7 Foods that can stop sugar cravings

Stop sugar cravings with delicious foods that fill you up and keep you feeling fuller longer. Understanding some of the causes of sugar cravings lets you arm yourself with the best cache of foods for your needs. Here are seven foods that help stop sugar cravings.

1. Fruit

The ever-so-sweet taste of fruit is only one reason eating them helps satisfy sweet cravings. Sometimes sugary cravings are about more than just sugar, and fruit is the easiest to reach for food to quickly address it.

High in fiber and additional nutrients, fruits can be enjoyed fresh, frozen, dried, canned or cooked. Avocados and peaches are especially rich in fiber. Eating more fruits that we sometimes eat as vegetables gives you a wider range of flavor and savory indulgence to feel fuller longer. Available in so many forms, fruits have to be one of the most convenient high-fiber foods to reach for.

2. Fiber

So many foods are great sources of fiber if only we eat enough of them. You can get plenty of fiber from foods like proteins, fruits, grains and seeds.

Eggs also keep you feeling fuller longer. Whole grains not only add fiber to your diet, but they also are known to influence bacteria in your gut. Soluable dietary fiber in chia seeds, for example, swells up from absorbed water and forms a jelly-like substance in your stomach in addition to the added benefit of healthy Omega-3 fatty acids.

3. Protein

Busy people are always looking for simple and quick ways to prepare meals or add nutrition to their diets. Packaged tuna, salmon, or chicken can be eaten right from a pouch plain or seasoned and ready to add to a salad or sandwich.

Other proteins rich in fiber include legumes, good sources of protein and fiber that help curb hunger. Yogurt is high in protein, as are fermented foods like kimchi and sauerkraut.

4. Sugar-free chewing gum or mints

These sweet tasting treats curb sugar cravings and help tide you over until that next snack or meal. They also keep your mouth feeling fresh, and this is known to help reduce sugary cravings in some people.

Sugar-free chewing gum comes in a wide variety of flavors and mints. It lasts long but does lose flavor after awhile. At such good prices per gum or mint, replace as often as you want to keep the flavor and your breath fresh and bright.

5. Yogurt or smoothies

Don’t starve yourself. Eating regularly every three to five hours can help keep blood sugar level. Here is how eating yogurt or smoothies can help.

One way to do this can be to break up meals. For example, have a pancake with fruit for breakfast and save some yogurt for a mid-morning snack. Adding tuna or salmon to your lunch gives you good proteins while saving that smoothie for a late afternoon or evening snack helps quell the sugar craving.

6. Water

Ramping up your hydration is not only about feeling fuller. Thirst can mimic hunger, which can trigger sweet cravings.

Try switching from sugary sodas to sugar free beverages. You can purchase these ready to drink or in powder and liquid forms that are easily added to a bottle or glass of water. Try some store brands to get a god variety of flavors to choose from that will help curb those sweet cravings by satisfying your thirst.

7. Nuts, seeds and dried fruits together

Almonds pair well with dates. Dates are very sweet and loaded with other nutrients like fiber, iron and potassium. Sunflower seeds pair well with raisins or dried blueberries.

Keep a jar of homemade trail mix in the pantry or a desk drawer at work for a yummy snack with added nutrients. Include something from each group, that is nuts, seeds and dried fruits, for a power-packed snack of your favorites to keep you feeling fuller longer. Walnuts, chia seeds and dried black cherries are one example. You can also find these three groups ready-to-eat in health or snack bars.

If you are hungry or thirsty and craving sweets at the same time, opt for a full meal loaded with fiber and protein to fill you up and make you feel that way longer. Include some fruits to satisfy the sugar craving. Indulging in cooked fruits are great for that sweet dessert taste. Planning to stop sugar cravings before they begin is one tool for winning the battle for your attention to sugary sweets that do not really satisfy.