. Next time a craving hits, stop and have a glass of water before anything else. Wait 10 minutes and see if the sugar craving subsides. Remember, most people need about 1/2 their weight in ounces of water each day! Work on getting there slowly.
Seasons, Places, People
Notice if your strongest cravings are during certain times of day, month or year, or perhaps when you are in certain places or around certain people. Our triggers for sweet cravings are often embedded in these situations. Think about how many situations have sugars and sweets associated with them. Sometimes all you have to do is think about them and you start craving. When you know your trigger, you can have a plan to navigate around those situations.
Hormones
It’s very common to feel sugar cravings intensify in the days before menstruation. I personally know that some dark chocolate needs to be handy during this time. And when avoiding all added sugar, stuffed dates with almond butter or Lily (stevia sweetened) dark chocolate hit the spot.
Lack of Sleep
Sleep deprivation will do two things to your cravings. One, it will dysregulate your hunger and satiation hormones (ghrelin and leptin), which may lead you to feel unusually hungry and unaware you’re full, so you keep munching. Also, when you feel tired, it’s very common to reach for something that will give you quick energy. Sugar!
Gut Imbalance
Too much sugar and refined grain consumption can lead to an overgrowth of yeast in the gut. Antibiotics can also stir up yeast overgrowth. This in turn can lead to very strong sugar cravings as the yeast are literally calling for more sugar to thrive. People with these types of gut imbalances often feel like they are possessed by sugar cravings. You can get tested for this.
Lack of Sweetness in Life
When emotional and or spiritual health is out of balance it is very common to have a craving for something sweet, mostly because it satisfies the emptiness or difficult feelings. This is only temporary of course! We use sugar to soothe, numb, distract, procrastinate, take out our frustrations, etc. Instead, we must begin to constructively address those underlying emotions and ask what it is we ‘really crave’. Is it love and affection? is it connection or companionship? Is it support? Less stress? More joy, play and creativity? Certainly, some of these can take time to improve upon so in this way the craving can be a teacher. In the meantime, make a note of what you’re observing and try healthier ways to address the craving in the moment. We address this quite a bit inside the 21-Day Reset.
Get curious about where and when your cravings are happening. Spend a little time reflecting on the possible causes of your cravings.
Keep in mind, breaking the cycle of sugar cravings takes time and patience. It’s about adopting a holistic approach that addresses the root causes and supports overall well-being. By nourishing your body and understanding the signals it sends, you can regain control over your cravings and embrace a healthier, balanced lifestyle.