It’s like a little army of meanies grab hold of you and torture you until you feed them jellybeans, right?
Give into this craving too often and you might be setting yourself up for a slew of negative health outcomes. All that extra sugar can lead to higher caloric intake and contribute to chronic inflammation.
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1. Sugar Craving Cause: You didn’t eat enough, or you ate the wrong things

When you don’t eat enough calories, your body starts looking for fast fuel as a way to catch up. So what happens? You crave sugar! Sugar gives you quick energy, even though it’s not necessarily quality energy.
How to Stop the Craving
One way to get around this little conundrum is to just choose something sweet with artificial sweetener in it, right? Wrong! So, so wrong. Artificial sweeteners might momentarily satisfy that sweet craving, but they trick your body into thinking it’s getting fuel when it’s not. Your body soon goes looking for more calories in the form of … you guessed it … sugar, and you’re right back to where you started.
Calories are the only thing that provide real energy, so eat them consistently in the form of whole foods. Whole foods provide adequate protein, healthy fat and fiber. Take a look at your diet. Are you skimping on or eating any of these nutrients inconsistently?
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2. Sugar Craving Cause: You picked up a bad habit

Some people smack their gum without even realizing it. Some people have picked their fingernails their entire lives. And, sigh, some people eat a chocolate bar every day at 3 p.m., because, well, they eat a chocolate bar every day at 3 p.m. Yep, bad habits.
When something becomes a habit, especially when it comes to food, you have to ask yourself: Am I aware I’m doing it? Do I really want to be doing it? Am I truly craving what I’m eating?
When you’re really hungry and you haven’t eaten enough throughout the day, breaking a 3 p.m. vending machine run is going to be tough. But if you start to eat more consistently throughout the day and get in enough (and the right types) of calories, then your defenses are up and it’s easier to change that habit.
How to Stop the Craving
One thing I often suggest to help break this afternoon or after-dinner sweet habit (in addition to making sure adequate calories and macronutrients are being consumed) is to replace the sweet indulgence with a sweet herbal tea. This works particularly well for my afternoon chocoholics. The afternoon ritual can be the dominant factor here. The tea allows for the ritual to be continued, but the sweet treat habit to be broken. Naturally sweet teas, such as apple spice or vanilla almond, that have no calories and nothing artificial added are good options.
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3. Sugar Craving Cause: You ate too much starch and not enough fat and/or protein

When you eat a heavy, starchy meal, like a giant bowl of grandma’s spaghetti, you’re pretty much setting yourself up for a guaranteed gelato craving. All that pasta with no fiber or protein (and depending upon the sauce, perhaps not enough fat, either) is like a big bowl of sugar that will lead to a blood sugar spike and crash, leaving you yearning for more sugar! Those calories in that bowl of spaghetti are absorbed fast and don’t keep you feeling full or satisfied.
How to Stop the Craving
What’s a pasta lover to do? First, practice proper portion control. Next, add a little olive oil for some healthy fat, and a portion of lean protein. You need a little protein for satiety and to help prevent blood sugar spikes and drops that leave you craving sugar not long after you’re done eating. I also suggest flip-flopping your bowl of pasta. Instead of a bowl of pasta with a few veggies sprinkled in, choose a big bowl of veggies and top that off with a little pasta.
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4. Sugar Craving Cause: You chowed down on salty foods

When you dine out or eat highly processed, packaged foods, your food has more sodium in it than you probably even realize. This usually remains true even when you’re eating something healthy, such as grilled salmon and sautéed or steamed spinach, from your fave “healthy” restaurant. Here’s the kicker: Oftentimes, the saltier your food, the bigger your sweet craving.
How to Stop the Craving
The first step here is to be aware that this may happen to you. Just being aware may reduce the craving. Then, the more you actually skip the chips or fries, the less you’ll want the donuts or cookies after. When you eat more naturally salty foods, such as cheese or olives, versus highly processed foods, your sweet cravings will lessen. Then, you’ll tend to go for naturally sweet snacks, such as herbal tea or fruit, when that craving comes on. See? Choosing healthier, whole foods leads to choosing more healthy whole foods, no matter what the craving.
(Photos: Shutterstock)