How to Battle Sugar Cravings: Top Tips to Use Every Day

If you're craving sugar, here are some ways to beat those constant cravings:

Give in a little. Eat a bit of what you're craving, maybe a small cookie or a fun-size candy bar. Enjoying a little of what you love can help you steer clear of feeling denied. Try to stick to a 150-calorie threshold, max.

Combine foods. If the idea of stopping at a cookie or a baby candy bar seems impossible, you can still fill yourself up and satisfy a sugar craving, too. Try combining the craving food with a healthful one such as dipping a banana in chocolate sauce, or mix some almonds with chocolate chips.

Go cold turkey. Cutting out all simple sugars works for some people, but the initial 48 to 72 hours are tough! Some people find that going cold turkey helps their cravings diminish after a few days; others find they may still crave sugar but over time are able to train their taste buds to be satisfied with less.

Grab some gum or brush your teeth! If you want to avoid giving in to a sugar craving completely, try chewing a stick of gum, or brushing your teeth prior to reaching for the sweets! Research has shown that chewing gum can reduce food cravings significantly.

Reach for fruit. Keep fruit handy for when sugar cravings hit. You'll get fiber and nutrients along with some sweetness. And stock up on foods like nuts, seeds, and dried fruits, and have them handy so you reach for them instead of reaching for the sugary something.

Get up and go. When a sugar craving hits, just walk away. Take a walk around the block or do something to change the scenery, to take your mind off the food you're craving.

Choose quality over quantity. Choose a perfect dark chocolate truffle instead of a king-sized candy bar, then "savor every bite - slowly. Don't swear off favorites - you'll only come back for greater portions.

Eat regularly. Waiting too long between meals may set you up to choose sugary, fatty foods that cut your hunger. Instead, eating every 3-5 hours can help keep blood sugar stable and help you "avoid irrational eating" behavior. Choose protein, fiber-rich foods like whole grains and produce.

But won't eating more often mean overeating? Not if you follow good advice given by many nutritionists to "break up your meals" i.e. have part of your breakfast - a slice of toast with peanut butter, perhaps and save some yogurt for a mid-morning snack. You can do the same at lunch to help avoid a mid-afternoon slump.