# Addiction to sugar



## UMP (Dec 23, 2014)

I am managing to keep my weight level, but crave sugar at night.
Every day, I eat well for breakfast, lunch and diner, but come 8:00pm I start wanting to eat sugar. 
The later it gets, the more I want.
I have no idea how I've kept from gaining weight.
However, this cannot be good for me. I don't have the energy I used to have and am not sleeping as well as I should.

Any suggestions? I try to stop, but every night I just can't do it.


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## Catherine602 (Oct 14, 2010)

It probably has to do with diurnal variations in cortisol levels, the hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles. 

You have to stop eating sweets cold. Eating sugar seems to leave you wanting more and more. The craving decreases when you don't give in. Have you tried substituting with fruit? I have a craving for a sweet in the evening too. I eat fruit and that's enough to dull the craving. Also, drinking unsweetened green tea helps too, for some reason. Otherwise, I would eat a bag of Good n Plenty and wash it down with an orange soda or 2.


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## RainbowBrite (Dec 30, 2015)

Deleted


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## Hope1964 (Sep 26, 2011)

Years ago I did the South Beach diet phase one for two weeks. It's whole purpose is to get you off the carb addiction and it actually works. You stop eating everything with carbs, cold turkey. Making up a daily meal plan was the key for me, including some of their dessert/snack recipes. Once you've gone through a week, the cravings start to subside, and after two weeks you can add some carbs back in to your diet. And this stuff is actually really yummy!

*mocha ricotta creme*
5 Chocolate chips, mini
1/2 tsp Cocoa powder, unsweetened
1 package Sugar substitute (I'd skip this unless you REALLY need it, and then use stevia)
1/4 tsp Vanilla extract
1 dash Espresso, powder
1/2 cup Ricotta cheese, part-skim
mix together well and enjoy!!


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## EleGirl (Dec 3, 2011)

Hope1964 said:


> Years ago I did the South Beach diet phase one for two weeks. It's whole purpose is to get you off the carb addiction and it actually works. You stop eating everything with carbs, cold turkey. Making up a daily meal plan was the key for me, including some of their dessert/snack recipes. Once you've gone through a week, the cravings start to subside, and after two weeks you can add some carbs back in to your diet. And this stuff is actually really yummy!
> 
> *mocha ricotta creme*
> 5 Chocolate chips, mini
> ...


I'm having the same problem with sugar cravings, especially in the late evening/night.

And I agree with the above post.


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## Catherine602 (Oct 14, 2010)

3leafclover said:


> I dunno. I think the "addiction to sugar" thing is really overdone lately, and I just don't buy it outside of a rare few, especially those with eating disorders. Yeah, I get how complex carbs are better for you (more nutritionally dense) than simple ones, etc. etc., but a calorie is a calorie and sugar is sugar once it's broken down.
> 
> Your body needs carbs. It needs sugar of some sort. It's very normal for it to make you crave a quick, easy source of that fuel when you're low on it, which you apparently are at night. Thankfully, you're not totally controlled by your cravings and can substitute more complex carbs for the simple ones if you want to.
> 
> ...


Actually research shows that the source of calories has different energy equivalents and therefore different capacities for fat accumulation. 

It has to do with the power of a food to stimulate insulin release. Some foods have a high power = high glycemic index and some low. Consuming high glycemic index food like concentrated sugars results in a high spike of insulin and storage of the calories as belly fat.


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## Hope1964 (Sep 26, 2011)

3leafclover said:


> Moderation in all things works best for me.


I hate this expression. If you're going to eat everything there is 'in moderation', you're going to weigh 500 lbs.

Refined sugar is worse for you than almost anything else we eat. There is no reason to eat any of it, ever, unless you're chewing on a fresh sugarcane, and then it isn't refined is it? As for other carbs, yes your body needs them, but 'a calorie isn't a calorie'. Your body metabolizes fructose far differently than it does glucose, which is metabolized differently than starch, etc etc. All calories are most definitely NOT created equally!


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## thefam (Sep 9, 2014)

3leafclover said:


> I dunno. I think the "addiction to sugar" thing is really overdone lately, and I just don't buy it outside of a rare few, especially those with eating disorders. Yeah, I get how complex carbs are better for you (more nutritionally dense) than simple ones, etc. etc., but a calorie is a calorie and sugar is sugar once it's broken down.
> 
> Your body needs carbs. It needs sugar of some sort. It's very normal for it to make you crave a quick, easy source of that fuel when you're low on it, which you apparently are at night. Thankfully, you're not totally controlled by your cravings and can substitute more complex carbs for the simple ones if you want to.
> 
> ...


Nope. Wrong. Just about everything you've said in your post. I'm faced with the situation of needing more calories but needing to control my weight gain. I am pregnant and also have a 5 month old that is breastfed. Yet I did not lose the pregnancy weight before the shock of getting pregnant again. So I have to be EXTREMELY careful with the source of my extra calories in order to control the natural weight gain from the pregnancy. I need the extra calories for breastfeeding but I have to make sure that every source of sugar and fat isvin it's most natural state and not added. An avocado is much better for me than a piece of chocolate cake with chocolate frosting although they are both high in fat.

And yes Ump cold turkey off the sugar is the way to go. That is how I lost the weight pretty quickly after my first baby. No soda and no packaged sweets. In fact I avoid packaged food as much as possible. After going through the withdrawal I started treating myself every few weeks to strawberries dipped in pure dark chocolate that I made myself so that I could control the portion of both. But there is no way around that initial withdrawal period where you literally feel like you're starving to death. There is no improvement in lifestyle change that does not involve some type of discomfort. 

Type 2 diabetes runs rampant in my family even though obesity does not. It has started as early as late 30's so I am determined to control my carb intake while I am still in my early 30's that i can avoid it. 

3leaf you could literally lead someone to an early death with that philosophy that all calories are created equally.


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## UMP (Dec 23, 2014)

thefam said:


> Nope. Wrong. Just about everything you've said in your post. I'm faced with the situation of needing more calories but needing to control my weight gain. I am pregnant and also have a 5 month old that is breastfed. Yet I did not lose the pregnancy weight before the shock of getting pregnant again. So I have to be EXTREMELY careful with the source of my extra calories in order to control the natural weight gain from the pregnancy. I need the extra calories for breastfeeding but I have to make sure that every source of sugar and fat isvin it's most natural state and not added. An avocado is much better for me than a piece of chocolate cake with chocolate frosting although they are both high in fat.
> 
> And yes Ump cold turkey off the sugar is the way to go. That is how I lost the weight pretty quickly after my first baby. No soda and no packaged sweets. In fact I avoid packaged food as much as possible. After going through the withdrawal I started treating myself every few weeks to strawberries dipped in pure dark chocolate that I made myself so that I could control the portion of both. But there is no way around that initial withdrawal period where you literally feel like you're starving to death. There is no improvement in lifestyle change that does not involve some type of discomfort.
> 
> ...


Thanks Everyone.
The strange part for me is that I am never hungry through the day. I eat because I have to. Even at dinner my appetite is low.
As soon as 8:00pm comes along I start to crave sweets. I eat a lot of sweets, but gain NO weight.
If I were to cut out sweets I think I would lose tons of weight.
I am not heavy but I am not skinny either. Without sweets I would get ripped.

Thank again!


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## Cletus (Apr 27, 2012)

Hope1964 said:


> I hate this expression. If you're going to eat everything there is 'in moderation', you're going to weigh 500 lbs.
> 
> Refined sugar is worse for you than almost anything else we eat. There is no reason to eat any of it, ever, unless you're chewing on a fresh sugarcane, and then it isn't refined is it? As for other carbs, yes your body needs them, but 'a calorie isn't a calorie'. Your body metabolizes fructose far differently than it does glucose, which is metabolized differently than starch, etc etc. All calories are most definitely NOT created equally!


I'm currently in the midst of a 50lbs and counting weight loss. 

I didn't change my diet one bit except to monitor how much goes in. Same foods (Ok, no soda, but that was a rarity anyway) - just less off them. All of them. With a calorie counting app to make it really clear what I'm shoveling into my pie hole.

Moderation was, in fact, the key to my success. Just the other night I had strawberry shortcake with fresh whipped cream made from berries picked just hours before in the field. Same as last summer - I just had less of it.


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## sidney2718 (Nov 2, 2013)

Don't try any remedies on your own, except for cutting down on the sugar. See a doctor NOW. You could be suffering from one or another major disease, the most likely of which is probably type 2 diabetes. But it could also be type 1. I'm not qualified to tell the difference.

Once you get medical clearance, then you are free to do as you please.


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## Mr.StrongMan (Feb 10, 2016)

UMP said:


> I am managing to keep my weight level, but crave sugar at night.
> Every day, I eat well for breakfast, lunch and diner, but come 8:00pm I start wanting to eat sugar.
> The later it gets, the more I want.
> I have no idea how I've kept from gaining weight.
> ...


I am a life long sugar addict. I don't crave alcohol or drugs. But sugar? Forget it. 

Here is what worked for me. Eat protein first thing in the morning. Keep on eating protein.... chicken... first thing in the morning. Protein will help curb your craving for sugar. It's not a cure all. It's going to take effort on your part. But if you work with it, protein will satisfy your urges and make you feel full while leveling your blood sugar. Also, I have taken cinnamon tablets. I'm not sure if it's a placebo effect but it helped me keep my cravings down. At least I think it did. Stay away from trigger foods like breads or bad carbs. If you must eat sweets eat watermelon or other fruits. But all in all protein seemed to help me the most. And keep sugar out of your house. Good luck.  Of course, always see a doctor before taking anyone's advice.


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## jdawg2015 (Feb 12, 2015)

A calorie is not a calorie. 

People all have their way of thinking about this but science tells you otherwise. 

The process of how your food gets broken down and converted by your body is definitely not one path. This is not fad diet thinking, it's hard science.

Sadly the American diet has become a mess with huge portions and readily available bad food choices. That is where moderation comes in. But if you think a calorie is just a calorie try training for an Ironman triathlon and to build muscle in the gym without changing your diet....... I can give you many ways to test this theory on yourself.



3leafclover said:


> I dunno. I think the "addiction to sugar" thing is really overdone lately, and I just don't buy it outside of a rare few, especially those with eating disorders. Yeah, I get how complex carbs are better for you (more nutritionally dense) than simple ones, etc. etc., but a calorie is a calorie and sugar is sugar once it's broken down.
> 
> Your body needs carbs. It needs sugar of some sort. It's very normal for it to make you crave a quick, easy source of that fuel when you're low on it, which you apparently are at night. Thankfully, you're not totally controlled by your cravings and can substitute more complex carbs for the simple ones if you want to.
> 
> ...


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## Catherine602 (Oct 14, 2010)

UMP said:


> Thanks Everyone.
> The strange part for me is that I am never hungry through the day. I eat because I have to. Even at dinner my appetite is low.
> As soon as 8:00pm comes along I start to crave sweets. I eat a lot of sweets, but gain NO weight.
> If I were to cut out sweets I think I would lose tons of weight.
> ...


You may not be taking in enough calories during the day. If you are not hungry in the morning then you ate too much the night before. 

Try eat a good breakfast, make lunch your largest meal and eat a light dinner. Have a protein or veggie snack in the evening - grilled shrimp, or avocado salad with tomatoes, onions, balsamic vinegar and a little olive oil, or grilled low glycemic index veggies, or gazpacho soup, or humus with cucumber, slices etc.


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## thefam (Sep 9, 2014)

@3leafclover I don't see any recommendations for a fad diet on this thread, but rather a permanent change in eating habits. Such a change just does not happen permanently without discomfort.

And your holding on to your idea that a calorie is a calorie is ridiculous whether it's for weight loss or weight maintenance. If a food item gets s large percentage of of its calories from unhealthy forms of fat it is NOT going to lead to ultimately lead you to weight loss (especially fat loss vs muscle loss).

Plus the older you get, the worse that high sugar consumption will be on your overall health


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## Hope1964 (Sep 26, 2011)

thefam said:


> [MENTION=7748]
> And your holding on to your idea that a calorie is a calorie is ridiculous whether it's for weight loss or weight maintenance.


:iagree::iagree::iagree:

I couldn't agree more. Sure, if you look at it purely from an energy point of view a calorie is a calorie. A calorie is a measurement of heat. Specifically: "the energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water through 1 °C (now usually defined as 4.1868 joules)." Somehow this unit has been adopted as the best way of measuring the energy available from food. 

But what it totally fails to do is address the metabolic pathway your body uses in order to extract that calorie. If you ingest glucose, there is very little required by your body in order to harness it's energy. So your body isn't expending much energy in order to get the energy from it. But if you eat something like a more complex carbohydrate, your body has to expend more energy in order to extract the energy from the food. This is a very simplified explanation.

It also fails to address the fact that many foods, independently of the calories they contain, affect your body in other ways that may affect your body's ability to lose weight. This can be different for every person. So what works for me may not work for you. 

Losing weight is SO much more than just counting calories.


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## Rubix Cubed (Feb 21, 2016)

I did the Paleo/ whole 30 thing for a bit and had the same cravings in the same time period as @UMP had. I would have a couple bittersweet baking chocolate morsels to squelch the cravings and it worked to some extent. The 60% Cacao chips are extremely low in sugar. Cutting the sugar is hard as hell, but it will make a marked difference in how you feel as well as let you drop weight. I've slipped a bit and can feel the old pains coming back with the increase in sugar intake.


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## Cletus (Apr 27, 2012)

thefam said:


> @3leafclover I don't see any recommendations for a fad diet on this thread, but rather a permanent change in eating habits. Such a change just does not happen permanently without discomfort.


People are making statements to the effect that there is no place for refined sugar in a sensible diet, for instance.

Some of us would rather be fat than live a life never enjoying the foods that we find irresistible. For us, moderation is _precisely_ what we need to learn to be both healthy and happy.

For me, "eat less, move more" was all the prescription I needed to lose weight. Nothing more complicated at all. Count the calories in and exercise every day (don't offset the workout calories with food). Eat whatever I like as long as I know how much I'm consuming and how many calories it contains. Lower calorie/higher bulk foods automatically become more appealing.


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## Hope1964 (Sep 26, 2011)

Hey, if it works for you, and you don't really care what's in the food you eat as long as it tastes good, more power to you.

What works for me is to find yummy foods that are also healthy. Ever hear of Traditional Foods? That's my philosophy, with some adaptations  The OP asked specifically about sugar cravings. Sugar is a carb, so of course the answers talked about carbs.

I always find it funny how threads evolve. It's like that old game of telephone: whisper something in someone's ear and go around the circle. By the time it gets back to the original person, what's being whispered is totally different.


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