How to Avoid, Control and Curb Sugar Cravings Naturally


How can you stop those sugar cravings that are annoying and interfere with dieting and your normal eating pattern? Do you suddenly crave for sugar and when you eat one jelly bean, you find you can't stop until you have eaten the entire packet, and then you regret it and feel disgusted with yourself whole packet is demolished? Here we will examine their cause, what triggers them, how to prevent them occurring and how to stop them once they start. Sugar cravings and binge eating of sugar can be regarded as a habit or even an addiction. In the worst case you may have a sugar addiction that resembles an addiction to coffee, tobacco or various other drugs.

Added sugar in common foods
Added sugar in common foods. Source: Public Domain
Sugar craving symptoms
Sugar craving symptoms. Source: Public Domain

Why Sugar Cravings Occur

Sugar cravings can be associated with a drop in sugar levels in the blood. If it is a few hours from your last meal of snack it is reasonable to expect that you will feel hungry and this will trigger a sugar cravings.

Sugar is the quick fix and many organs including the brain depend on sugar, not fat or protein. You body can supply sugar to the brood stream, but it is a slow process and it is much easier and quicker to simply eat sugar.

Food cravings can also arise from various hormonal changes. Many women have observed that they crave sugar when they are pre-menstrual. Our emotional state, how we feel is also largely responsible for the sugar craving - we eat sugar to feel better. It can also be triggered by an empty feeling in the stomach. Tiredness and the need for a break can also trigger a craving.

Feelings of anger, stress or frustration can also trigger a craving and many people seek comfort by polishing off half a cake, an entire block of chocolate or a whole pack of sweet biscuits. Type A people are probably more prone to sugar cravings. These people are more impatience, more ambitious, more aggressive and more prone to stress and its various symptoms. These people are also more achievement orientated. Sugar cravings can also develop from excessive drinking of coffee and tea. After a while the caffeine hits induce a low blood sugar attack and a feeling of stress that are quickly relieved by a sugar hit.

Why am I Prone to Sugar Cravings?

Dietitians have found that people who eat haphazardly, eat very quickly and eat a restricted range of high carbohydrate and high fat foods tend to develop sugar cravings and other food addictions. Sugar cravings can be thought of as a form of compensation for an uninteresting foods and a poor diet.

Foods that are poor in fibre and have a high calorie density can lead to sugar cravings because they are digested quicker, produce a spike in sugar levels in the blood [link here] and tend to lead to hunger pangs much sooner after a meal.

Chronic and failed dieters can be particularly prone to erratic and uncontrollable sugar cravings. Dieting leaves you vulnerable, because you feel tired, stressed and hungry, and high sugar foods provide instant relief. People who try to starve themselves for part of the day are likely to crash and have a sugar binge.

If you enjoy each meal slowly, feel fully satisfied at the end of the meal without overeating and eat high fibre foods that take longer to digest you may be less likely to develop sugar addictions because you avoid the circumstances that trigger their onset.

How to Prevent Sugar Cravings

Hypnosis to Stop Sugar Cravings

Also a last resort you may try hypnosis to control your sugar cravings. You can even try on of the self-help hypnosis mp3 recordings that are available online. They are very reasonably priced and come with a risk-free 90-day money back guarantee – more than enough time to see if this works for you.





Added sugar in common foods
Added sugar in common foods. Source: Public Domain
Sugar is added to most processed foods - Lots and Lots of Sugar we don't need and want. Learn how to halve the amount of added sugar in your diet and your family's diet.
Sugar is added to most processed foods - Lots and Lots of Sugar we don't need and want. Learn how to halve the amount of added sugar in your diet and your family's diet. Source: Public Domain
The amount of added sugar in many foods will shock you - even so called healthy foods and drinks
The amount of added sugar in many foods will shock you - even so called healthy foods and drinks . Source: Public Domain
Most of the added sugar in many diets comes from beverages. This means it is relatively easy to cut down, by simply consuming less of these drinks. See more information about the added sugar content of foods here.
Most of the added sugar in many diets comes from beverages. This means it is relatively easy to cut down, by simply consuming less of these drinks. See more information about the added sugar content of foods here.. Source: Public Domain
Discover how to halve the amount of added sugar you consume everyday as recommended by WHO and the American Heart Association
Discover how to halve the amount of added sugar you consume everyday as recommended by WHO and the American Heart Association. Source: Original Image by John Anderson
Many treats such as these cup cakes are stuffed with sugar
Many treats such as these cup cakes are stuffed with sugar. Source: Original Image by John Anderson
Treats are very tempting
Treats are very tempting. Source: Original Image by John Anderson
Many drinks contain vast amounts of sugar
Many drinks contain vast amounts of sugar. Source: Original Image by John Anderson
If you drink sodas you are pouring sugar into your mouth
If you drink sodas you are pouring sugar into your mouth. Source: Original Image by John Anderson
Added sugars come in various forms - check the list of ingredients
Added sugars come in various forms - check the list of ingredients. Source: Original Image by John Anderson