Do you ever find yourself craving sweets mid-day, late at night, or after a long, busy day? You're not alone! Many people experience intense cravings, especially for sweets. There is a clear explanation for why these sweet cravings occur.
Sweets have high amounts of sugar, which is a type of refined carbohydrate. This component in food is easily absorbed by the body and is used as its main source of energy. Carbohydrates provide quick energy, so it makes sense that you would crave these types of food when your body needs fuel. Sugar has also been shown to release "feel-good" hormones, like dopamine. When you are stressed, sad, anxious, or overwhelmed you may innately turn to food to help decrease these negative feelings. Lastly, there is research showing that you can build tolerance to the taste of sweet foods. Essentially, the more sweet foods you eat or drink, the more your body adjusts to those flavors, requiring a higher level of sweetness to satisfy your cravings over time.
One key to overcoming sweets cravings is to understand where they are coming from and find solutions that resolve the underlying issue. Reference the attachment below for tips on finding the root of your craving and what you can do to overcome it!
Handout
Practice
Use the handout to identify where your sugar craving may be coming from, and implement the suggested tip in your own creative way.
Recipes
References
- Buckland NJ, Swinnerton LF, Ng K, et al. Susceptibility to increased high energy dense sweet and savoury food intake in response to the COVID-19 lockdown: The role of craving control and acceptance coping strategies. Appetite. 2021;158:105017. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2020.105017
- DiNicolantonio JJ, O'Keefe JH, Wilson WL. Sugar addiction: is it real? A narrative review. Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(14):910-913. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097971
- Leidy HJ, Campbell WW. The effect of eating frequency on appetite control and food intake: brief synopsis of controlled feeding studies. J Nutr. 2011;141(1):154-157. doi:10.3945/jn.109.114389
- Rada P, Avena NM, Hoebel BG. Daily bingeing on sugar repeatedly releases dopamine in the accumbens shell. Neuroscience. 2005;134(3):737-744. doi:10.1016/j.neuroscience.2005.04.043
- Team DH. 3 reasons you crave sweet or salty foods. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/3-reasonsyou-crave-sweet-or-salty-foods/. Published November 25, 2019. Accessed February 16, 2021.
- Yang Q. Gain weight by "going diet?" Artificial sweeteners and the neurobiology of sugar cravings: Neuroscience 2010. Yale J Biol Med. 2010;83(2):101-108.
