Sugar cravings

hoping32
hoping32 Posts: 33 Member
edited November 20 in Social Groups
Hello! I am looking for information on what you do for sugar cravings. I get them without seeing sugary food. I am looking into supplements. I am wondering if anyone has success with supplements. Thank you!!!!

Replies

  • Shron123
    Shron123 Posts: 221 Member
    What kind of supplements? Assume u r on a LCHF diet - how long? R u consuming any artificial sugar replacements? What exactly are u craving?
  • baconslave
    baconslave Posts: 7,018 Member
    A lot of people swear by l-glutamine.
  • Sunny_Bunny_
    Sunny_Bunny_ Posts: 7,140 Member
    baconslave wrote: »
    A lot of people swear by l-glutamine.

    Is that what @KnitOrMiss mentioned had a good result for her? I recall her mentioning something that really helped with sugar cravings.
  • bametels
    bametels Posts: 950 Member
    I find that when I consistently keeping my carbs very low (about 30 g or lower), the sugar cravings disappear!
  • Alaplum
    Alaplum Posts: 169 Member
    For me, I notice if I am not paying attention to getting enough salt, I can get sugar cravings.
  • LolaDeeDaisy23
    LolaDeeDaisy23 Posts: 383 Member
    If you are consuming any other sweet replacements (stevia, diet soda, etc) I'd try cutting those out cold turkey. When I remove these things, it takes about 3 days for me to get over the cravings.
  • LCHF123
    LCHF123 Posts: 26 Member
    I've read articles about chromium supplements helping with sugar/carb cravings (it is supposed to help keep your blood sugar levels more balanced and stable, which may not be the problem with you depending on how low carb you are), but I have no experience using them myself I'm afraid!
  • LCHF123
    LCHF123 Posts: 26 Member
    Bouddie wrote: »
    For me, I notice if I am not paying attention to getting enough salt, I can get sugar cravings.

    Same! I've been drinking an oxo cube in hot water for the past few days and honestly feel that the additional salt has almost made MORE of a difference to me than increasing fat/decreasing carbs
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,103 Member
    baconslave wrote: »
    A lot of people swear by l-glutamine.

    Is that what @KnitOrMiss mentioned had a good result for her? I recall her mentioning something that really helped with sugar cravings.

    http://carbsyndrome.com/is-your-brain-two-quarts-low/

    http://www.foodrenegade.com/how-beat-sugar-cravings-glutamine/

    https://www.afpafitness.com/research-articles/alcoholism-need-vitamins-become-well-2

    http://flowingfree.org/diet-and-supplements-that-help-you-quit-smoking/

    Some of these are specific to sugars/carbs, but most factor in some type of addiction. Another site I discovered a while after these others is:

    www.everywomanover29.com

    There is a lot on that site about differing issues from things like stress eating to insomnia to anxiety, etc. I hope at least one of these helps!
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,103 Member
    LCHF123 wrote: »
    I've read articles about chromium supplements helping with sugar/carb cravings (it is supposed to help keep your blood sugar levels more balanced and stable, which may not be the problem with you depending on how low carb you are), but I have no experience using them myself I'm afraid!

    I absolutely hated taking anything with chromium in it. While I'm insulin resistant, my body apparently has created it's own workarounds for processing carbs, and every time I had anything with chromium, I would crash out like crazy!!! I have learned only to support my body's systems, not to override them!
  • MyriiStorm
    MyriiStorm Posts: 609 Member
    edited August 2017
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    baconslave wrote: »
    A lot of people swear by l-glutamine.

    Is that what @KnitOrMiss mentioned had a good result for her? I recall her mentioning something that really helped with sugar cravings.

    http://carbsyndrome.com/is-your-brain-two-quarts-low/

    http://www.foodrenegade.com/how-beat-sugar-cravings-glutamine/

    https://www.afpafitness.com/research-articles/alcoholism-need-vitamins-become-well-2

    http://flowingfree.org/diet-and-supplements-that-help-you-quit-smoking/

    Some of these are specific to sugars/carbs, but most factor in some type of addiction. Another site I discovered a while after these others is:

    www.everywomanover29.com

    There is a lot on that site about differing issues from things like stress eating to insomnia to anxiety, etc. I hope at least one of these helps!

    Those links are very helpful! After reading them (a week or two ago in response to a different thread?) I got some L-Glutamine, and it does take the edge off the sugar cravings for me. I'm taking one every morning, one in the afternoon when the cravings hit, and another in the evening.
  • carlsoda
    carlsoda Posts: 3,422 Member
    I have also heard that healthy gut bacteria will reduce sugar cravings, especially if you have the bad bacteria which can make you crave sugar. Try some good quality probiotics and see if that helps. And honestly, just cutting out sugar and artificial sweeteners your cravings will disappear in a few days. Good luck!
  • hoping32
    hoping32 Posts: 33 Member
    Thank you all! I am lchf, but by the time I get into ketosis I get driving sugar cravings. It is absolutely horrible. I will read up on the links above. Thank you!!
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,159 Member
    edited August 2017
    @hoping32 I was 63 and in very poor health when I went off of added sugars and all forms of all grains. It was a hellish two weeks craving wise then they just faded fast over the next few weeks. That was nearly three years ago and the cravings still are not controlling any more.

    Now if I let daily carbs go much over 50 grams daily I can feel some cravings starting which I take as a warning to get back into nutritional ketosis which is now very easy.
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,103 Member
    hoping32 wrote: »
    Thank you all! I am lchf, but by the time I get into ketosis I get driving sugar cravings. It is absolutely horrible. I will read up on the links above. Thank you!!

    Look up candida or bacterial die-off @hoping32 - that's around how long it takes...
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,159 Member
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    hoping32 wrote: »
    Thank you all! I am lchf, but by the time I get into ketosis I get driving sugar cravings. It is absolutely horrible. I will read up on the links above. Thank you!!

    Look up candida or bacterial die-off @hoping32 - that's around how long it takes...

    Candida in hindsight was behind my cravings I expect.
  • canadjineh
    canadjineh Posts: 5,396 Member
    If your carbs were from grains, the gliadin derived peptides are exogenous morphinelike compounds also called exorphins. They bind to opiate receptors in the brain, and do not cause 'highs', but stimulate appetite (especially for carbs) and cause effects such as brain 'fog', anxiety, binge eating disorders, depression & paranoia. Journal of Biological Chemistry:
    jbc.org/content/254/7/2446.full.pdf
  • katstremmel1012
    katstremmel1012 Posts: 24 Member
    Artificial sweeteners! If you are using them, STOP! No diet soda, ice tea, or even gum!
    They tease the brain into expecting the sugar dosage. When the brain does not get what it wants, the cravings kick in. The Low carb diet will eliminate the cravings but it may take a week or two.
  • RalfLott
    RalfLott Posts: 5,036 Member
    Artificial sweeteners! If you are using them, STOP! No diet soda, ice tea, or even gum!
    They tease the brain into expecting the sugar dosage. When the brain does not get what it wants, the cravings kick in. The Low carb diet will eliminate the cravings but it may take a week or two.

    Hmm. Are you suggesting that sugar and stevia won't cause cravings but Splenda will?
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,103 Member
    RalfLott wrote: »
    Artificial sweeteners! If you are using them, STOP! No diet soda, ice tea, or even gum!
    They tease the brain into expecting the sugar dosage. When the brain does not get what it wants, the cravings kick in. The Low carb diet will eliminate the cravings but it may take a week or two.

    Hmm. Are you suggesting that sugar and stevia won't cause cravings but Splenda will?

    In tolerance doses, rather than taste doses, I don't find craving triggers with stevia, erythritol, or xylitol, personally, or any combo of those.

    Actually, in super low "only sweeten to tolerance level," I can even do liquid Splenda/sucralose without too much issue...but not powder (as an additive, like in cream cheese clouds, but not in soda)...

    Anything like AceK, aspartame, powdered splenda, anything with dextrose/maltodextrin, and I'm in Craving Hades... Especially Quest bars? The only ones that don't trigger me only have the top three above.

    Sugar and most sweeteners cause me cravings, but once I figured out how to only sweeten to the lowest level I could tolerate and not to my taste preference, it took the edge off of most of that FOR ME...
  • canadjineh
    canadjineh Posts: 5,396 Member
This discussion has been closed.