Tea and curbing sweet cravings

runrockclimb
runrockclimb Posts: 124
in Food and Nutrition
The last few nights I've been craving sweets, sugary anything. Instead of giving in and out of desperation to avoid said goodies I made some herbal tea... I've discovered that it really curbs the craving and its so much better for me. Anybody else noticed this? If not, give it a try, I'd be curious to know if it works for others.
Its working so well I'm thinking about buying some more tea options. I never used to be a tea girl so there is not much in the cupboards. Anybody have a favorite I should try?
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Replies

  • Matilda444WECHANGED
    Matilda444WECHANGED Posts: 13
    A cup of tea with a teaspoon of raw sugar cures cravings for me! Heck, a mug of tea cures a lot of things.
  • averyhadleigh
    averyhadleigh Posts: 9 Member
    I use tea at night to curb my cravings as well! Such a great help!
  • lilpoindexter
    lilpoindexter Posts: 1,122 Member
    I haven't given up coffee with sugar in the mornings...nor do I have any plans of ever giving up coffee with sugar. It's something I incorporate into my diet. I am sure my weight loss would be a lot harder and faster without my sugary coffee fixes three or four times a day, but it ain't happening. Sometimes I cut back on the sugar a little in the coffee and put cinammon in there, but it's not the same.
  • Matilda444WECHANGED
    Matilda444WECHANGED Posts: 13
    I prefer the ritual of a tea ball and loose tea. Teavana is my favorite. Though, Kusmi has a chocolate tea that I adore! I keep that one at my office for mid afternoon struggles with the urge to hit up the vending machine for chocolate.
  • Front_Runner
    Front_Runner Posts: 175
    TEA SAVED ME!!! :) Seriously - it totally helped me reach my GW for the same reasons... it curbed my cravings! My favorite teas I found that helped me:

    1. Coconut Chai (by Zhena's Gypsy Tea - black tea, though!)
    2. Sugar Plum (by Celestial Seasoning - it's seasonal, but you can get it from their web site!)
    3. Bengal Spice (by Celestial Seasoning)
    4. Tahitian Vanilla Hazelnut (by Yogi Tea)

    They're all awesome with a splash of milk, too (I think)! They're sweet and fantastic!
  • 2013james
    2013james Posts: 24
    @Matilda - any sugar has the opposite effect on me

    I just eat a handful of almonds. I dare anyone to eat anything after eating a few almonds. They are nutritiously superb.

    (They are high in energy so don't over do it)
  • Robin_Bin
    Robin_Bin Posts: 1,046 Member
    Tea's good for lots of things. Licorice tea is naturally very sweet and needs no added sugar. Many herbal teas also have a good taste without additional sweetening. And unless a craving is based on a biological, underlying need, a distraction is often all you need to get past it.

    P.S. For more idea for dealing with cravings, see http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Robin_Bin/view/cravings-282817
  • judychicken
    judychicken Posts: 937 Member
    A cup of tea works for me!
  • judychicken
    judychicken Posts: 937 Member
    Look at my food diary it works!
  • Sparlingo
    Sparlingo Posts: 938 Member
    I love tea in the evening to get a bit more water and to curb the snacking urges. Works for me too.

    My favourites are just green tea with lemon, and David's Tea has a birthday cake roobois ... SOO good.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    I drink various teas all day and night. Teavana is my favorite source and I change up between green teas, herbals, rooibos, chai. I pick something depending on whether I'm looking for something fruity in the morning, something spicey in the afternoon and usually something with a bit of sweetness at night. I think it's a combo of the flavour and it being a hot drink that keeps me from eating snacks.
  • Dumbo45
    Dumbo45 Posts: 2
    Hi, I find that drinking green tea helps me.
  • tageekly
    tageekly Posts: 3,755 Member
    I've been drinking chocolate (red) teas to curb my sweets cravings and it works for me!

    I'm working through the sampler of these right now: http://www.republicoftea.com/category.aspx?c=56
  • breelovesderby
    breelovesderby Posts: 16
    I cut out soda a year ago and have replaced that addiction with unsweetened tea, and I rarely crave sweets anymore. Salty fats plague my cravings these days.
  • amonkey794
    amonkey794 Posts: 651 Member
    Teavanna is amazing!

    It is okay to indulge a craving every now and again, though :flowerforyou:
  • KatieJane83
    KatieJane83 Posts: 2,002 Member
    LOVE tea!!

    I'm a big fan of loose teas, I absolutely love going to Teavana.

    For me at least, I think a big part of how it helps is making it into it's only little ritual. Rather than focusing on what snacks I'm going to find I focus on picking the tea, boiling the water, steeping the loose leaves. I even have my own little pot, strainer, and cup, from Teavana, kinda makes it special, lol
  • atthompson27
    atthompson27 Posts: 31 Member
    Yes, hot tea helps when I'm hungry AND when I'm craving something sweet. I use Splenda to sweeten. I order from teaforte. They are kind of expensive, but their tea is delicious. My favorites are Citrus Mint, African Solstice & Orchid Vanilla.
  • RobynLB
    RobynLB Posts: 617 Member
    Try cinnamon. Great for a sweet craving. It tastes sweet even without anything added.
  • akilahleemarie
    akilahleemarie Posts: 80 Member
    hahaha how funny...as i clicked this..i have a cup of hot tea in my hand!! why??? because i am craving candy :) I use tea.. and stevia and a splash of almond milk (probably like 2 tablespoons) and almond milk is 60 calories a cup...so you do the math ;) 7 or 8 calories for a cup of tea that pleases my sweet tooth
  • the_new_me6
    the_new_me6 Posts: 4
    I LOVE herbal tea. Green tea is much better for you and there are many flavors to choose from. Some of my favorites are orange spice, sleepy time and rasberry!
  • ApocalypticFae
    ApocalypticFae Posts: 217 Member
    TEA SAVED ME!!! :) Seriously - it totally helped me reach my GW for the same reasons... it curbed my cravings! My favorite teas I found that helped me:

    1. Coconut Chai (by Zhena's Gypsy Tea - black tea, though!)
    2. Sugar Plum (by Celestial Seasoning - it's seasonal, but you can get it from their web site!)
    3. Bengal Spice (by Celestial Seasoning)
    4. Tahitian Vanilla Hazelnut (by Yogi Tea)

    They're all awesome with a splash of milk, too (I think)! They're sweet and fantastic!

    Thanks for the list of your favorites, sounds good! Just tested a few at Teavana the other day and they were amazing.
  • Angylgrrl
    Angylgrrl Posts: 159 Member
    I ABSOLUTELY think that tea helps to curb my sweets cravings! I drink mostly herbal teas without any sugar or milk. I love peach and mint teas, chamomile blends- honestly, pretty much all of them. However, when I'm having sweets cravings, teas that have cinnamon or some kind of spice really help me. I think it tricks me into fulfilling the craving of a baked good without the actual bread/pastry. I've been drinking Celestial Seasonings Cinnamon Apple, but they have a Bengal Spice that someone recommended to me, which I'll try next. They also have a seasonal tea called Nutcracker Sweet, I believe. Try cinnamon tea, it's amazing!
  • Ari112233
    Ari112233 Posts: 91 Member
    I drink licorice tea all day at work to help keep out of other people's candy dishes. How does anyone have candy at their desk and not eat it all in one day, I'll never know. If the tea doesn't cut the craving I eat a few almonds or drink miso soup.
  • lamby284
    lamby284 Posts: 167 Member
    i find that the fruity teas and teas that taste like foods (like pumpkin spice tea) make me hungry. a plain green or black tea has the opposite effect so i stick with that
  • ripemango
    ripemango Posts: 534 Member
    as far as brands go i really like Republic of Tea and Yogi. My all time favorite tea in the whole world is Republic of Tea Apple Blossom Green Tea. It is just so lovely, delicate, fragrant, and feels special.

    I like any brand of earl grey tea.

    Yogi teas often include trace amounts of stevia or other naturally sweet herbs. (You can look at each kind and see what is contained w/in each 1). I really like these bc there is no need to sweeten them. My fav Yogi tea is Vanilla Hazelnut. The ingredients of this tea are Organic cinnamon bark, organic roasted chicory root, carob pod, date powder, organic cardamom seed, organic ginger root, natural hazelnut and vanilla flavors and other natural flavors, organic clove bud, organic black pepper, and stevia leaf.
    This tea is just so comforting and yummy and no additional sweetener is needed imo.

    Of course, I am Southern so there is always Red Diamond tea in the house - always! This brand, however, is exclusively used for iced/sweet tea.
  • MichelleLaree13
    MichelleLaree13 Posts: 865 Member
    I am a coffee and tea person. I have a whole cupboard of tea options. My favorite brand is probably Yogi because they sell stuff that is for energy, sore throat, stomach ache and every little thing that ailes you. Next I likeTazo, Bigelow and Stash. In the black tea, I put a little of the low calorie almond milk which is only 10 calories for a 1/3 cup. Recently I have been adding 1 TBS chia seeds (30 calories) to my tea. It is suppose to expand and make me feel fuller. They taste like little gel balls.
  • lacurandera1
    lacurandera1 Posts: 8,083 Member
    I just discovered this the other day. definitely helpful. I've been working towards reducing my sugar in coffee and tea, too. Finally found a tea that i genuinely like the taste of with no sugar in it. It' seasonal, though. :(
  • booboo68
    booboo68 Posts: 302 Member
    My favorite is Bigelow Cinnamon Stick Tea. It doesn't need any sweetening at all. I love it!
  • runrockclimb
    runrockclimb Posts: 124
    I haven't given up coffee with sugar in the mornings...nor do I have any plans of ever giving up coffee with sugar. It's something I incorporate into my diet. I am sure my weight loss would be a lot harder and faster without my sugary coffee fixes three or four times a day, but it ain't happening. Sometimes I cut back on the sugar a little in the coffee and put cinammon in there, but it's not the same.
    Tea is not replacing my coffee... now way, coffee is my morning drink of choice. I won't give it up because I love it. I too add sugar and *gasp* half and half. I like it too much to not drink it, and its not about the caffeine, I just love the taste. But a cup or two of coffee in the scope of a whole day just ain't a big deal.
    The tea helps in the evenings when what I want is dessert.
  • GiGiBeans
    GiGiBeans Posts: 1,062 Member
    Twinings Peppermint Tea while nibbling a square of Lindt Dark Chocolate.
    Celestial Seasonings Bengal Spice with a splash of cream. (Drinking it now)
    Celestial Seasonings Cinnamon Apple.

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