Your Guide to Managing Sugar Cravings with Diabetes

Managing sweet cravings is more complex than simply having "self-restraint." In fact, many lifestyle choices may be feeding your sweet tooth—making it more challenging to stick to your health goals.

When managing type 2 diabetes, keeping blood sugar levels within an appropriate range can help prevent unwanted health complications such as retinopathy (eye disease), nephropathy (kidney disease), and neuropathy (nerve disease).

Preventing high blood glucose levels can lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, atherosclerosis, and more. With unwanted snacking being a common culprit for fluctuating blood glucose levels, managing sweet cravings is a must and entirely possible!

Let's explore these lifestyle factors that may be getting in the way of managing your sugar intake.

Prioritize sleep to reduce cravings

Without enough rest, our body's natural patterns can go totally out of whack, which can, in turn, influence our cravings and, consequently, our blood glucose levels.

For example, research shows that compared to those who sleep more than five hours, those who only sleep for four hours per night are more likely to eat and weigh more. Additionally, those who sleep fewer hours are more likely to report greater hunger and an increased desire for high-carbohydrate and high-fat foods.¹

Hello, late-night snacking! So, help put your sweet cravings to rest by getting your ZZZs.

Break the habitual sugar chain

If you're accustomed to consuming sweets regularly, your body is more likely to crave sugar on a regular basis. After all, people are creatures of habit.

But, you can help to wean yourself off the sugary goods by decreasing the frequency with which you have a treat. For example, if you are used to having a sweet treat every afternoon, decrease this to five days per week, say Monday to Friday. Then, continue to reduce your intake down to special treats biweekly. Before you know it, your taste buds will adapt, making it easier to eliminate your go-to sugary treat (except for special occasions, of course).

Establish a consistent eating routine

Many people looking to live a healthier lifestyle try to "hit the ground running," starting the day with a very light breakfast or lunch. However, munching on "rabbit food" that lacks true substance only feeds sugar cravings later in the day. Not to mention, this eating pattern leaves people unsatisfied, hungry, and frustrated.

Let it be known that a rice cake is NOT breakfast! So, instead, aim for a healthful balance of nutrients at each meal to provide sustained energy and keep sugar cravings to a minimum. This redistribution of calories may help prevent overconsumption at later meals, especially in the evening.

Evaluate your relationship with alcohol

Did you know that regular alcohol consumption can increase sweet cravings? After all, does anyone truly seek out vegetables while drinking? But this relationship is more complex than simply influencing immediate food choices. Alcohol consumption can also affect sugar cravings in the upcoming days by impacting sleep quality.

Specifically, drinking can negatively affect restorative sleep, resulting in the need for a quick energy fix or loosened inhibitions in the following days. So, if you consume alcohol regularly, try cutting back by a third, then by half, and so on. Notice how your sweet cravings change.²

Master your snacking habits

While snacking can be a helpful tool for preventing hunger and busting sweet cravings, there's a difference between having a snack and succumbing to a snack attack. Mindlessly snacking due to boredom can slowly (but significantly) add calories to your daily intake. It also results in greater blood glucose fluctuations, ultimately impacting your overall disease management. So, when boredom strikes, keep yourself busy with activities that contribute to your health goals:

• Go for a walk or bike ride
• Catch up with a friend or family member on the phone
• Take a 15-minute meditation break
• Journal your feelings in a notebook
• Do an online yoga video
• Listen to a podcast
• Catch up on household chores
• Take a relaxing bath or shower
• Explore the neighborhood
• Read a magazine or book