Why Do I Crave Sugar When I'm Not Even Hungry?

Question: Why Do I Crave Sugar When I'm Not Even Hungry?

I seem to crave sugar when I'm not even hungry. I'll have a nice salad with greens, salmon pieces, and vegetables on it, then a few minutes later I'll want something sweet. I usually eat nutritious foods most of the time. It's when I'm not hungry that I seem to really crave the sweets.

All of my family really likes sweets and I've tried to not have them as often anymore. If I do eat sweets, I usually will have some dates or a Clif Bar, but sometimes I'll just eat a huge bowl of ice cream or cookies, or eat a whole pan of brownies.

Why do you think I crave sweets and what are some solutions to stop craving them?

Lisa - About.com User

Answer: I can think of two possible reasons why you crave sugar. Eating desserts may be a family tradition so having something sweet after dinner might be a habit (seems like this type of habit gets even stronger during the holiday season).

Another reason for the sugar cravings may be due to serotonin, which is a brain chemical that makes you feel content and happy. Eating sugar may increase the absorption of an amino acid called tryptophan, which helps your body make serotonin, so it's possible that eating something sweet may make you feel happy. The opposite might be true then too -- avoiding sweets may make you feel crabby.

Sugar has calories, but no additional nutritional value, and the calories can add up fast - each gram of sugar has four calories (here's how you convert grams of sugar to teaspoons). Many sweet treats also contain unhealthy amounts of saturated and trans-fats.

Is some sugar acceptable? Sure, in moderation. Choosemyplate.gov allows you to have a few discretionary calories each day. However, if you are overweight or obese, you may need to decrease your total calorie consumption, which will also decrease your discretionary calorie allowance.

Enjoying an occasional high-calorie sweet treat probably won't hurt you if you're at a healthy weight, but it shouldn't become a daily habit. If you're concerned about your weight, you can use my BMI calculator to see if you are overweight and my Calorie Calculator to see how many calories you need each day. I've also got some tips for helping you with excessive sugar cravings:

• Get some exercise. You may feel better if you go for a walk or get some other type of exercise. Exercise will stimulate brain chemicals that will improve your mood.
• Sugar cravings may lessen if you decrease the number of calories you eat each day, so if you are eating too many calories, cut back.
• Don't tempt yourself by keeping high-calorie sweets in the house.
• Don't skip meals, which can make cravings worse.
• Keep your meals simple. The more side dishes and flavors you include in your meals, the more likely you are to overeat.
• Choose healthy side dishes with a sweet flavor, such as sweet potatoes.

Perhaps if you satisfy your taste buds' need for sweet flavor during your meal, you won't fall for a big dessert afterward (find out how much sugar you can have each day). Fruits such as pluot and berries are naturally sweet and offer vitamins, mineral and other important phytochemicals. You can sweeten your vegetables too - dress up your carrots with a little honey glaze to keep the sugar cravings at bay later.

Add one of these sweet and nutritious side dishes to your meal:

• Baked Pears with Cranberries and Walnuts
• Melon Berry Medley
• Roasted Butternut Squash
• Spicy Apple Glazed Carrots
• Mashed Sweet Potatoes
• Sweet Potatoes and Onions

Another option is to choose main dishes with a sweet flavor. Make sure to use recipes that aren't overloaded with added sugar and stay away from high fat and fried foods.

Try these deliciously sweet ideas:

• Crockpot Sweet and Sour Chicken Stew
• Sweet and Sour Scallops

Last of all, you can go ahead and have a little dessert or a sweet treat. Choose low-fat desserts that use fruit as the main ingredient. The sweetener should only be added as a condiment, or as a minor ingredient.

For example, my favorite dessert is strawberries and blueberries. These berries have lots of vitamin C, healthy antioxidants and fiber that helps to fill me up. I add a little bit of "lite" whipped topping for a creamy texture and a sprinkling of walnuts or almonds for crunch. This berry dessert satisfies my sweet tooth without sabotaging my diet and has a lot of nutritional power.

Here are some other sweet and healthy desserts:

• Low Fat Pear-Cranberry Strudel
• Crispy Rice Treats
• Low Fat Blackberry and Apple Tart
• Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
• Caramel Baked Apples

If you crave sweets and you need to cut calories, there are diet foods and beverages that are sweetened with artificial sweeteners. Some people seem to be sensitive to these sweeteners and feel ill when they use them, however, most people don't have these problems and the use of artificial sweeteners is another option to tame your sweet tooth without added calories.

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