Sugar cravings are too often our downfall when we start a new lifestyle. We want to be healthy, but temptation is too much. Thankfully, there are options for you! From calorie cheating cookie dough to enjoying things like dark chocolate and berries, you don’t need to live with that awful feeling.
If you struggle with sugar cravings, but are trying to find healthy alternatives, we can help. While there are hundreds of options we could list, we want to talk about five in particular that you definitely need to try out. In a few weeks, you might never feel like a candy bar again!
Healthy Ways To Satisfy Your Sugar Cravings
- Get Some Berries in
Berries are full of natural sugars, and they are absolutely delicious. Not only that, but by turning to healthy options like berries, you are getting a lot of much-needed antioxidants and nutrients into your body.
Sure, berries might not be that donut you want, but the sugar in them should satisfy your needs. Feel free to enjoy these delightful berries alongside other things, like Greek yogurt or some nuts – they do make a great healthy snack.
- Sweet Potatoes
A baked sweet potato definitely isn’t going to be the first thing you think of when you want something sweet. However, there is a lot you can do with sweet potatoes, and many desserts are even made from these root vegetables.
You can either enjoy a regular old baked sweet potato (paired with Greek yogurt is delicious), or you can try doing something else entirely with it. If you would like to up the sweetness, you can even drizzle some honey onto the sweet potato and add some crushed pistachios to turn it into a delight.
- Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate is a classic when it comes to health. You can still enjoy the wonderful flavor of chocolate, but it just isn’t as sweet! We would suggest caution when on the search for dark chocolate, however.
Getting a chocolate that has a very high percentage is going to be incredibly unpleasant and difficult to stomach. It will be very bitter, and you are not going to get any of that sweetness you are looking for. We would suggest working your way up, and starting at a 50% of lower dark chocolate – you will get there eventually!
- Medjool Dates
Medjool dates are super sweet, making them perfect for satisfying that sugar craving you have. What’s better is that these dates can be turned into lots of useful things that you can use in various areas of cooking.
Stuffing these dates with things like goat’s cheese, peanut butter, or even dark chocolate are popular dessert options that you might really love. You can even turn them into a sweet paste to use in smoothies, pies, baked goods, and so much more.
- Apricots and Almonds
Specifically, dried dates! This combination is full of nutritional goodness and it still tastes incredible. There is plenty of sweetness to enjoy so that your sugar craving is satiated, but you’re also getting protein, fiber, and lots of those healthy fats we need in our diet.
Apricots and almonds can be enjoyed as a snack as-is, or you can chop them up and combine them with something like Greek yogurt. Don’t feel like you need to stick to the boring ways to enjoy things! Try out different recipes and combinations – you might enjoy something like cinnamon with these ingredients.
Something Worth Mentioning
Even many nutritionists will say that you should never cut something out cold turkey. This is a surefire way to fail, and throwing yourself in the deep end with your lifestyle will never benefit you.
Because of this, it’s worth mentioning that if you are experiencing sugar cravings right at the beginning of your journey, don’t be too hard on yourself. You can have a small amount of what you are craving – just remember to not overdo it. Have a small chocolate bar, or a small donut, or something similar. Work your way up to eliminating foods from your life, or else you will be miserable.
Final Thoughts
Trying to find ways to satisfy your sugar craving doesn’t have to be difficult. You just need to try out a couple of different things, and give yourself the grace to find what you do and do not like. There is no one size fits all, so remember to go at your own pace, and find something that works for you.