Why We Crave Sugar and How to Beat the Cravings

As we navigate our way through quarantine, many of us might notice that we’re craving sugar a lot more than we usually do. From Whole30 to the 30-Day No Sugar Challenge, many of us have been trying to cut back on the sweet stuff, and recent events are probably making it a bit harder to avoid the candy bowl. But why is it so hard to cut back on sweets? And how do we beat the sugar cravings?

We’ll take a look at the science behind why we crave the sweet stuff and how to cut back while still enjoying a sweet treat from time to time. But first, let’s answer the most important question: why?

The Benefits of Reducing Sugar Intake

Note the word “reducing” and not “eliminating”. Sugar isn’t all bad. In fact, glucose – one of the building blocks of sucrose (a.k.a table sugar) – is the preferred fuel source for the brain. Not only does it give us energy, but it’s also enjoyable to eat – and there’s nothing wrong with that! However, science has shown that eating high amounts of sugar, particularly added sugars (we’ll get to that below), is associated with risk for obesity, poor diet quality, and risk for chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

The concern over health effects of high sugar intake has led to recommendations by both the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the American Heart Association for added sugars. The Dietary Guidelines recommend consuming no more than 10 percent of calories from added sugars (about 50 grams) per day, and the American Heart Association’s recommendation is even lower, with men at 37.5 grams per day and women at 25 grams. Is that a lot less than what we eat now? You bet it is! According to the Pew Research Center, the average American consumes 90 grams of added sugar per day (the study didn’t include sugar intake from fruits and vegetables).

So why are added sugars such a big deal? Aren’t all sugars the same? Yes and no. It’s true that once digested in your body, sugar from fruit and sugar from a donut are the same. However, the key differences are the rate of absorption and nutrient quality. When you eat an apple, there’s sugar but there is also fiber, which slows down the digestion and absorption of the sugar into the blood stream. This means you won’t get the dramatic rises in blood sugar that are associated with inflammation and risk of chronic disease. Not to mention, there are important vitamins in an apple (and any fruit or vegetable) that work to keep your body working in top shape. On the flip side, sugar from a donut or even many breakfast cereals, doesn’t have all that fiber, so it’s digested and absorbed rapidly, leading to elevated blood glucose levels that overtime can lead to negative health effects.  

Why we Crave Sugar

If too much added sugar is bad for our health, then why do we crave it? While there isn’t a definite answer, science points to multiple reasons for why it’s so hard to quit the sweet stuff. One common theory is that sugar cravings were a survival mechanism back in hunter-gatherer days. When food was scarce, high sugar foods were important as sugar (via insulin) is key for fat storage as well as provides immediate energy.

But as we’ve evolved into a society where food is abundant, why do we still get these cravings? You can largely thank your brain for that. When you’re having a bad day, how many of you reach for a salad? Probably not many. No, most of us want that pint of ice cream or a candy bar. And that’s simply because eating sugar makes us feel good – and science can explain why. Two of the chemicals found in the brain that are affected by sugar intake are dopamine and serotonin.

Dopamine plays a major role in the motivational component of our reward and pleasure centers. Not only does it help regulate emotional responses and identify rewards, but it also enables us to take action to get those rewards. Research has shown that when an individual eats a high sugary food or beverage, there’s a surge in dopamine release, making us feel pleasure. And overtime, as we continue to consume high levels of sugar, there’s actually a decrease in dopamine receptors, making it harder to get pleasure from other substances and experiences. As a result we can become more dependent on sugar for a reward. Furthermore, when the brain is low on dopamine, it can lead to withdrawal-like symptoms including fatigue, depression and headaches.

And if that isn’t enough, serotonin is also affected by sugar. Serotonin helps regulate mood, with low  levels associated with depression. When we eat sugar, research has shown that there is a surge in brain serotonin, making us feel happy.

There are many other reasons for craving sugar, including:

• Not fueling your body appropriately. Balanced meals of fat, protein, and complex carbohydrates work to provide a steady stream of energy to the body, but when you don’t eat enough of these filling nutrients, your body may want a quick source of energy from high sugar foods. Yale researches found dramatic falls in blood sugar from eating a meal that was inadequate in fiber, protein and fat. As a result, the participants were more likely to report feeling a loss of self-control and craved high calorie, high sugar foods.
• Habits. Whether it’s getting used to ordering a super sugary drink from a coffee shop every morning or baking cookies every movie night, we often get into the habit of consuming high sugary foods at specific times of day or during certain events.
• Eating salty food. While this isn’t true for everyone, for some, eating salty foods leads to craving something sweet to balance it out.

How to Beat the Cravings

Yes, sugar cravings are real and can be hard to break, but it is possible! Here are ten tips for successfully reducing intake of sugar.

1. Start slow. While some individuals do well going cold-turkey and cutting out sweets, soda, and other sources of added sugars, most of us do better making small changes at a time. For example, if you eat sweetened oatmeal every morning, chances are it won’t be easy, or enjoyable, to switch to plain oatmeal. Instead, start small by slowly reducing the amount of sugar and adding in cinnamon and some berries on top. Over time, your taste buds will adjust to the reduced sweetness. And I have proof! My sweets-loving husband now even finds sliced banana to be too sweet on his oatmeal in the morning.
2. Eat mindfully. Many fruits, vegetables, and even grains are sweeter than we realize because we’re so used to eating super sweet beverages and snacks – and eating them quickly. By slowing down when you eat and really noticing the flavors of your food, you may be surprised at how sweet many foods are without added sugars.
3. Eat regular meals with fats, protein, and fiber to keep blood sugar stable. As we discussed above, balanced meals are key for keeping cravings in check. And this applies to snacks as well! Think about snacks as mini meals, which should have at least two if not all three macronutrients (protein, fat, carbohydrate).
4. Manage stress. Remember how sugar makes us feel good? When we’re stressed it’s easy to grab something sweet for a quick pick-me-up. But that’s all it is: a temporary fix. Whether it’s doing breathing exercises, going for a run, or singing along to music, finding a non-food way to cope with stress is key for keeping our bodies, and minds, healthy.
5. Get enough sleep. Research shows that sleep deprivation leads to increased production of ghrelin – the hunger hormone. When participants were restricted to 4 hours of sleep/night and then flashed pictures of healthy and unhealthy foods, the junk food shots were found to activate the brain’s reward centers.
6. Drink water. Often when we get sugar cravings, we’re actually just thirsty. By drinking water regularly throughout the day you may find a reduction in cravings.
7. Avoid artificial sweeteners. While artificial sweeteners sound enticing: little-to-no calories or sugar, the truth is that most of these artificial sweeteners are actually sweeter than real sugar, resulting in increased cravings for sweets. Skip the fake stuff and enjoy real sugar in moderation.
8. Keep foods flavorful. For some, foods with a serious flavor-punch like ginger, sour, or minty can ward off sugar cravings.
9. Spice things up. Yes, this is different than the last point. There’s ongoing research into the ability of certain spices to help stabilize blood sugar levels, thereby reducing sugar cravings. These include cinnamon, ginger, and turmeric.
10. Be patient! Most importantly, be patient with yourself. It takes time to break habits and adjust your taste buds.

Do you have any tips or tricks for cutting back on added sugar? We’d love to hear- share in the comments below!