If sugar cravings feel impossible to resist in the moment, you’re not alone. And good news: you are more powerful than you think.
Here are my two favorite strategies to stop sugar cravings.
One works immediately. And takes 10 seconds. Literally.
The other reduces how often they happen in the first place.
My Sugar Cravings Story
I was making caramel ice cream on Sunday morning. I love ice cream. It’s one of my favorite things.
But I hadn’t set an intention before I started. Next thing I knew, I was eating the mixture straight from the bowl.
It reminded me just how overpowering the desire for sugar can be in the moment. So I wanted to share the tools that I used in the moment to completely neutralise the craving in just 10-seconds.
My surprisingly effective tool to stop sugar cravings in the moment
It’s called bilateral stimulation.
When you have a craving, one half of your brain tends to be more activated than the other. That imbalance drives the craving.
Here’s what you do: grab any object near you. Your phone, your keys, even the chocolate bar itself. Then pass it from one hand to the other.
That’s it.
It sounds strange.
But passing the object back and forth forces both halves of your brain to work together.
It creates a little roadblock in your brain. The craving doesn’t disappear entirely, but it calms right down.
That frantic “I have to have it NOW” feeling lifts.
On Sunday, I grabbed my Nutella jar. Passed it hand to hand a few times. And just like that, I could think clearly again.
The trick is remembering you have this tool.
Set the intention now, so next time a craving hits, you remember to do it.
My enjoyable way to reduce sugar cravings long term
The first thing is to actually give yourself permission to have sugar.
A lot of food cravings come from telling yourself you shouldn’t have it. When we try to quit sugar completely, desire goes up, not down.
Our brain goes into scarcity mode. And that actually increases our appetite for sweet things.
Sugar in moderation is fine. It’s excess sugar that causes problems for our weight and health.
So the practice I recommend is this: decide how much you’re having before you start eating. Not in the middle. Before.
The earlier you decide, the easier it is.
In the moment, your brain is activated. It’s hard to make a clear choice. So plan ahead when you can.
Serve yourself out.
Put the pack away.
Sit down and enjoy your sweet treat.
When you’ve finished and the urge for more arrives (and it will), coach yourself gently. “I’ve had some. I can have more tomorrow. Let me just wait a little.”
That self-coaching is what makes the difference between sticking to your intention and over doing it and regretting.
Remember you don’t have to do this perfectly.
It’s a new skill. There are still times that I eat more than I planned and that’s OK because those times are happening less frequently.
When I eat too much sugar I don’t make it mean I can’t be trusted. I just remind myself how this doesn’t feel good and it’s better when I stick to my intentions.
Key Takeaway: Sugar Cravings
You can change your relationship with sugar. It’s a learnable skill, not a character flaw.
Start with bilateral stimulation next time a craving hits. Pass an object from hand to hand and notice what happens.
And if you want to reduce cravings longer term, practice deciding how much you’re having before you eat, not during.
You are more powerful than you think.
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Want help putting this into practice?
Then my Joyful Weight Loss Course can help!
Lose weight with ease. Eating food you love. Without counting, missing out, going hungry or thinking about it all the time.
Learn more here.
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My Best Bite
This one might sound odd, but stay with me.
I made grilled cheese on tofu instead of toast. Cooked it in the air fryer. Gooey melted cheese, a little bacon, and some kale on the side for freshness.
It was cheesy, chewy, and so satisfying. The tofu gives it this lovely texture that holds up really well. Perfect winter comfort food.
Honestly, if you haven’t tried tofu as a bread swap, I highly recommend it!
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Frequently Asked Questions About Sugar Cravings
Why do I have sugar cravings after lunch or dinner?
There are a couple of common reasons.
One is habit and circadian rhythm. If you eat sugary foods at the same time every day, your body actually learns to expect it. There’s a fascinating study where researchers had one group eat a candy bar at the same time each day. After a while, their bodies started producing insulin in anticipation, right around that time, even before they’d eaten anything. That’s how powerful the habit loop is.
The other big one is emotions. Wanting to avoid going back to work after lunch is a real one. I’ve experienced this myself. We reach for sweet snacks not because we’re physically hungry, but because sugar lifts our mood and gives us a little dopamine hit. That emotional eating pattern is incredibly common, and there’s nothing wrong with you for experiencing it.
Are sugar cravings normal?
Absolutely. Sugar activates the reward system in our brains and triggers a release of dopamine, the feel-good neurotransmitter. Every human brain is wired to respond to sweet flavors this way. It’s a survival mechanism. Sweet things historically signaled safe, energy-rich food. So if you experience sugar cravings, that’s not a character flaw. It’s just your very human brain doing its thing.
Where do sugar cravings come from?
There are a few underlying causes.
One of the biggest is psychology. When we tell ourselves we can’t have sugar, or try to quit it completely, our brain interprets that as scarcity. And the result is a stronger craving, not a weaker one. That’s why restriction tends to backfire.
There’s also the habit factor and the circadian rhythm pattern mentioned above.
And then there’s blood sugar. If your insulin sensitivity isn’t working optimally, you can end up on a blood sugar roller coaster. Too much insulin drives blood sugar too low, and that drop triggers cravings. This is connected to conditions like insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and in more serious cases, diabetes. You might notice this pattern if weight gain tends to go to your middle. In that case, experimenting with reducing carbohydrates (not cutting them out completely) can help stabilize things.
What curbs sugar cravings or reduces sugar cravings?
The bilateral stimulation tool I shared above is my go-to for stopping cravings in the moment.
For longer-term reduction, the most effective thing is giving yourself permission to have sugar from time to time. This directly reduces the psychological component of cravings. Just pair that permission with a boundary: decide how much before you start, and serve yourself out first.
What to eat when craving sugar?
First, try the bilateral stimulation tool to reset your brain and bring down the intensity of the craving.
Then, if you still feel the desire to eat something, reach for protein. It’s the most satisfying macronutrient and the one most likely to address physical hunger. Dairy like Greek yogurt or cheese works well here. Vegetables are also helpful because of the link between fiber and satiety. They slow digestion and help keep blood sugar levels stable.
And check in honestly: is this physical hunger or an emotional state driving things? That awareness alone changes everything.
What foods reduce sugar cravings?
Eating a lower-carb meal with a good amount of protein at lunch or dinner can make a real difference. It keeps your blood sugar levels more stable, which reduces the blood sugar dip that triggers cravings. The protein is also very satisfying, so it helps rule out physical hunger as the underlying cause.
Think: eggs, fish, meat, dairy, legumes, and plenty of vegetables with fiber. Rather than snacks, sodas or processed foods high in sugar consumption, aim for meals that keep your stomach satisfied for longer.
How to stop sugar cravings at night?
The tools mentioned above work for both daytime and nighttime cravings. Bilateral stimulation works any time. And the practice of deciding your food intake in advance helps here too.
For more specific strategies around nighttime eating, check out this article.
What are sugar cravings telling you?
Before you go down the path of thinking you’re weak-willed, a sugar addict, or anything negative: stop right there. All humans experience sugar cravings. It’s a normal response from a normal brain.
Generally, cravings are a signal that there’s been some restriction happening, and the psychological and emotional aspect of food is at play. Or it’s the habit factor, where your body is simply expecting sugar at a certain time of day because that’s been the pattern.
The other possibility is that it’s a signal about insulin sensitivity. If weight gain tends to land around your middle, and tiredness or impulsivity spikes around the same time as cravings, that’s worth paying attention to. It doesn’t mean something is terribly wrong. It just means your body is giving you information.
Approach it from the perspective of curiosity, not criticism. That’s always the most useful place to start.
In your corner,
Jules from Stonesoup xx
(Your favourite Australian Food Scientist)
See my bio
Watch this article on YouTube
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