What Do You Do When You Crave Sugar? page

[dimples]

What's your best sugar craving stopping tip?

And how have you transitioned from wanting sugars to not really wanting it anymore..... if that's possible...

[afsjesse]

I won't sit here and claim that I don't want sugar. I get cravings just like everyone else. When they do happen, I first try to ignore them by drinking a couple of big cups of water. Sometimes I may be a little dehydrated from either too much coffee or not drinking enough H20. If that doesn't work, I go for a square of 100% baking chocolate. That's right! No added sugar, just the sweet bitterness that, at first, I hated, but now LOVE!!! 1-2 squares of that usually sets me straight. However, there are times when I get lazy and start thinking about the 20% that each of us has. So yeah, I'll go an indulge in an ice cream sundae with hot fudge on top. Hell, through on some whipping cream as well. If you're going to splurge, make it worth it, whatever that is for you.

I think like all things in life, balance is key.

[AngryKiwi47]

Eat chocolate.

[ulnauy]

Eat ice cream.

[YogaBare]

Add a teaspoon of sugar to a cup of tea or coffee It sorts out the cravings for me in a way that junk food never does. Plus most junk food is laden with a tonne of other crap (veg oils, soya, wheat) that are far more harmful than sugar IMO.

[Annieh]

I mostly don't crave sugar now, so yes it is entirely possible.

When I first went primal I jumped in probably 90-100% and pretty much low carb at the same time and I think this is what helped me the most. I loved the good food and the way it made me feel so much that I did not miss the things I couldn't have.

My tastes have adapted so that many many things taste sweet to me now - carrots, for one example. Straight grapefruit juice for another. Even the onions I fried for breakfast today. Dark chocolate is my favourite treat. Fruit is really really sweet, I only need 1/2 a banana in a recipe to give it enough sweetness.

I'm wary of eating sweet things now because I really do NOT want those afternoon sugar shakes to return. I do not eat sugar at all but I will sometimes grab a handful of dried fruit or a teaspoon of honey. So far I have managed not to go overboard on them but if I did, I would back away again. I try to eat something else at the same time such as nuts or cheese. Yes this adds more calories, but overall it creates a more balanced snack with less likelihood of being tempted to grab another handful and another and another...you know how it used to go.

Good luck with your primal eating. I think my best tip is to make the first meal of the day fully satisfying but very low in sugar or indeed other carbohydrates. I do this with eggs, veges, fat and sometimes cheese or bacon. It sets me up well for continuing to make good choices as the day goes on.

[Damiana]

Either give in and eat a bunch of chocolates, because honestly it's not going to kill me or make me gain a pound if I indulge, or ask myself how bad it'd make me feel afterwards mentally.

[LauraSB]

Over the last 8 months I've gone from maybe 50/50 primal to 80/20 (Or 85/15 or somewhere around there. I seriously DO NOT stress over how primal my diet is.) I've never been low carb. If I'm under 100g carb/day, it's an accident. But somewhere in there, I stopped craving sweet. The rest of my family is still about 50/50, so I have plenty of access to sweets. I do sometimes have a little something, sometimes with both sugar and wheat, but I have no desire to make that stuff a regular part of my diet. I really prefer the complexity of flavor that accompanies the sweetness in fruits and vegetables.

My best tip would be to keep on keepin' on and if you feel like you've slipped up, just put it behind you - no stress, no guilt. Six months from now you'll be amazed at how differently you feel about food.

[Graycat]

I use a blend of sugar and Stevia concentrate and make myself hot chocolate. I use plain cocoa, coconut milk and hot water. Very nice sweet chocolatey treat. It saves me money on expensive dark chocolate, too.

[MattyH]

I'm in the "hot drink plus" camp. I usually drink coffee (black), but when I'm craving sugar, a cup of tea with a bit of milk and a half teaspoon of honey completely satisfies.