Maybe you have a sweet tooth, a soda habit or a routine of snacking on chocolate raisins or yogurt pretzels. Or perhaps you reach for a sugary treat after a long day at work or an argument with your partner.
While a little bit of sugar can be part of a balanced diet, when you add up the sugar in drinks, snacks and even some foods you think are healthy, it’s easy to overdo it. Too much sugar can lead to weight gain, energy crashes and an increased risk of tooth decay, diabetes and heart disease.
Margaret O'Brien, a registered dietitian with Banner - University Medicine, shares some tips for taking control of your health and resetting your sugar habits so you feel better.
What is a sugar habit?
“Simply put, a sugar habit is a pattern of eating too much sugar,” O’Brien said.
Signs of a sugar habit may include:
- Eating large amounts of high-sugar foods or drinks
- Eating constantly or binge eating
- Eating to combat boredom
- Craving sugar, especially after meals
- Losing control over how much sugar you are eating
- Eating sugary foods that you don’t even like
- Mood swings or irritability when you go too long without a sweet snack
- Turning to sugar for emotional or stress relief
You could feel like you have a sugar addiction, but it’s not addictive in the same way as drugs, alcohol or tobacco. Sugar stimulates the release of dopamine, the feel-good chemical in your brain. So when you eat a lot of sugar, you may begin to rely on it to maintain your energy or improve your mood.
“Sugar can induce reward and pleasure, alter mood and produce cravings. Sugar just tastes good and we want more,” O’Brien said.
Why should you reduce sugar?
“Your body makes significant adjustments for the better when you avoid sugar,” O’Brien said. When you cut back on sugar, you may notice:
- More stable energy levels, because you're not experiencing the highs and lows that come with sugar spikes.
- Improved focus, since sugar crashes can make it hard for you to concentrate.
- Better overall health, since eating less sugar may lower your risk of weight gain, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, inflammation, cancer and liver problems.
How to spot sugar
The average American adult consumes more than twice as much sugar as they should. The American Heart Association recommends that men limit sugar intake to 36 grams (nine teaspoons) per day and women and children limit their intake to 25 grams (six teaspoons) a day.
O'Brien said that you should look for foods that have less than five grams of added sugar per serving. “There are over 60 different names for sugar, so review ingredients carefully. Common ingredients include sucrose, fructose, dextrose, cane sugar, beet sugar, high fructose corn syrup, agave nectar and brown sugar,” she said.
Be sure to check food labels for added sugar in packaged or processed foods that don’t taste sweet, like salad dressings, pasta sauce and bread.
Steps that can help you break the sugar habit
Breaking a sugar habit doesn’t happen overnight, and trying to cut out sugar cold turkey could lead to cravings, irritability, headaches, mood swings and fatigue. These strategies can help you reduce your intake over time.
1. Take it slow
- Swap out sugary drinks like soda, juice or sweetened coffee for water, tea or black coffee.
- Cut back on desserts by having smaller portions or eating desserts less often.
- Choose naturally sweet foods like fresh fruits that give you sweetness plus fiber.
- Try swapping your snacks for healthier options like a handful of nuts or sliced veggies with hummus.
- Focus on whole, unprocessed foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains. “Add foods rich in fiber and healthy fats like olive oil, nuts and avocado to help keep blood sugar steady and reduce cravings,” O’Brien said.
Steps like these will retrain your taste buds. “When you consume sugar regularly, you don't taste sweetness as much. That means you need to eat more sugar to get the same sweet taste. When you start reducing the amount of sugar in your foods, you will be more sensitive to sweetness and you will eat less sugar without noticing the difference in taste,” O'Brien said
2. Drink plenty of water
When you are thirsty or dehydrated, you may sense that you are hungry or have cravings. When you drink enough water, it helps you reduce snacking and support your overall health.
If you don't like the flavor of plain water, add slices of lemon, cucumber or mint. If you're breaking a soda or juice habit, try adding a little sparkling water to soda or plain water to juice and gradually increase the amount of water.
3. Manage sugar cravings
it's normal to have cravings, especially when you first start cutting back on sugar. “Replace sugary foods with natural sweeteners like fruit or with a small piece of dark chocolate. Spices like cinnamon and vanilla also add natural sweetness to foods and help you cut back added sugars without giving up on taste,” O'Brien said.
Remember that honey, agave, maple syrup, molasses, brown rice syrup and other more natural sweeteners are still sugar. “Your body responds to these sweeteners in the same way as sugar,” she said.
It can also help to practice mindfulness and pause to think about whether you are truly hungry or you are seeking comfort. You may find you can outlast your cravings. “Cravings only last about 15 minutes, so distract yourself with a short walk, a big glass of water or another distraction to resist giving in,” O’Brien said.
Exercise may also help increase self-control so you can resist cravings. And be sure to get enough sleep. “You are more likely to give in to cravings when you are sleep-deprived,” O’Brien said.
You may think you should switch to artificial sweeteners when you’re cutting back on sugar, but O’Brien said it’s best to avoid them.
“Artificial sweeteners can cause gas or bloating and may change the way your body metabolizes sugar. This can cause confusion between your gut and the brain — your body thinks you are eating sugar and tries to respond, so you may have more cravings for sugar,” she said.
4. Celebrate progress
Recognize your small wins, like choosing water over soda or fruit over cookies. You may want to track your progress in a journal or with a chart so it’s clear how far you’ve come.
5. Build a long-term low-sugar lifestyle
Once you’ve cut back on sugar, these steps can help you maintain your healthy habits:
- Practice moderation and enjoy treats once in a while without overdoing it.
- Keep healthy snack options at home and bring low-sugar snacks to social events if you don't think there will be any good choices there.
When to seek help
“If you are struggling with sugar cravings and can’t break the cycle on your own, seeking professional help can be useful. A registered dietitian can help create a healthy meal plan and offer options for better food choices,” O’Brien said.
Sugar cravings are common and don’t necessarily indicate underlying health issues. But if you are also struggling with depression or other mental health issues, a therapist or counselor can help you address emotional factors contributing to high sugar intake and can help you develop coping skills and build resilience.
The bottom line
Cutting back on sugar in your diet can improve your energy, mood and overall health. Small, sustainable changes can create lasting habits.
If cutting back on sugar feels overwhelming or you notice ongoing cravings or health concerns, a Banner Health provider or dietitian can help you build healthier habits and achieve your wellness goals.
