A thing I struggle with frequently is sugar. Specifically trying not to eat too much of it.
I easily crave something sugary, and though I do usually get satisfied with just a few pieces of candy or a small soda, I wish for a day where I do not feel like I need that sugar almost daily.
I am well aware that sugar can be quite addicting and taking a cold turkey might be the easiest way to get rid that craving. On one hand I want to have a great and healthy life. On the other hand, I want to enjoy life and eat things I think taste good.
So, what is the compromise we can make?
Well for starters; finding alternatives to the sugary things we are craving may be a great idea. If the taste of these treats stop my sugar craving – well then I found a great middle ground.
And if you have the same problem as me, wanting sugar, craving sugar; here you go – these alternatives are for us 😊
Please note these ideas work for me and might not work as well for you, as my cravings often disappear after eating and drinking something – these alternatives are therefore not directly giving you sugar in a “non-sugar form” but are instead targeting the part of our brain telling us to eat something delicious.
You may also go watch this on my YouTube channel if you like.
Fruits and berries
Fruits and berries are a great snack for me because I am super bad at getting my fruits and vegetables. If I make a bowl or plate with fruits and berries (or even vegetables) I will feel good about it, but also combat my craving.
Some of my favorite fruits and berries are pears, apples, blueberries, and strawberries.
DIY Trail Mix
I got really into making my own Train Mixes recently and have made quite a few.
My favorite at the moment is one with walnuts, mini marshmallows, dark chocolate, almonds, hazelnuts, and pecans – I simply feel like I get a bit of everything in that one; both the sweet and the healthy.
DARK chocolate
Dark chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa is some of the best for cravings, the bitter taste makes me feel satisfied after just one piece, and the thought of the chocolate itself make me feel like I actually ate something unhealthy – even though it is not.
“Nice Cream”
Nice cream is simply ice cream made with bananas instead of heavy cream (plus some extra steps – or fewer if you will). That way you get a healthier ice cream, but still the satisfaction of eating the cold deliciousness that is ice cream.
It is made by taking about 5 dl of frozen bananas and 0,8 dl of milk (you can choose both dairy and non-dairy and I have heard a lot of people like it with coconut milk) and mixing it in a blender for a few minutes until it gets a nice and creamy texture.
If you want some extra taste you can add almost whatever you want, be it cocoa powder, nut butter, vanilla extract, chocolate chips, or frozen fruit (remember if you use frozen fruit to use half/half, so you still only have those 5 dl of frozen fruits)
It can be eaten immediately or be frozen for later.
Apples and peanut butter
Sometimes when having cravings, I crave apples with peanut butter. I do not know how that came to be as I only have one peanut butter at the moment that I actually like. Nonetheless dipping apples in peanut butter satisfy me immensely.
Chia pudding with fresh fruit
I do not eat chia pudding often as I am not that much of a fan of the consistency, but it is a great snack and really healthy, while also being able to make you feel full.
It is made by taking 2 tablespoons of chia seeds and mixing it with 0,6 dl of milk (you choose again which type you like), then you add a teaspoon of honey (this step is optional but I like it sweet). When you have mixed it, you wait a couple of minutes and mix again to make sure the chia has absorbed properly in the milk and you do not get any clumps.
Then cover the jar and store it either overnight or at least for a few hours so it can set.
Then top it off with whatever you want – like fresh fruits, berries, or nuts – and enjoy!
Skyr with syrup and almonds – yoghurt natural/plain yoghurt/Greek yoghurt
As it is right now, I am not able to find the word for skyr in English, but I guess it is something like yoghurt natural, plain yoghurt, or Greek yoghurt. The important part is that there is no artificial flavour in there, and it is not filled with sugar.
Skyr in Denmark is quite a strong taste, and I would almost say it is bitter and sour.
I usually eat my skyr with maple sirup, chopped almonds and dark chocolate, and sometimes also fresh fruits and berries.
Dates
I remember when I was younger, I was not that big a fan of dates. As I grew older, I started to like them, and now “fresh” and juicy dates really hit the spot whenever I get cravings.
Smoothie
A smoothie can satisfy both the need for something to eat, something to drink, and the need for sugar. They can be made in many ways, and both be very healthy, or very unhealthy.
I like doing a mix of healthy and unhealthy where the healthy things are frozen bananas, frozen (or fresh) berries and oatmeal, and the unhealthy part is fruit juice (because of the high sugar contents).
I always have at least some of the fruit or berries be frozen to get that real smoothie feeling, and by adding the oatmeal, I can even drink this for breakfast and feel full for a while.
Do note that by adding the oatmeal the smoothie can become a bit chunky, but for me that does not matter.
Homemade carbonated water
We got a SodaStream at home, and we use it quite frequently.
I love soda, but the part I love is not the sugary taste, it is the fizz – so we bought a SodaStream in the hopes that I would get to drink more water, and less soda.
And let me tell you; it worked. I do drink our homemade carbonated water almost daily now, but that means I actually drink much more water than I usually do, and I have decreased my intake of soda.
Even though the carbonated water you make in a SodaStream is “meant” to be mixed with their syrup, we never do that. Personally, I like the taste better without, and instead we use fresh lemon slices, normal or homemade syrup (the kind you usually mix with water), or nothing at all. I find it taste better, is cheaper, and is healthier as it does not contain as much sugar as either soda or SodaStream’s Syrups.
A cup of tea
Oh how I love a good cup of tea. The funny thing with being hungry is; sometimes you are actually just thirsty.
Drinking a cup of tea may help as you get something in your stomach, you remember to hydrate yourself, and (perhaps) drink something delicious.
We have a lot of loose-leaf tea at home, and I gladly make myself a cup as the fragrance and taste satisfy cravings. I love making a sweet cup of tea or put a bit of honey in it if I want something extra sweet without being unhealthy.
If you want some ideas for what tea to drink, I made a post and video about different types of teas and their benefits. You may find the post here, and the video here:
Water
Sometimes a glass of water is all you need. The feeling of simply getting something into your stomach can be enough to feel like you got what you needed. Just like how drinking a glass of water before eating can make you feel fuller. Nonetheless – just drink a glass of water 😉
These were my ideas for today, and I hope you will bring some of these with you to fight the cravings you get.
What do you usually eat to fight your cravings? Leave me a comment down below, I would love to chat!
I hope you all have a happy life, one day at a time!
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