There’s a common hack that suggests having less sweet foods in your diet will make you crave sugar less, but new research suggests that’s actually not true. Nutritionists explain what to do instead.
You’re probably aware that added sugar isn’t great for your health, and may have tried to scale back as a result. But actually cutting back on sugary foods is easier said than done, especially if you have a sweet tooth.
There’s a common hack that suggests having less sweet foods in your diet will make you crave sugar less, but new research suggests that’s actually not true. In fact, the study, which was published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that your sweet tooth just is what it is. “It seems our liking for sweet taste is very stable, at least in adulthood,” Katherine Appleton, PhD, study co-author and professor of psychology at Bournemouth University, tells SELF. The findings can feel vindicating for people who have tried to curb cravings for sweets and failed. But dietitians say you shouldn’t give up if you fall into this camp. Here’s why. Putting the sweet tooth to the test For the study, researchers divided 180 people into three groups and exposed them to different levels of sweetness from sugar, naturally-sweet foods, and low-calorie sweeteners. One group ate a diet that was high in sweet-tasting foods for six months; Another followed a diet that was low in sweetness. The third group had foods with a moderate level of sweetness. The researchers checked in on the participants to see if their preference for sweet foods had shifted at one, three, and six months. The researchers also tracked the participants’ weight and took blood and urine samples to look for changes in their risk of developing diabetes, as well as to check on their cardiovascular health. After six months, the researchers didn’t find any significant differences between any of the groups in terms of their health. Here’s the kicker: The participants also went back to their original sweetness preferences. So, if they ate a lot of sweet foods before the study, they did the same after the study period was over. “These results do not support public health advice to reduce exposure to sweet-tasting foods,” the researchers wrote in the conclusion. Why doesn’t cutting back on sweets work to curb cravings? The study didn’t dive into that, but there are likely a few factors at play here. It all boils down to the fact that cravings for sweets can be complicated. “We need to dig into the root cause of what’s causing the cravings to begin with,” Lamees Lahham, RD, a dietitian at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, tells SELF. “Often, it’s a matter of not properly fueling throughout the day, so your body craves the quick energy which comes in the form of sweets.” Habits also play a role, Keri Gans, RDN, dietitian and host of The Keri Report podcast, tells SELF. “You might crave something sweet after dinner, during stressful times, or if you didn’t eat enough earlier in the day,” she says. “Merely cutting back on sweets doesn’t address these triggers, so the craving usually persists or returns.” When you view sweet foods as “bad,” it can make those cravings worse, according to Gans. “When something feels off-limits, it can become even more tempting,” she points out. Ultimately, “cutting back on sweets is not always addressing the root cause,” Lahham says. How to lower your cravings for sweets, according to dietitians The findings don’t mean that you should toss your plans to cut back on added sugar out the window. But they do suggest that having sweet-tasting foods is unlikely to mess with your health goals. “There is little evidence suggesting any negative impacts from consuming sweet taste, especially where this sweet taste comes from natural sources such as fruit,” Dr. Appleton says. If you’d like to have less added sugar in your life, it’s important to take an honest look at when you’re craving sugary foods, Jessica Cording, RD, the author of The Little Book of Game-Changers, tells SELF. “Explore that pattern,” she says. “If you’re craving sweets when you’re upset, is this an emotional thing? How can you address that? Or, if you’re craving them when you’re tired, it’s a clue you need to work on your sleep.” Lahham also recommends making sure you’re properly fueling your body with the nutrients it needs, including protein. From there, she suggests that you push off your added sugar intake, but don’t deny yourself. “Delay having sweets until you have properly fueled,” she says. “Once you have, don’t deny yourself a sweet treat.” If you can, pair your treats with a protein or fiber to help you feel more satisfied for longer periods of time, Gans says. “The goal isn’t to avoid sweets,” she says. “It’s to enjoy them in a healthier, more balanced way.” Related: The 4 Reasons You Get Sugar Cravings, According to Experts 9 Foods That Might Seem Ultraprocessed—But Actually Aren’t Is It Possible to Be Allergic to Sugar? Get more of SELF's great service journalism delivered right to your inbox.
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