Why Do We Crave Sweets?
During the day, after meals, or in the middle of the night… Sometimes a sudden craving for something sweet can arise, and it may feel difficult to resist. If this occurs regularly and leads to excessive eating, it may contribute to weight gain and health problems.
There can be many different reasons behind sweet cravings. Some are physiological, while others may be psychological. Let’s take a closer look at why we crave sweets and what we can do about it. Let’s start with the possible causes.
Following Strict Diets
If you follow a highly restrictive diet and constantly forbid yourself from eating certain foods, you may develop stronger cravings for the foods you believe you should not eat. For example, if you have a rule such as “I should never eat chocolate,” chocolate may become an “off-limits” food in your mind. Feelings of deprivation may then make you crave forbidden foods even more.
Therefore, instead of imposing strict prohibitions while following a nutrition plan, try to consume foods in appropriate amounts. Rather than adopting an “all-or-nothing” approach, you can try to establish a more sustainable eating routine that you can maintain over the long term. Instead of thinking, “I must never consume sugar,” you may find it more helpful to adopt a more flexible mindset, such as, “I can reduce my sugar intake.”
Conditioning and Seeing Food as a Reward
What you eat, when you eat, why you eat, and how much you eat can become behavioral patterns. In a study conducted in 2018, researchers suggested that behaviors perceived as rewarding may eventually turn into cravings. In other words, your craving for sugar may partly result from conditioning your mind and body to desire it. For example, some people reward themselves with sweets after successfully completing a difficult task.
Habits
For some people, eating sweets can become a habit. This may increase the desire to consume sweet foods. In other words, regularly consuming sweets may make you feel as though your body needs more sugar. But can sugary foods really be addictive?
Scientific research has not reached a definitive conclusion on this issue. However, processed foods containing refined sugar are thought to stimulate the release of dopamine, a chemical messenger in the brain. Dopamine plays an important role in the brain's reward system. Increased dopamine activity may contribute to stronger cravings. A study conducted in 2016 found that processed foods, particularly those containing added sugar, could contribute to habit-forming behaviors in humans and laboratory mice.
Artificial Sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners may change people's taste preferences over time. This may be because artificial sweeteners can taste much sweeter than refined sugar. Therefore, people who become accustomed to the taste of artificial sweeteners may develop stronger preferences for sweeter foods.
In a 2015 study, researchers examined sweet cravings in a group of 20 people who stopped consuming both sugar and artificial sweeteners. After two weeks, 86.6% of the participants reported that they no longer experienced a desire to consume sweet foods.
Stress and Emotional Factors
Your desire for sweets may increase when you are stressed or upset. This may be partly because stress can trigger the release of hormones associated with appetite and eating behavior. For example, one study showed that the appetite-regulating hormone ghrelin can be released during periods of stress. Another study conducted in 2015 found that prolonged exposure to stress may increase cravings for foods containing refined sugar and fat and may contribute to stress-related weight gain.
Not Getting Enough Sleep
A 2013 study showed that people who do not get enough sleep may be more likely to crave high-calorie foods, particularly sweet, salty, and starchy foods that can contribute to weight gain. One possible explanation is that people may seek these foods as a way to compensate for reduced energy levels caused by insufficient sleep.
Health Conditions
Blood glucose levels are one of the factors that may increase cravings for sweets. Foods containing refined sugar can cause blood glucose levels to rise rapidly and then fall quickly. This sudden drop may create a stronger desire to consume more sweets.
Craving sweets on its own does not necessarily indicate a health problem. However, constantly feeling the need to eat sweets, having difficulty concentrating when hungry, experiencing irritability, or feeling persistently hungry despite eating may sometimes be associated with insulin-related health issues. Identifying such problems may require more than a fasting blood glucose test and may involve a more comprehensive evaluation.
For example, the energy from the food you eat may not be used efficiently and may instead be stored as body fat. If you are overweight, particularly if you have noticeable abdominal fat, you may consider consulting an endocrinologist.
How Can We Control Sweet Cravings?
Sweet cravings are something that almost everyone may experience from time to time. What matters is how you respond to them. So, what can you do?
1. Allow Yourself to Eat It
Research suggests that rather than completely eliminating certain foods from your eating plan, reducing the amount you consume may help decrease cravings for those foods.
So, how can you consume these foods in a more mindful way?
First, try to eat slowly and consciously. It can be helpful to eat the first three or four bites more slowly, keeping each bite in your mouth for two or three seconds and focusing on the food.
If you find it difficult to stop eating once you open a package, instead of eating directly from the package, try putting a portion on a plate and eating it slowly.
If you think, “When I eat dessert, I cannot control the amount and always want more,” you can try consuming protein-containing foods alongside your dessert. This may make the snack more nutritious while helping you satisfy your craving with a smaller amount. For example, if you are eating cake, you could choose milk or a milk-based coffee instead of tea.
2. Eat a Balanced Diet
Certain foods, particularly whole grains, fiber-rich foods, and protein-containing foods, may help you feel full for longer and manage sweet cravings.
Plant-based protein sources such as lentils and chickpeas; animal-based proteins such as meat, chicken, fish, eggs, and yogurt; fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables; and dried fruits such as dates and plums can be options to consider when you experience a craving for something sweet.
Fruit yogurt made with fresh fruit, peanut butter spread on whole-grain bread, dried dates filled with walnuts, or a snack made with dried apricots can be healthier alternatives to traditional sweets.
It is also important to make sure that you are getting enough energy throughout the day. If you remain hungry for long periods, you may find yourself unsatisfied after dinner and then crave something sweet. For this reason, it is important to consume adequate amounts of energy, protein, and fiber throughout the day. Adequate water intake is also essential.
In addition, exercising, getting quality sleep, and managing stress may help control sweet cravings. A walk outdoors may increase the release of reward-related neurotransmitters such as dopamine and help you feel better. If you have ongoing sleep difficulties, a short midday nap may help improve your energy levels.
In other words, when you crave sweets, what your body actually needs may not be food at all. You may need to move outdoors, rest, or take some time for yourself.
Therefore, before eating something, it may be useful to ask yourself: “Is this really what I need right now? If not, what do I actually need?”
If trying to control your sweet cravings takes up too much of your time and energy, consulting a registered dietitian or nutrition professional may be helpful.