How can you diminish a sugar craving?

[J-rap]

No joke! My high school senior has always loved sweets, and though she is mostly a healthy eater, she still says that all she ever really wants to eat is something sweet. She forces herself to eat eggs and fruit for breakfast, a healthy lunch, and meat, rice, veggies, etc. for dinner... She tries to limit her dessert intake to two/day -- for example, a cookie after lunch, a brownie after dinner. She does well with that on most days; she is fairly disciplined. BUT, she says she is really never, ever hungry for anything else besides sugar, and it is ALWAYS a struggle to not gorge on it.

This is the same daughter who has constant headaches (migraines -- runs in the family, but hers are far worse). Once, she stayed off of refined sugar completely for two months to see if it would help her headaches; it didn't help, and it didn't take away the sweet craving either.

It just seems kind of strange! Maybe her body is lacking something that makes her crave sweets. Wondering if any of you have ideas?

[Guest submarines]

No joke! My high school senior has always loved sweets, and though she is mostly a healthy eater, she still says that all she ever really wants to eat is something sweet. She forces herself to eat eggs and fruit for breakfast, a healthy lunch, and meat, rice, veggies, etc. for dinner... She tries to limit her dessert intake to two/day -- for example, a cookie after lunch, a brownie after dinner. She does well with that on most days; she is fairly disciplined. BUT, she says she is really never, ever hungry for anything else besides sugar, and it is ALWAYS a struggle to not gorge on it.

This is the same daughter who has constant headaches (migraines -- runs in the family, but hers are far worse). Once, she stayed off of refined sugar completely for two months to see if it would help her headaches; it didn't help, and it didn't take away the sweet craving either.

It just seems kind of strange! Maybe her body is lacking something that makes her crave sweets. Wondering if any of you have ideas?

 

Have you tried reducing carbs? A la Atkins or the South Beach plan?

 

I have crazy cravings cravings when I have carbs, and NONE at all when I don't. I can watch DH eat my favorite dessert and just not want it.

[Tigger]

Well, the first step is the hardest - stop eating the triggers (cookies, brownies, etc.). A supplement with really good data on its efficacy is L-Glutamine - 500mg a half hour before meals, so 3x per day; 200mcg of chromium can enhance the effect of the L-Glutamine and also helps with metabolizing sugars.

[J-rap]

Thank you for this information! I'm going to look into the L-Glutamine.

[Rosie_0801]

It can also be a sign of calcium and magnesium deficiency. Try and get her to snack on dates when she wants sweets. They contain both of the above and a precursor to serotonin.

 

Rosie

[kitten18]

Have you tried reducing carbs? A la Atkins or the South Beach plan?

 

I have crazy cravings cravings when I have carbs, and NONE at all when I don't. I can watch DH eat my favorite dessert and just not want it.

:iagree:

[Faith]

Have you tried reducing carbs? A la Atkins or the South Beach plan?

 

I have crazy cravings cravings when I have carbs, and NONE at all when I don't. I can watch DH eat my favorite dessert and just not want it.

 

Totally agree! No other diet has gotten rid of my cravings like the low carb Atkins diet. None! I can look at dessert right in front of me or something sugary and sweet and not even want any. It's amazing! This coming from a MAJOR sweet head that had to have something sweet every. single. day.

[PrincessAriel]

Try some N-Acetyl L Tyrosine along with the L Glutamine. I have found that to make a difference in cravings.

[Heather in OK]

Definitely get her on some cal/mag. It's something we need anyway. It can help with the migraines and might curb some of the cravings, especially chocolate ones. Craving chocolate can be a sign of a magnesium deficiency.

 

Help her find and learn to prepare healthy sweets. I recently came across this blog and it has some great gluten free and vegan treats.

 

http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/

 

Tonight I made the Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie. OMGosh. It was yummy!! My kids weren't in the room when I made it so they have NO idea it has garbanzo beans in it. *snicker* It tastes exactly like a cookie pie made with butter, flour, etc.

 

I also made the No Bake PB Cookie Dough Cookies and the Chocolate-PB No Bake Cookies. Also very yummy! Even my 11yo who *hates*(!!!!) raisins thought they were good. Again, I made them when they weren't in the room. ;)

[missmoe]

Craving sugar can also be a sign of a yeast infection.

[ChandlerMom]

Cinnamon! Reduces blood glucose spikes after consuming carbs, which can help stop the cycle of cravings. In pre-diabetics, it can drop your fasting blood glucose about 10 points.

 

Either put a teaspoon each morning on foods like oatmeal, or get it in capsule form (very cheap). If you take it with fish oil tablets, no more fish oil burp!

 

Make sure any sweets she eats are rated with protein and/or fats to reduce the sugar buzz/hit.

 

I have migraines and it makes me crave sweets like crazy, when I'm getting a headache. PET scans have shown the brain has a increase in sugar uptake just prior to a migraine, and the only time I've gotten reactive hypoglycemia is during a migraine (must eat every 2 hours). Migraineurs have higher incidence of reactive hypoglycemia than the general population, but not higher rates of diabetes. In contrast, non-migraine folks reactive hypoglycemia is often a precursor to Type 2 diabetes. I mention this because if dd understands the migraine prodrome is causing the craving, but more sugar makes everything worse, she might have an easier time substituting lower glycemic foods if she's migrainal.

 

I found if I exclude it from my daily coffee/tea I don't crave sweets as much. I also tell myself I can have A small sweet (like a hard candy) after 12 n -- that gets me thru half the day sugar free, and at that point I may be fine for the rest of the day without the treat at all.

[Guest submarines]

Cinnamon! Reduces blood glucose spikes after consuming carbs, which can help stop the cycle of cravings. In pre-diabetics, it can drop your fasting blood glucose about 10 points.

 

Either put a teaspoon each morning on foods like oatmeal, or get it in capsule form (very cheap). If you take it with fish oil tablets, no more fish oil burp!

 

Make sure any sweets she eats are rated with protein and/or fats to reduce the sugar buzz/hit.

 

I have migraines and it makes me crave sweets like crazy, when I'm getting a headache. PET scans have shown the brain has a increase in sugar uptake just prior to a migraine, and the only time I've gotten reactive hypoglycemia is during a migraine (must eat every 2 hours). Migraineurs have higher incidence of reactive hypoglycemia than the general population, but not higher rates of diabetes. In contrast, non-migraine folks reactive hypoglycemia is often a precursor to Type 2 diabetes. I mention this because if dd understands the migraine prodrome is causing the craving, but more sugar makes everything worse, she might have an easier time substituting lower glycemic foods if she's migrainal.

 

I found if I exclude it from my daily coffee/tea I don't crave sweets as much. I also tell myself I can have A small sweet (like a hard candy) after 12 n -- that gets me thru half the day sugar free, and at that point I may be fine for the rest of the day without the treat at all.

 

It has to be Ceylon cinnamon, right? Or Cassia? I get them confused. I could find only the wrong type locally, even in the healthstores. Where do you get yours?

[Grover]

I have had a sweet tooth my whole life. Just over a week go I stopped eating carbs (less than 20g a day). As of about a week and a half a go the craving went away. I have tried just stopping sugar / sweets many times but the craving never went. Dropping carbs almost entirely has changed my entire outlook on food - for the first time in my life I don't want that sweet stuff.

[Sputterduck]

There are certain things that trigger sugar cravings. For example, in PCOS your insulin is too high for your blood sugar level and your body constantly craves sweets. Perhaps something is out of balance.

[Negin]

Agreeing with pretty much all of the responses. Thought to share my notes also. All of this has been already mentioned, I think.

 

You may crave sugar because you have a yeast overgrowth.

Craving any food that turns into sugar quickly can be either due to an overgrowth of the yeast Candida albicans or a blood sugar imbalance.

Sugar is candida's food. Like all living things, this tiny yeast fights hard to stay alive. When it's starving, it will do whatever it can to trick or beg you to give it food. But eating sweets and refined carbs and starches just perpetuates an overgrowth and another craving cycle. If you have too much candida, you have to starve it, kill it with antifungals, and increase your colonies of yeast-fighting friendly bacteria with probiotics. See more info on Candida at the end of this post.

 

A sugar craving is often a sign of a need for more protein. One should eat protein at every meal. Try to limit all refined sugars and grains. They cause insulin levels to spike and then drop. When insulin is low, one craves sugar. Your body metabolizes protein sloer than refined foods, so you’re less likely to crave sugar if you’re eating enough nuts, eggs, chicken, and fish.

 

Chromium helps stabilize blood sugar.

[LucyStoner]

Fill up on protien, especially early in the day.

 

Drop all the desserts for awhile till the cravings subside. I am your daughter when it comes to sweets. I can not get off them unless I eliminate for awhile and eat a lot of protein and get used to not having them.

 

It is hard. It is not easy but it is worth it.

 

I suggest reading the End of Overeating by David Kessler. It has a lot of good information for people like me and your daughter.

[J-rap]

Wow, thank you so much, all of you, for taking the time to answer. It is really helpful. We're eager to work with a lot of the advice you've given us. One interesting thing my daughter has noticed is that protein for breakfast can often hold off a migraine, or at least take the edge off of it; similarly, a few of you mentioned protein to reduce the sugar craving. I can't help but think it is all related. Thank you again.