Sugar cravings: where they come from and how to tame them without giving up everything

Why do we crave sugar?

A liking for sweet tastes is something we're born with. Babies prefer sweet flavours from their first days. The trouble is that sugar is now everywhere and very easy to get, and the brain quickly learns to ask for it at certain moments.

The most common reasons cravings show up:

• Habit. If you always have a biscuit with your coffee or something sweet after lunch, your body comes to expect it at the same time.
• Hunger. When you skip a meal or just grab something quick without protein or fibre, your energy drops and your body looks for a fast fix.
• Too little sleep. After a short night, people more often choose sweet, fatty food.
• Stress and tiredness. Something sweet brings a little calm in the moment, and the brain remembers that.
• Reward. Many of us grew up with sweets given as a treat, and the link sticks.

How much sugar is too much?

“Free sugars” means sugar added to food and drinks, plus the sugar in honey, syrups and fruit juices, even natural ones. Sugar in whole fruit, vegetables and milk doesn't count.

The World Health Organization recommends keeping free sugars under 10% of daily calories and, for extra benefit, under 5%. The NHS turned the second figure into grams: no more than 30 g a day for adults. A single can of a regular soft drink can go over that amount on its own.

Where does sugar hide?

Obvious sweets are only part of it. A lot of sugar comes from products you wouldn't think of as sweet:

• soft drinks, juices, iced teas and energy drinks;
• fruit yoghurts and dairy desserts;
• breakfast cereals and “cereal” bars;
• sauces: ketchup, sweet and sour, pasta sauces;
• bread and pastries;
• coffee with syrup.

On the label, look at “of which sugars” per 100 g and at the ingredients list. Sugar goes by many names: glucose-fructose syrup, dextrose, corn syrup, honey, concentrated juice.

How do you tame sugar cravings, step by step?

What you do	Why it works
Regular meals with protein and fibre	your energy stays steady and big hunger doesn't catch you in the afternoon
Cut the sugar in your coffee or tea by a teaspoon a week	your taste adjusts gradually and you don't miss it
Water instead of sugary drinks	liquid sugar is the easiest to cut and makes the biggest difference
Whole fruit within reach	it's sweet, but it also has fibre and fills you up
Sweets out of sight	what you see often, you eat often
Enough sleep	after a good night, cravings are smaller
A short walk when a craving hits	cravings often pass within 10 to 15 minutes

You don't have to ban sweet things. Total bans often lead to eating a lot all at once. It works better to pick your moments: a small dessert on Sunday, a slice of cake at a birthday, a little dark chocolate.

To see when cravings appear and what sets them off, the daily journal in your free MentorSano account keeps your meals, sleep and energy side by side. Many people find that cravings come on days with little sleep or skipped meals.

What about evening cravings?

Evening sugar cravings usually have two causes: a day of meals that were too small, and tiredness. A few ideas:

• have a lunch and dinner with protein and vegetables, not just a quick snack;
• keep a better option to hand: plain yoghurt with fruit, a few nuts, a square of dark chocolate;
• after dinner, brush your teeth: many people don't fancy anything sweet after that;
• if you eat sweets in front of a screen out of habit, put a small portion in a bowl instead of taking the whole packet.

Do sweeteners help?

Zero-calorie sweeteners can help in the short term, for example when you're switching from sugary drinks to water. In 2023 the World Health Organization advised against using them as a way to lose weight in the long run, because studies haven't shown a clear benefit. The long-term aim is for your taste to get used to less sweetness, not to swap sugar for something just as sweet.