What Causes Strong Sugar Cravings?

graelwyn · April 2012

I mean, some people seem to be able to live with or without sugary foods, and just have the occasional treat.
While others, like myself, get intense cravings and once started with a sweet food, cannot stop.
Is it all down to emotional stuff, or can it also be down to a missing nutritional component in the diet?
I have noticed a lot of people on here have issues with cake, cookies, chocolate, and not being able to keep it in the home, as once they eat a little, they find they cannot stop there. It is an awful feeling.

So what does causes such intense cravings that can lead to binge eating and worse?
And is the only way to deal with it, to simply ban all refined sugar for life?

lukeout007 · April 2012

I'd be curious about this as well. Someone did post once that a craving could be a sign of being deficient in _______________. Can't remember what or where I saw it...kinda thought it was BS at the time...but I could be wrong. And I'm really struggling with this myself.

bettymiller49 · April 2012

I went through a weight loss program called Prism, and they said that sugar is addictive. I have to tell you that I do believe it is as we had to cut all sugar from our diets and I felt like I was having withdrawals. I am not an expert, but for me I have to leave it alone completely.

cbh142 · April 2012

I once heard a theory that if you consume a lot of artifical sweetners it makes you crave real sugar. I'd like to see other respones also.

kimmydear · April 2012

I recently replaced my sugary coffee creamer with the sugar free kind and even though I don't like the taste as much, I am craving less sugar the rest of the day. Maybe it's coincidental...I don't know...but I imagine that sugar blast first thing in the morning for me actually makes me crave it more all day.

lukeout007 · April 2012

I once heard a theory that if you consume a lot of artifical sweetners it makes you crave real sugar. I'd like to see other respones also.

Weird...It has been much worse in the last month or so...I also switched to Stevia and started drinking fair amounts of vitamin water zero and an occasional coke zero as well around that time.

There could be something to that...

UponThisRock · April 2012

It tasting good.

graelwyn · April 2012

I once heard a theory that if you consume a lot of artifical sweetners it makes you crave real sugar. I'd like to see other respones also.

I have been wondering about this lately, as I tended to use a lot of sweeteners in my drinks, mainly saccarin and splenda. I looked into Stevia in hopes it might be a healthier alternative, but I am not sure it is. I find it very hard to have a tea or coffee, or my hot chocolate, with no sweetener in it at all. But I do think sometimes that having a sweet drink, can bring about cravings for more.

crazyjkgirl · April 2012

There have been studies done that prove that sugar can be addicting. It is really interesting to look at. In certain individuals, processed sugar creates a brain response somewhat similar to cocaine. I know for a fact that I have to be extremely careful with sugar.

QuintinV · April 2012

I once heard a theory that if you consume a lot of artifical sweetners it makes you crave real sugar. I'd like to see other respones also.

Weird...It has been much worse in the last month or so...I also switched to Stevia and started drinking fair amounts of vitamin water zero and an occasional coke zero as well around that time.

There could be something to that...

I love my coke zero and I also use sweetner in my coffee - for me I tend to crave real sugar more when I don't have my coffee during the day, and not even in copious amounts...which leads me to believe that the sweetner is not causing sugar cravings at all.

strawberrie_milk · April 2012

It's probably different for everyone, but for me, sugar causes more sugar cravings. I've pretty much cut out added sugars, and I don't crave them anymore. Sugar has been proven to be addictive, actually.

yellow10403 · April 2012

Watch this lecture on high fructose corn syrup

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM&ob=av3e

it really helped me with curbing my sugar intake because instead of reaching for cookies, cakes or brownies, i reach for bananas, watermelon, strawberries, or apples.

Your body only metabolizes glucose for energy. Fructose (especially high fructose corn syrup) needs the help of your liver to break it down when fructose is absorbed. The reason why eating fruit is important to substitute for cakes, cookies, and brownies is the fiber in it. Insoluble fiber limits the absorption of sugar in your small intestines.

summary: eat fruits instead of high sugared desserts.

lizard053 · April 2012

Eating sugar causes stronger sugar cravings. The more you eat, the more you want! I'm the exact same way. I have to totally eliminate it from my diet for 2-3 weeks before I get the cravings under control. Then I get my period and eat sweets again. Ugh!

My doctor tells me eating more protein helps keep the cravings at bay. I'm not sure if it is totally true, but if I can stay away, the easier it gets to keep away. And I stay full a lot longer with the high protein so I don't crave any food as much.

emandel2 · April 2012

I have been watching what I eat since January 1, 2012 and I have lost a little over 30lbs. This past weekend was Easter an lets say I "fell" off the wagon and hit the ground really hard. It was like I could not help myself. I ate chocolate and junk all weekend. I am back on the program today and back to the gym tonight. I actually feel terrible, disappointed in myself and have no energy.

I would be curious about this too.

ag0n · April 2012

Excess insulin causes sugar cravings. High glycemic index (GI) foods spike your insulin levels causing more insulin to be produced faster by your body which in turn makes your body crave more sugar to use up the insulin that was created. Essentially it's a vicious cycle.

Eating slower digesting (low GI) complex carbohydrate sources won't spike your insulin nearly as much, especially when eaten with protein rich foods. Which can help reduce your "sugar" cravings.

NoAdditives · April 2012

In my case it was an addiction that was started very early on. I visited my dad and his family when I was a toddler and according to my mom they fed me nothing but sweets. I probably associated the candy and whatever other sweets they fed me with the happiness of being with them. Since being with my mom was less than happy I loved whatever sweets I got because they reminded me of the happy side of my family.

Last year I finally broke my sugar addiction by extending the amount of time I waited to eat a piece of chocolate. By the end of the first week I was waiting until after dinner without feeling cravings for sugar during the day. By that point I realized I was capable of making it through the day without candy and I was cured. I can have candy, cookies, or whatever in the house and not feel compelled to eat them.

firesoforion · April 2012

Magnesium deficiency. Take a magnesium supplement and see if the cravings go away. It worked pretty quickly for me once, and I told my mom and it worked quickly for her, too. Especially if it's a chocolate craving.