Struggling with Sweets

Hi everyone,
I have started eating clean and its going well so far. However, i struggle with with sweets - i come from a middle-eastern background where sweets and baklava are always around and being a sweet-tooth, it is a hard habit to break. Any tips for how to control sugar cravings or any healthy ways to make dessert? (sorry if this is stupid question)

Thanks for the help :)
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Replies

  • carakirkey
    carakirkey Posts: 199 Member
    I typically crave a sweet after dinner. Brushing my teeth and having a cup of tea seem to help. And if I still crave a sweet, I have a piece of fruit. I also try not to keep any desserts in the house to tempt me.
  • sdudley08
    sdudley08 Posts: 32 Member
    I definitely don't have any answers here. What I've been doing is restricting my sugar intake. I try to limit it to less than 10% on any given day. But I'll allow myself 2 caramels and a sugar free hot chocolate, for instance, and then nothing else. That seems to be working so far.
  • alliewynne
    alliewynne Posts: 2 Member
    I am a straight up sugar monster. I agree that teeth brushing and tea after dinner can be very helpful, but sometimes that just doesn't cut it for me. I love doing sliced strawberries with a little coconut cream for a healthy dessert!
  • Crafty_camper123
    Crafty_camper123 Posts: 1,440 Member
    edited February 2019
    I'm not sure how this falls into clean eating, but I'm all for a piece of dark chocolate. The darker the better. For me, since the chocolate flavor is so strong, it takes less to be satisfied with it. So one or two pieces is all I need. Also, really dark chocolate like 75-85% is going to be lower in sugar.
    If you can't fit the calories or sugars in for a small piece of chocolate, then herbal tea is another of my go to's if I'm having the "something sweet" craving. They even make a chocolate flavored tea for the chocolate lovers out there!
    And of all things, sugar-free gum. It gives my mouth something sweet to chew on, but isn't enough calories to be reportable.

  • anthocyanina
    anthocyanina Posts: 86 Member
    I try not to mindlessly eat sweets just because they are there, especially what I consider non-special sweets (donuts, twinkies, candy bars, packaged cookies, etc).

    To me, baklava is a special treat, and it's not around very often, so I'll let myself have one and enjoy it. Because it's super sweet and I don't eat desserts every day, one is enough.

    Although you have access to baklava more than I do, you can still say NO to what is less special, knowing that you are saving your dessert calories for something better.

    Ordinarily when I want something sweet I'll eat fresh fruit (in-season fruit is sweeter, more delicious, and more satisfying than out-of-season), or a handful of raisins, or a date. When you don't eat desserts every day raisins and dates can seem like candy. Which they are, in fact, nature's candy, and you get the bonus of nutrients along with their sugar content.
  • snwangel831
    snwangel831 Posts: 6 Member
    I joined 6 days ago and I'm in the process of reducing my sugars. I'm not really big into sweets, or so I thought until I started tracking them! Every time I want a sweet, I drink a huge glass of water. If I still want it, I check my food diary. It's usually enough to knock the idea out of my head. I go for a handful of cashews & unsweetened dried cranberries. I know if I can get through 10 days then the cravings will drop! Good luck!
  • cobalt108
    cobalt108 Posts: 60 Member
    I really crave a sweet dessert in the evening and sometimes plain fruit gets boring. I have had luck with chia pudding. Its really easy too! I make it in advance with just almond milk, chia seeds and unsweetened coconut. Leave in fridge to thicken up a few hours or overnight. Maybe throw a few berries on top when serving and it makes me feel like I’ve had a ‘real’ dessert. There are some really great recipes online/YouTube as well.
    In the summer I make popsicles from fresh juices and it helps with cravings.
    I haven’t tried them but there are a lot of 2 ingredient cookie recipes out there, like just mashed banana and oats etc. with no added sugars. Might be good.

    I know what it’s like to be around family/people who always have treats around. Sometimes it can be really hard to resist and if everyone is telling you to ‘just have one taste’ it’s easy to get triggered and derailed from your goals. Stay strong, you got this!

    Also, I’m not sure if it’s connected, but I noticed that since I’ve been taking apple cider vinegar almost daily that my sugar cravings haven’t been as strong.

  • dougsingleton58
    dougsingleton58 Posts: 10 Member
    I am a Type II diabetic but still craved (and ate) sugar. It seemed hopeless, but after 2 weeks of not eating anything with added (white/refined) sugar, I also lost the insatiable cravings for it. I don't eat anything now with added sugar. When I do get an occasional itch for sweets, I'll eat fruit as well and the natural sugar does the trick for me. Those first 2 weeks were hard. I had severe withdrawal headaches, but push through it. It does go away as well as the cravings. Hope this helps.
  • chrisssiex23x
    chrisssiex23x Posts: 431 Member
    I feel you guys. Keep saying I need to stop. Eat to many get a sore belly. Break out in a ton of spots. Need to not buy them lol
  • I am a lover of sweets as well, I started the 1st of this month clean eating and it's been a journey. When I get cravings for sweets, I eat apples with almond butter no extra sugar or salt added. This holds me over. Or I munch on sunflower seeds. Even though that's not sweet it keeps me chewing something. For me it's all about tricking your mind because cravings is a mind thing.
  • pamlampe
    pamlampe Posts: 2 Member
    I use stevia in tea if I just can't stop thinking about sugar. That said, I am used to the flavor now and don't know if you will take a liking to it or not.

    The other thing I do is get busy. Walk, call a friend or read a book are some things to do. Once off sugar for a few days to a week the cravings subside.
  • beautifulserinity
    beautifulserinity Posts: 2 Member
    Hi, Im new to the group...Wow some of you guys stories are insightful, I hope too to kick this sugar crave myself and beat all the odds of going over board. Its definitely a challenge, pray for me lol, thanks so much guys
  • sandralarkin
    sandralarkin Posts: 1 Member
    On sugar free Werther’s does the trick for me.
  • NotWhoIUsedToBe
    NotWhoIUsedToBe Posts: 6 Member
    I am pre-diabetic with elevated triglycerides from too many carbs, sugar, and possibly artificial sweeteners, I am finding out. 2 wks ago, I stopped using sugar, sweeteners, and specific foods that trigger compulsive overeating. I actually had no ill effects, and the awful craving for empty calories has taken a hike somewhere. Its too early to celebrate, but logging in my food, water, and exercise helps me stay undeceived by foods that harm my body, and I like the diary components, too. Recently, I found a person who listens to me without judgement (how rare is that?), and our talking together is making me strong enough to choose foods that help heal, rather than hurt me.
  • Satisfiedwithbetter
    Satisfiedwithbetter Posts: 970 Member
    Cravings are your amygdala(lizard brain) fighting to survive, trying to keep you out of pain and moving towards pleasure. Sugar is more addictive than cocaine and activates your pleasure center, creating an addicted lizard brain. Willpower is very temporary and cannot standup to the lizards brain’s power. The only thing that stands a chance is a character battle. If you keep telling yourself Character Affirmations such as “I am the kind of person that never eats processed or refined sugars because they cause inflammation, diabetes and heart disease” you can win the battle against your primal survival “lizard brain” because it actually doesn’t know what is best for you.
  • leonariley6898
    leonariley6898 Posts: 3 Member
    I only get cravings for sweets on occasion, but when I do I can’t stop thinking about it. I found that if I eat a small piece of 85% cocoa chocolate or one or two slices of pineapple (canned) in its natural juice or a cup of Silk chocolate soy milk puts the breaks on my sweet cravings.
  • dianeepancoska2766
    dianeepancoska2766 Posts: 1 Member
    I always crave sweets after dinner and in the afternoon. The thing that works for me is, as suggested above, to have a piece of fruit. But many times this doesn't satisfy me so I often pair it with either cottage cheese, yogurt, cheese, or nut butter. At night I will make a protein smoothie with fruit and a scoop of protein powder. It's a nice listtle treat that stays with you and feels good.