If you are eating low-carb and you're craving sweets badly...

[melissel]

...is there anything special you eat/do to get rid of the craving? I'm on day 3, and while I'm allowing myself some carbs each day (yesterday I had two bites of DD6's bread and noodles in my cup of soup, the day before I had a nice big grapefruit, etc.), sometimes I find myself fighting a craving more than I'd like. Right now I'm struggling with one even though I just ate a huge bowl of avocado with olive oil and vinegar, and I'm so not hungry I'm kind of feeling queasy :blink:

 

Are there any "almost a treat" snacks that you make for yourself in these cases? Something else? Should I just go ahead and have the grapefruit?!

 

TIA!

[MariannNOVA]

I don't have but a minute, but I am doing Primal Blueprint which is low carb.

 

I allow myself the grapefruit - don't see any problem with that.

 

I would also bake an apple and sprinkle cinnamon on it.

 

If I think of anything else while I am out, I will come back later and add.

[CalicoKat]

:lurk5:

I just ate a square of sharp cheddar. It helped get me past the crave. And then I made sure I was drinking enough water. When I get dehydrated it's harder.

 

No carbs for me for 10 days so I can get my blood sugar under better control. :glare:

[Caraway]

Dark chocolate square. Sweet enough to be a treat, but bitter enough to only want one.

[Leanna Tomlinson]

From the Total Belly Fat Cure:

 

85% Dark Chocolate (Green & Black is my favorite brand)

 

Almond butter with a dab of whipped cream

 

Cottage cheese with cocoa, cinnamon, and walnuts or pecans.

 

Lemon flavored sparkling water (check the labels some have sugar/artificial sweeteners, but many don't)

Edited March 19, 2012 by Leanna
more ideas

[SKL]

A small handful of organic raisins.

[wapiti]

I'd eat a few chocolate chips.

 

In any event, if at all possible, I would not eat the carbs alone, but with some protein (and fat, though any truly yummy carbs should have some fat built-in, lol).

 

While the bowl of avocado sounds yummy, I'd definitely be sure to have some protein before carbs. Fat alone does not satisfy me.

[MindyD]

I've found that eating an orange works well for me to get past the craving. I also make some kind of deliciousness with coconut oil, cocoa powder, some sugar (not much!), and some pecans. I mixed it, put in the freezer, and ate it like a candy bar. It's great!

[MIch elle]

My sweet treats:

Atkins milk chocolate shakes from Target (best price) at 2-3g net carbs;

Greek plain yogurt (full fat or 2%) with Splenda and raspberries (I keep a frozen bag & thaw as needed) ~ 10 g net carbs

[gardening momma]

:lurk5:

I just ate a square of sharp cheddar. It helped get me past the crave. And then I made sure I was drinking enough water. When I get dehydrated it's harder.

 

No carbs for me for 10 days so I can get my blood sugar under better control. :glare:

No carbs at all?

[Krista in LA]

Emerald 100 calorie pack of chocolate or cinnamon almonds. The cinnamon ones I have in my hand right now are 4g carbs, 2 are fiber, 1 sugar. They have just enough sweetness to satisfy me. Or a small spoon of peanut butter.

[momto2Cs]

2 squares of Dove dark chocolate, frozen. That's my treat!

[melissel]

Thank you all, you're helping me so much! I think I'm beating myself up because I feel like I should be doing South Beach induction, even though I'm not really prepared to go there right now. Actually, I ended up having to take a nasty liquid medicine, so I prepped a handful of really dark chocolate chips for immediately afterward. I ended up eating three and putting the rest back, and that totally satisfied me. I'll save my grapefruit for dessert tonight :D

 

I appreciate the reminder that a teeny tiny carb or two won't totally derail me! I'm already feeling SO much better, I want to make sure I'm building good (and long-term!) habits.

[Denisemomof4]

As already mentioned, dark chocolate.

 

A piece of fruit (if allowed)

 

I was soaking chia seeds in amond milk (unsweetened) and adding cinnamon stevia. VERY good!

 

Sugarless gum

 

Stevia sweetened tea

[Paintedlady]

Sugar free chocolate pudding (just one serving) made with whole milk, a couple slices of apple with peanut butter, a few almonds and a slice of cheese, a 1/4 cup of Greek yogurt with Splenda and berries.

Edited March 19, 2012 by Paintedlady

[Whereneverever]

Breyers makes low carb ice cream bars that are 3-4 g per bar.

[bnrmom]

I eat a date with some raw walnuts at the same time - tastes like those date nut bars you get in a cafe.

 

I also love a spicy black chai tea with some honey.

 

I'm not a low carber, but both of those treats help me when I'm craving something sweet but don't want to indulge.

[CalicoKat]

yeah, I know some cheeses have carbs. Yes, extremely low to no carbs for 10 days that's the plan.

[CalicoKat]

Those are so YUMMY!

 

I once read that some people claim brushing your teeth can help with a sweet craving. It's worth a try. :D

 

I used to do the tooth brushing thingy in high school. It worked for me.

[gardening momma]

yeah, I know some cheeses have carbs. Yes, extremely low to no carbs for 10 days that's the plan.

I'm trying to do a variation on that...low to no carbs for most of the day (I drink lots of watered-down unsweet tea--I love unsweet tea), and a normal supper. I do have a big indulgence that I really should cut back on, but it's hard--I'm addicted to Nutty Bars, so I have one package later after supper.

 

If I get hungry during the day, I make couple of fried eggs. I like tuna salad sandwiches, so today I had the tuna mixed with mayo w/o the bread.

[gardenmom5]

when I'm having sweet cravings, I've found something that kills gut yeast is most effective at killing the sugar craving. iow: greek yogurt (re: NOT loaded with sugar which feeds yeast) or some type of acidophillus.

 

eta: I tend to have horrible sweet cravings, but when I do a yeast cleanse, it shuts down those cravings fast. I used to crave bread before I ever did one, now I never crave it.

[Momof3littles]

Since you are new to it, I would not give in to a craving for sweetness. I think breaking that initially is really important. Once you have that under control, adding in other alternatives will work better IME. We bake with almond flour, etc and make desserts, but it isn't a daily thing.

 

At your stage I would eat a few macademia nuts, have a cup of tea or coffee without sweetener, etc. but would avoid something sweet. I'd stick to no sugar, no substitute desserts for 2 weeks and then re-evaluate. Give the cravings time to stop before going to the alternatives. JMHO.

[CalicoKat]

Since you are new to it, I would not give in to a craving for sweetness. I think breaking that initially is really important. Once you have that under control, adding in other alternatives will work better IME. We bake with almond flour, etc and make desserts, but it isn't a daily thing.

 

At your stage I would eat a few macademia nuts, have a cup of tea or coffee without sweetener, etc. but would avoid something sweet. I'd stick to no sugar, no substitute desserts for 2 weeks and then re-evaluate. Give the cravings time to stop before going to the alternatives. JMHO.

 

Cinnamon is a good for stopping the cravings too. Sprinkle a little in your tea, on your plain unsweetened yogurt, etc. As little as a teaspoon a day will help you get them under control.

 

Dry-roasted unsalted nuts are good too.

 

Sharp tasting cheese, small cube.

 

Cup of broth or hot tea.

 

Be ultra strict for 10 days and then you'll see a huge difference in your sweet tooth.

[Jeannie in NJ]

when I am craving something sweet, I eat some raw, unsalted almonds. THey taste sweet to me.

[Chocolate Rose]

I'm also doing low carb. When I first started, I would allow myself 1 small square of a 85% or 90% cacao chocolate bar. It was enough chocolate to keep me going. Now, several weeks into low carb, I've not had any sugar and am eating coconut oil fudge which I make with Truvia. It satisfies my sweet tooth and takes care of my love of chocolate. But, really, after about the first 3 or 4 days, my sugar cravings (and carb cravings) disappeared. It totally surprised me. Hang in there. It get's better.

 

I have heard that eating any carbs, no matter how little, brings back the carb cravings or keeps them going. You might consider giving up your daily carb bites of bread or noodles or whatever.

Edited March 20, 2012 by Stacy in WA

[momto2Cs]

Stash brand Licorice Spice Tea. Sweet without any sugar, and no caffeine. Has gotten me through a few rough spots!

[Samiam]

Ricotta cheese (which really has no flavor) and Stevia....and sometimes strawberries mixed in..yummy!

[eternalknot]

L-glutamine.

 

(Sometimes in a pinch my husband will take a spoonful of MSM powder directly under his tongue, and he says that helps the urge to pass. He takes the MSM for another health ailment, but finds it helps immediately address nighttime cravings in particular. Might be worth a try?)

[Harriet Vane]

Something with really intense flavor. For me, that's burn-your-head-off salsa or cajun shrimp or something like that.

[RanchGirl]

I saw a recipe for cocoa crack on a low carb board and it's pretty good for that sweet craving. Take equal parts melted coconut oil and cocoa powder plus a sweetener. I use stevia powder. I'm experimenting but so far 1 cup coconut oil, 1 cup cocoa, 1 teaspoon stevia seems best. Then add nuts or vanilla or peppermint extract to taste. 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract is my favorite.