5 Reasons You Might Be Craving Sweets

December 13, 2024

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Craving sweets at certain times — we’re looking at you, 3 p.m. energy slump — isn’t unusual. But sometimes that desire for a treat seems to come out of nowhere.

If you’ve ever questioned “Why am I craving sweets?” then you might want to look at your daily habits and evaluate if they could be contributing to your snacking. From not getting enough sleep to building up stress, these are five reasons why you might be craving sweets – and some healthy ways to quell those cravings.

1. You’re not getting enough sleep.

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You already know that your brain doesn’t function as well when you don’t get a good night’s rest, and that can translate into your food choices. Research has found that lack of sleep can lead to nighttime snacking and junk food cravings.

On the flip side, a recent study from Kings College in London found a direct correlation between increased sleep and reduced sugar intake. Sleep can balance your body and mind in more ways than one.

Fix it: Get 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night consistently. While this is easier said than done, here are some simple habits to try that can help you get more sleep.

2. You’re dehydrated.

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Hydration is essential to overall health and wellness. And when it comes to sweet cravings, score another point for H2O. Along with helping boost digestion and metabolism, maintain body temperature and blood pressure, and fight illness, staying hydrated can keep sugar cravings at bay.

A 2018 study found that the increase in water intake not only helped reduce sweet cravings but also quelled overall hunger. But still, getting enough water can be challenging.

Fix it: Sip water regularly throughout the day. Keep a reusable bottle on hand and set reminders on your phone if you tend to forget to drink up.

3. You’re stressed.

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Sure, you may want to comfort yourself with food after a hard day, but there’s more to it than that. Chronic stress has a direct effect on food cravings.

Short intervals of stress shut down hunger, but long-term intervals release cortisol, which increases appetite. Sugar-filled foods dampen stress-related responses and emotions, which is the prime reason you crave sweets when stressed.

Fix it: Look for other ways to manage stress, such as exercise, deep breathing, and meditation.

4. You’re not eating enough.

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While tweaking your diet to be healthier is never a bad thing, making drastic changes can set you off course. In fact, a 2020 study found that short-term food deprivation actually increases our cravings, especially for the foods we avoid, like sugar.

This is one of the reasons why fad diets tend to fail. Drastic, short-term changes in your eating habits combined with a lack of sufficient nutrition will cause dips in your energy levels, causing you to run back to sweets as a quick fix.

Fix it: Focus on eating whole foods that fill you up and acknowledge your cravings in healthy ways — before they become unavoidable.

5. You have a nutrient deficiency.

Nutrients Why Am I Craving Sweets, Unsplash — Credit: Unsplash

If you’re not getting the proper nutrients, vitamins, and minerals from your diet, your cravings could be disguising what you really need. The nutrient deficiencies linked to craving sweets include magnesium, calcium, zinc, chromium, and omega-3 fatty acids. The question here isn’t if you’re eating enough, but if you’re eating enough of the right foods.

Fix it: Talk to your doctor or consult a naturopath to find out how to pinpoint deficiencies in your diet and discover healthy ways to fill in what you’re missing.