The Secret Behind Your Sugar Cravings

What is causing your sugar cravings? When debating about what is causing your sugar cravings the key factors to keep in mind are diet, habit, sleep schedule, and mood.

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Before you grab that sugary snack, first ask why do you want it? Are you just hungry? Probably not because you probably would choose a more filling food. One reason you could be grabbing that snack is due to your daily routine. For example, maybe after you get home from work you always go grab that delicious snack from the cabinet. Habits are part of human nature, overtime if you keep repeating the same behavior pattern it becomes part of our memory systems, ultimately motivating us to repeat that action. The bad thing about habits is they are very difficult to break. However, just by identifying your sugar craving habit you already completed the first step towards breaking it. Also, these behavior patterns can be caused by reward-seeking behavior. Sugar activates the brain's reward system, leading you to crave it. Furthermore, people sometimes think they deserve that snack after completing a task. Back to my previous example, after you complete a long day of work you might think you deserve that sugary snack.

Next, your diet can influence what you crave. If your diet currently lacks protein, research has shown it leads people to have an increased number of sugar cravings. A diet lacking protein causes blood sugar levels to be low, ultimately causing your body to want high sugary foods. In addition, protein helps you keep you full and satisfied longer. Another issue could be your eating too many carbohydrates. Eating lots of sugary carbohydrates can cause a response in the reward circuitry, motivating you to eat more foods high in sugar. Overall, if you do not have a balanced diet you will not be getting all the essential nutritional groups you need. If you are missing essential food groups like fiber and protein, your body will most likely never be satisfied. To reduce your number of sugar cravings it may be smart for you to first take a look at your diet.

Another popular reason for sugar cravings is your sleep schedule. Are you getting enough sleep? Research has shown getting enough sleep causes people to consume less sugar. For example, a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that participants that got plenty of sleep could reduce their sugar intake by up to 10 grams in a day (Mandal, 2018).

Also, your mood can influence your cravings. It is important to ask yourself, “How are you feeling?” before you grab that snack because it may just be your mood that is causing that behavior. If you are stressed, depressed, or just in a bad mood, these feelings are more likely to increase your sugar craving. You may have heard the term comfort eating, when someone is upset it can cause them to use food as a mood booster. This is a very unhealthy habit, at first, it can temporarily cause a fix to your mood but eventually turn into a dangerous addiction.

Tips to reduce your Sugar Cravings:

  1. Drink plenty of Water

  2. Eat More Protein

  3. A balanced diet consisting of all the essential food groups

  4. Get Enough Sleep

  5. Sometimes giving in to your cravings is okay. This could be by eating half of the cookie with a filling lunch.

  6. Eat Enough Food

  7. Ask yourself what is causing your craving-diet, habit, sleep schedule, or mood. Identifying the cause will help you reduce your sugar cravings

  8. Distract Yourself-take a walk, or talk to a friend

  9. Eat Fruit

However, everyone needs to add some sweetness to their life sometimes. If that sugary snack is going to make you smile after a bad day, you can give in. Just be careful not to eat that snack every day.

Sources

Csatari, J. (2020, October 24). 8 Side Effects of Eating Too Many Carbs. Eat This Not That. https://www.eatthis.com/side-effects-of-eating-too-many-carbs/.

M, S. (2018, October 22). Protein Deficiency & Your Sweet Tooth - How Are They Related? PNW Fitness Blog. https://blog.pnwfitnessclubs.com/protein-deficiency/#:~:text=If%20you%20have%20low%20amounts,or%20that%20box%20of%20crackers.

Mandal, D. A. (2018, January 11). Sugar cravings worsened by lack of sleep. News. https://www.news-medical.net/news/20180111/Sugar-cravings-worsened-by-lack-of-sleep.aspx.

Weber, M. Self-Medicating Depression, Anxiety, and Stress. HelpGuide.org. https://www.helpguide.org/articles/addictions/self-medicating.htm.

Erin Donley