Here's How to Kick Your Sugar Cravings to the Curb Once and for All
As someone who consistently craves sweets—almost every single day and especially late at night—I know that cutting back on sugar is difficult at best and seemingly impossible at worst. Ice cream is my vice, and I rarely muster up the necessary self-control to say no to the small stockpile of mint chip that's currently in the freezer. What's worse is that the more I eat it, the more I crave it. It's kind of like coffee that way. According to Erin Palinski-Wade, RD, CDE, author of 2 Day Diabetes Diet and a consultant for Swisse Wellness, I'm not just imagining my ice cream dependency. She says that sugar addiction is real.
"Sugar is seen as a reward in the brain, so the more you eat it, the more you reinforce the reward, and the harder it can become to quit sugar," she says. "Couple that with the sugar crashes you experience after eating added sugars, which cause you to seek out more sugar, and it can start to feel as though sugar is a habit you can't break."
This is something to keep in mind when you begin to cut back on sugar. The longer you replace sugary foods with healthier options, the easier it will be to avoid it in the first place. For me, that means the urge to eat an entire pint of ice cream will fade (which is something I may or may not have done in the midst of Memorial Day weekend celebrations).
STAY CONSISTENT
While initially substituting junk food with foods that contain natural sugars (like fruits) can be helpful, not to mention healthier, over time, your taste buds will adjust to your diet, and choosing foods with fiber and protein will become the norm. You just have to make that transition and stick to it consistently until it becomes a habit that replaces your sugar one. That's not to say you're not ever allowed to indulge. Feel free to have that office doughnut or celebrate over a slice of birthday cake every now and then. Just make sure you're not choosing those rich, sugary foods on the daily and in replacement of other, healthier options. Remember: Clean eating is a lifestyle practice—not a strict diet or a quick fix for anything.
GET QUALITY SLEEP
Sleep is also tied to sugar cravings, so make sure you're catching enough Z's every night.
"A lack of sleep decreases the body's ability to make leptin (the satiety hormone) while increasing the production of ghrelin (an appetite-stimulating hormone)," Palinski-Wade explains. "This combination increases appetite and the desire for quick-energy simple sugars. One study found a lack of sleep could cause you to eat as much as 384 additional calories each day!"
That information is kind of crazy but also totally believable. I don't know about you, but when I'm feeling extra tired, I'm way more likely to give in to the beckoning call of junk food.If you struggle with falling or staying asleep, she recommends that you try taking Swisse Ultiboost Sleep. It has valerian, hops, and magnesium, which help your body produce sleep-inducing melatonin. (In fact, some people consider magnesium to be a miracle sleep supplement.)
"Research has found adding a calcium-rich food (like a glass of milk) or a calcium supplement (such as the Swisse Ultiboost Calcium + Vitamin D) before bed may also improve quality and quantity of sleep as it also aids in the production of melatonin," she says.
In short, kicking a sugar habit is difficult, but if you have the facts, it's easier to do. Trust that if you stay consistent, give it enough time, replace junk food with natural fruit sugars, and sleep well, your sweet tooth will have less control of your diet. And as for the latter, keep scrolling to see some sleep products THE/THIRTY editors love for encouraging a healthy night's rest.