The average American eats an astounding 17 teaspoons of added sugar per day. That works out to 57 pounds of sugar per year!
Do you catch yourself craving something sweet more often than not? Do you sometimes feel that your desire for sugar is out of your control?
Contrary to what some people would have you believe, your sugar cravings aren’t just the result of poor discipline or insufficient willpower. In fact, sugar cravings are often the result of nutritional imbalances.
In this article, we’ll break down the science behind sugar cravings and teach you how to better support your body to minimize or prevent them.
YOUR BRAIN AND SUGAR CRAVINGS
To understand sugar cravings, you need to begin by understanding how the brain works. Various areas of the brain contribute to sugar cravings, including the hippocampus, the caudate nucleus, and the insula.
The Hippocampus
The hippocampus is a horseshoe-shaped section of the brain located in the temporal lobe. It plays a key role in memory formation and contributes to humans’ tendencies toward reward-seeking behaviors.
Everyone has experienced the rewarding feeling of biting into something sweet or sipping on a sugary beverage. They’ve also experienced the desire to experience that feeling again, especially when they’re dealing with stress or anxiety.
This is where the hippocampus comes in. The hippocampus helps you to remember the taste of something sweet and how you felt the last time you consumed it.
The Caudate Nucleus
The caudate nucleus is located in both hemispheres of the brain.
Like the hippocampus, the caudate nucleus also influences humans’ reward-seeking behavior. It plays an important role in habit formation, too.
Most people experience sugar cravings, in part, because they’ve developed a habit of eating sweets.
Perhaps you eat something sweet every afternoon when you start to feel an energy slump. Pretty soon, even if you don’t particularly want the sweet treat, you feel compelled to go to the kitchen and grab one because you now have a habit of eating it.
The caudate nucleus is partially responsible for these feelings.
The Insula
The insula is also located in either hemisphere of the brain. It produces emotions in response to sensory experiences.
Like most people, you probably have positive memories attached to certain foods or beverages — including sweet foods and beverages. When you consume them, the levels of dopamine increase in your brain.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that influences feelings of reward and motivation. When dopamine levels rise, you experience a feeling of pleasure. You also feel compelled to seek out those feelings of pleasure again, which partly explains why you crave sweet, sugary foods and drinks.
DIET AND SUGAR CRAVINGS
Your diet can also play a part in the intensity and frequency of your sugar cravings. When you consume lots of processed carbohydrates and sugary foods — especially in conjunction with a lack of key nutrients like protein, healthy fats, and fiber — your desire for more sugar will likely increase.
The Problem With Processed Carbs
Processed carbohydrates are also known as refined carbohydrates. These are carb sources that have had nearly all of the fiber, vitamins, and minerals removed from them. They have little nutritional value and are often considered “empty calories.”
The problem with processed carbohydrates is that, in addition to providing you with very few nutrients, they also cause your blood sugar levels to spike and then quickly crash. Low blood sugar can lead to increased sugar cravings as your body tries to rebalance itself.
What Should You Eat Instead?
You don’t necessarily have to eliminate processed carbohydrates from your diet altogether. However, you will likely notice fewer sugar cravings if you combine these foods with other, more nutritious options. This includes foods that are high in protein, healthy fats, and fiber.
These three nutrients help to increase feelings of satiety (fullness). When you feel full - or satisfied - after your meals, you can reduce cravings for sugary foods.
NUTRIENT DEFICIENCIES AND SUGAR CRAVINGS
If your diet is low in macronutrients like protein or fat, or if you’re not getting enough fiber, you may be more prone to sugar cravings. At the same time, deficiencies in micronutrients like vitamins and minerals can also cause cravings.
The following are some of the most common micronutrient deficiencies that can lead to sugar cravings:
Zinc
Zinc is a mineral that helps the body metabolize glucose (another name for sugar) and insulin, a hormone that moves sugar from the blood into the muscles.
If you’re deficient in zinc, you may start to crave sugar more frequently. You may also develop deficiencies in other nutrients, such as vitamins A, D, E, and K, all of which require zinc for proper absorption.
Magnesium
Magnesium is a mineral and electrolyte. It contributes to hundreds of bodily processes, including the regulation of blood sugar levels, insulin, and the neurotransmitter dopamine.
A magnesium deficiency can result in sugar cravings — especially cravings for chocolate. You may also experience muscle cramps, increased stress, and trouble sleeping.
Chromium
The mineral chromium, like magnesium and zinc, also plays a part in sugar and insulin regulation.
Those who are deficient in chromium tend to experience increased sugar cravings and higher hunger levels. They’re more prone to binge-eating, too.
Iron
Iron is essential for healthy red blood cell formation. Without sufficient iron, you may experience fatigue and struggle with low energy throughout the day.
When you’re dealing with low energy, you may find yourself reaching for a sugary snack to perk up. Over time, you may develop a sugar habit, leading to more cravings.
Calcium
Most people know calcium as a mineral that supports healthy bones and teeth. It can also affect sugar cravings, though.
Calcium is also an electrolyte that contributes to your body’s hydration levels. If you’re dehydrated, you may experience fatigue and a desire for sugar to try and increase your energy quickly.
HABITS AND SUGAR CRAVINGS
If you make a habit of eating sweets regularly, you may find that you crave them more. Keep in mind, though, that other habits can also impact your cravings, especially when it comes to things like sleep, alcohol consumption, and frequent under-eating.
Sleep
Most adults require between 7 and 9 hours of sleep to feel well and function properly during the day. In addition to making it harder for you to focus or impact your mood, poor sleep can also lead to increased sugar cravings.
When you don’t get enough sleep, your levels of the hormone ghrelin may increase, and your levels of the hormone leptin may decrease. Ghrelin is responsible for feelings of hunger, and leptin is responsible for feelings of fullness.
As your hunger increases, you may be more prone to reach for high-sugar foods to curb your appetite.
Alcohol Consumption
If you have a habit of frequently consuming alcohol, you may also notice your sugar cravings increase.
Alcohol interferes with the liver’s ability to store and release glycogen (stored glucose). This results in low blood sugar levels and sugar cravings. Alcohol is also a diuretic that can cause dehydration and fatigue, both of which can increase your desire for sugar.
Under-eating
Finally, if you have a habit of under-eating (consuming fewer calories than your body needs to function), you may also find that you crave sugar more often and have a harder time resisting your cravings.
Your willpower can only last so long. If you don’t take in enough calories and nutrients, you’ll eventually give in and overdo it on sugary foods. This, in turn, can lead to more cravings over time.
HOW TO REDUCE AND PREVENT CRAVINGS
Nobody wants to feel controlled by their sugar cravings. Luckily, there are lots of ways to reduce and prevent them, including the following:
Eat Balanced Meals
Make sure your meals contain a quality source of protein, healthy fat, and complex carbohydrates (such as whole grains and legumes, which contain fiber and other essential micronutrients). Balanced meals will keep you full and minimize sugar cravings.
Eat Regularly
Avoid skipping meals. Eat at regular intervals throughout the day to avoid drops in blood sugar, which can lead to increased sugar cravings.
Stay Hydrated
Dehydration may cause fatigue and an increased desire for sugar. Make sure you’re drinking plenty of water throughout the day to avoid this. You may also want to include an electrolyte supplement to promote optimal hydration.
Identify and Address Nutrient Deficiencies
Regular testing can help you identify deficiencies in minerals, vitamins, and other key nutrients. Once you find out which nutrients you’re missing, you can include certain supplements in your diet to correct them.
STOP SUGAR CRAVINGS IN THEIR TRACKS
Plenty of factors can contribute to your sugar cravings, from changes in the brain to a lack of key nutrients in your diet. If you’re struggling with what feels like an out-of-control sweet tooth, a good starting point is to conduct a nutrient test to understand what vitamins or minerals you’re missing.
Our Honed test kit and supplements can help identify potential deficiencies and address your cravings at the root.
Are you ready to rebalance your body and optimize your health? Click here to order your at-home test kit and get to the bottom of your cravings today.