Why Do We Have Sweet Cravings?

By Carol Chuang, MS, CNS, CMTA, FDN

Having a treat on special occasions is one thing, but when we get stuck in the habit of grabbing a cookie or candy bar in between meals or after dinner, the physiological changes in the body are profound. Over time, this habit may result in weight gain, fatigue, mental fogginess, hormonal imbalances, increased risk of insulin resistance, and other serious inflammatory diseases.

Eating sugar activates feel-good chemicals and reward centers in the brain, much the same way narcotics like cocaine do. That is why we can become so addicted to sugar, experience physical withdrawal symptoms, and require more and more to achieve the same feel-good sensation from eating sugar. No wonder researchers found that sugar can be four times as addictive as cocaine!

So, what does it tell us if we have a sweet tooth all the time? Sugar cravings are not merely about whether you have enough willpower or discipline to resist eating sugar. Sugar cravings are a sign of imbalance in the body. We now understand that there may be a number of underlying physiological reasons feeding what feels like a desperate desire for sugar. In the following, we will discuss the key factors and how to address such imbalances.

1. Not eating right

When you observe sweet cravings within a short time after a meal, the first place to examine to resolve the problem is the food. Why? Because food is foundational and sweet cravings are typically due to:

• eating the wrong foods for your body and/or 
• eating the wrong proportions of protein, fats, and carbohydrates at your last meal.

Wrong foods

Have you ever noticed that even if a food is organic and nutritious, it may not always agree with your body? Due to our specific genetics, one man's food can be another man's poison. Just like different types of vehicles may need different fuels, our bodies may require different foods to properly convert the nutrients into energy. Eating the wrong foods will result in inferior cellular energy production that gets expressed as a desire for sugar (which is a source of energy).

If you know that certain foods do not agree with you or always result in sweet cravings, do not eat them. Otherwise, contact me for an online Metabolic Typing test to find out what foods are best for your body and what are not.

Wrong proportions of protein, fats, and carbohydrates 

Most people tend to focus on carbs and end up not eating enough protein and fats. It is true that some people can eat a bowl of plain oatmeal or a plate of pasta and be truly satisfied for hours without any cravings, but most will not.

Just as different people require different "fuels" or foods, we also need different "fuel mixes" in order to optimize our cellular energy production. Not giving your body the right  proportions of protein, fats, and carbs will lead to poor energy production that gets channeled as a sweet craving.

When you eat the right foods and the right proportions of protein, fats, and carbs for your body, you should feel full, satisfied, and energized after a meal, and should not have the desire for more food or sweets. Otherwise, you need to examine your last meal and make the appropriate adjustments.

2. Insulin resistance 

When a normal person eats a carbohydrate, the body converts it into glucose. In response, the hormone insulin is secreted to take the glucose from the bloodstream and store it in the cells for usage. Unfortunately, a person who is insulin resistant does not respond to the insulin properly. Glucose stays in the bloodstream and the body releases more insulin in an attempt to get the cells to recognize the free glucose. In this case, the cells have become either partially or completely resistant to the normal insulin response, so they continue to demand glucose. That is why people with insulin resistance tend to have sweet cravings. 

Eating right (as explained above) and doing regular exercise, in particular, high intensity interval training, are very effective in helping the body regain insulin sensitivity.

3. Low adrenal function

One major reason for sugar cravings, much the same as cravings for caffeine, is low adrenal function. The adrenal glands sit on top of the kidneys. They secrete many important hormones; the key one is cortisol, or stress hormone.

In the initial high stress stage, which may last from a few years to decades, the adrenals will crank out more and more cortisol in response to the increased amount of stress. Blood sugar also goes up in conjunction with cortisol. However, after a long period of chronic high stress, the adrenals become fatigued and can no longer pump out the same amount of cortisol. Blood sugar starts to fall and when it gets too low (hypoglycemia), you develop an intense craving for sugar.

Eating right, doing the appropriate amount of exercise (overexercising is also a source of stress), reducing stress, and having sufficient rest are vital in regaining adrenal health.

4. Gut problems

Chronic, low-grade intestinal tract infections can be another source of stress leading to low adrenal function and sugar cravings. You can get a stool test from your healthcare professional to check for the presence of pathogens such as H. Pylori, parasites, bacteria, and fungus (including Candida overgrowth). You may find that getting rid of your infections and rebalancing the gut with probiotics will help curb your sweet cravings.

Likewise, food allergies, sensitivities, and intolerances can also put tremendous stress on the adrenal glands. The most common reactive foods are dairy and wheat, but others include corn, eggs, soy, and peanuts. Eating your reactive foods on a regular basis leads to chronic inflammation and results in the destruction of healthy gut lining. If you are not already aware of any reactivities, a blood test will be able to determine your offensive foods.

5. Neurotransmitter imbalance

Craving sweet things may be a sign of an underlying amino acid deficiency. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein that turn into neurotransmitters in the brain. Neurotransmitters, like dopamine, serotonin, GABA, and acetylcholine are our brain's hormones that affect all aspects of our bodies, including appetite, mood, energy, sleep, libido, and ability to concentrate.

In case of severe sugar cravings, bingeing, and any addictive type of behavior, you should get a blood or urine test to identify your neurotransmitter levels. If you are deficient, the first thing you want to make sure is that you are eating enough protein for your body's needs. Then you may want to correct the imbalances by supplementing with the appropriate amino acids. By doing so, it may lead to significantly improved outcomes for many challenging addictive behaviors.

6. Magnesium deficiency

If your body lacks magnesium, you may have strong cravings for sugary foods, especially chocolate. Magnesium is an important factor in over 300 metabolic reactions in your body and is needed by every cell. Magnesium is involved with the regulation of glucose, insulin, and the neurotransmitter dopamine. If you do not have enough magnesium in your diet, you may experience cravings for chocolate and sugar. Food sources of magnesium include bran (oat, rice, wheat), squash, pumpkin, cocoa powder, spinach, lentils, beans, quinoa, nuts and seeds.

7. Emotional 

Scientific research has shown that when people have difficulty identifying the emotions they are having and dealing with them, they are more prone to have cravings or engage in binge eating. Rather than expressing emotions, we tend to stuff them down with food, which our bodies translate as "comfort" and "fulfillment" at times when we may not feel so comfortable and fulfilled. That is why a small, seemingly insignificant event can trigger uncontrollable binge eating.

If you have already addressed the above mentioned key factors and know that your cravings are an emotional response to stress, boredom, and/or emotional repression, it may be time to seek help from a knowledgeable professional who specializes in addictions.

The Myth Of A Quick Fix

Last but not least, it should be noted that the amino acid L-glutamine can indeed diminish sweet cravings if they arise from low blood sugar levels. However, such use of L-glutamine is not curative and does not address your underlying imbalances. The moment you stop taking it, the cravings return. When you have sweet cravings, it is a clear message from the body that whatever is going on is not right. So, although L-glutamine may reduce the cravings, in a sense, it will just be a cover-up.

© Carol Chuang 2013

About the Author 

Carol Chuang earned a Master of Science degree in Nutrition from Huntington College of Health Sciences. She is a Certified Nutrition Specialist from the American College of Nutrition, a Certified Health Counselor from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, a Certified Metabolic Typing Advisor, a Certified Functional Diagnostic Nutritionist, and a Certified Gluten Practitioner. She is also board certified by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners.

Carol is a Professional Member of the American College of Nutrition and the Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation. Apart from having her private practice counseling individual clients, she writes a monthly nutrition newsletter, and conducts regular seminars on various topics of nutrition and wellness.