Sugar for sugar cravings?

Leana088
Leana088 Posts: 581 Member
edited November 16 in Food and Nutrition
This is a bit of a random question that I'm curious about.

Let's say you have a craving for something sweet. Assuming your body wants simple carbs, do you think the craving would go away if you ate some sugar instead of what you craved?

Replies

  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    I don't think there is sufficient evidence to claim that a craving means your body "wants" something.
  • Leana088
    Leana088 Posts: 581 Member
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    I don't think there is sufficient evidence to claim that a craving means your body "wants" something.

    Okay then - but still, do you think the craving will go away if you just ate sugar instead of a doughnut?
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    Leana088 wrote: »
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    I don't think there is sufficient evidence to claim that a craving means your body "wants" something.

    Okay then - but still, do you think the craving will go away if you just ate sugar instead of a doughnut?

    Like a spoonful of sugar? For me personally, no. When I crave something specific like a donut, I am craving not just the sweetness. I want everything that goes along with it. But it might work for others.
  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,590 MFP Moderator
    only one way to find out
  • Leana088
    Leana088 Posts: 581 Member
    4legsRbetterthan2 wrote: »
    only one way to find out

    My neighbor does this. Works for her. Not sure if it will for me, I too, usually crave the texture of the food I'm craving, not just the actual sweetness.
  • jkwolly
    jkwolly Posts: 3,049 Member
    Ugggggggh if I am craving something, I eat it.

    I don't substitute for a spoon of sugar, because why would I want to eat that?

    Unless we're talking brown sugar
    Om noms
  • Leana088
    Leana088 Posts: 581 Member
    jkwolly wrote: »
    Ugggggggh if I am craving something, I eat it.

    I don't substitute for a spoon of sugar, because why would I want to eat that?

    Unless we're talking brown sugar
    Om noms

    Mmmm... dark brown sticky sugar :love:
  • jkwolly
    jkwolly Posts: 3,049 Member
    Or these:

    4ns33vp3tvur.jpg
  • futuremanda
    futuremanda Posts: 816 Member
    Sometimes I can get away with fruit. Apples work really well for me because for some reason, I bottom out on my want for apples really quickly. I could probably eat unlimited mango, but by the end of an apple, I'm like, "wow that was so much apple". Hot cocoa is another one -- I like to foam milk and make a sort of cocoa latte.

    Do you like tea? You could try tea with sugar or honey, see if that does it.

    If the craving is super psychological though, like a persistent, big craving, then nope. But then I usually will try to truly treat myself, like, go get a really good doughnut/cupcake/cheesecake/whatever, not go off to Tim Hortons or something. Don't waste the doughnut calories on a mediocre doughnut!
  • PeachyPlum
    PeachyPlum Posts: 1,243 Member
    Fruit works great for me if I'm just having one of those "I don't care what it is, just give me anything sweet" kinds of cravings.

    Of course, I used to also sneak spoonfuls of brown sugar as a kid when I wanted something sweet and my mom said not until after dinner :lol:
  • jkwolly
    jkwolly Posts: 3,049 Member
    PeachyPlum wrote: »
    Fruit works great for me if I'm just having one of those "I don't care what it is, just give me anything sweet" kinds of cravings.

    Of course, I used to also sneak spoonfuls of brown sugar as a kid when I wanted something sweet and my mom said not until after dinner :lol:
    That on toast with margarine

    :love:
  • PeachyPlum
    PeachyPlum Posts: 1,243 Member
    jkwolly wrote: »
    PeachyPlum wrote: »
    Fruit works great for me if I'm just having one of those "I don't care what it is, just give me anything sweet" kinds of cravings.

    Of course, I used to also sneak spoonfuls of brown sugar as a kid when I wanted something sweet and my mom said not until after dinner :lol:
    That on toast with margarine

    :love:

    No, I put powdered Jell-O mix on toast with margarine.

    The sugar I just ate with a tablespoon and my younger brother standing lookout at the kitchen door.
  • jkwolly
    jkwolly Posts: 3,049 Member
    PeachyPlum wrote: »
    jkwolly wrote: »
    PeachyPlum wrote: »
    Fruit works great for me if I'm just having one of those "I don't care what it is, just give me anything sweet" kinds of cravings.

    Of course, I used to also sneak spoonfuls of brown sugar as a kid when I wanted something sweet and my mom said not until after dinner :lol:
    That on toast with margarine

    :love:

    No, I put powdered Jell-O mix on toast with margarine.

    The sugar I just ate with a tablespoon and my younger brother standing lookout at the kitchen door.
    Groooooooossss no

    We grew up with brown sugar toast AND brown sugar rice

    But Jello? You're whack :heart:
  • castlerobber
    castlerobber Posts: 528 Member
    Leana088 wrote: »
    This is a bit of a random question that I'm curious about.

    Let's say you have a craving for something sweet. Assuming your body wants simple carbs, do you think the craving would go away if you ate some sugar instead of what you craved?

    It might for a bit, while your blood sugar spikes; but then, once the blood sugar makes its corresponding sharp drop, you'll most likely find yourself craving sweets again. What do you do then, eat another spoonful of sugar? Better to go for an apple, or some berries, or a small piece of dark chocolate, which will blunt the blood sugar response and stand a better chance of controlling the craving.

    Also, how would eating straight sugar be of any benefit to you, versus eating a few bites of the thing you crave?
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,149 Member
    Not for me, unless it's Pixy Stix.
    giantpixystixopenbox.jpg
  • minizebu
    minizebu Posts: 2,716 Member
    4legsRbetterthan2 wrote: »
    only one way to find out

    This.

    Why post this question at all?

    Try it to see if it works for you like it works for your neighbor. What have you got to lose other than the X calories you ingest with the experiment and the time it takes to do it?

  • AmazonMayan
    AmazonMayan Posts: 1,168 Member
    No....I could never do the pixy sticks and similar. I like the taste of plain sugar....maybe a sugar cube? Do they still make those? I'd almost definitely just wait for something better.

    My current favorite sweet is 2 squares of really dark Lindt chocolate (1/2 a serving) topped with a tablespoon of natural peanut butter. I'm addicted to it.
  • jennifershoo
    jennifershoo Posts: 3,198 Member
    jkwolly wrote: »
    PeachyPlum wrote: »
    Fruit works great for me if I'm just having one of those "I don't care what it is, just give me anything sweet" kinds of cravings.

    Of course, I used to also sneak spoonfuls of brown sugar as a kid when I wanted something sweet and my mom said not until after dinner :lol:
    That on toast with margarine

    :love:

    No! Margarine is the worst invention of all time. Gimme real butter.
  • abatonfan
    abatonfan Posts: 1,120 Member
    Nope. I constantly have to shove glucose tablets, jelly beans, and other very sugary candy into my face for hypoglycemia treatment. I get sick thinking about eating a sugar packet or other hypo treatment just for fun. :tired_face:
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    I guess that, if you've narrowed down the craving to sugar itself, sure.

    Otherwise, I can't imagine it would work very well.
  • RobinD16
    RobinD16 Posts: 2 Member
    The only sugary thing I crave is Dr Pepper
  • Leana088
    Leana088 Posts: 581 Member
    Toast with brown sugar and cinnamon is nice too
  • maillemaker
    maillemaker Posts: 1,253 Member
    Let's say you have a craving for something sweet. Assuming your body wants simple carbs, do you think the craving would go away if you ate some sugar instead of what you craved?

    If you have the calories left in your daily allotment for a spoonful of sugar or a donut, eat whichever one you want.

    The only reason I'd bother with substitutes is if you feel you can't control yourself eating only one donut or whatever. In which case, sure, find a substitute.
  • Kimberly_Harper
    Kimberly_Harper Posts: 409 Member
    This sounds like an experiment waiting to happen. For me texture does go along with the sweet/salty craving. I couldn't just eat a bit of straight sugar or a bit of straight salt.
  • Leana088
    Leana088 Posts: 581 Member
    Kimberly_Harper wrote: »
    This sounds like an experiment waiting to happen. For me texture does go along with the sweet/salty craving. I couldn't just eat a bit of straight sugar or a bit of straight salt.

    Maybe I'll try it. I usually just eat a little bit of what I want, but just to see what happens.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Kimberly_Harper wrote: »
    This sounds like an experiment waiting to happen. For me texture does go along with the sweet/salty craving. I couldn't just eat a bit of straight sugar or a bit of straight salt.

    Same here.

    I also don't crave just sugar ever (sadly, sugar doesn't have that many calories). I crave something specific, usually that has sugar AND some sort of fat (like butter or cream!).

    My salt cravings are more straightforward in that I actually can satisfy them just by adding a bit of salt to veggies, normally.
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