When 3:00 in the afternoon hits, I get hangry.
I am hungry and angry at the same time.
An easy cure is to grab a candy bar or another sugary snack. This happens to most people.
Then your body starts to crave that sugar snack in the afternoon.
Why Your Body Craves Sugar
Most people eat lunch around noon. Then around 2-3 in the afternoon, your blood sugar falls and you start to get hungry. You can choose to grab a sugary empty calorie snack or make a healthy protein packed option. It takes longer for your body to digest protein than sugar. Any leftover sugar your body does not use will turn into fat and nobody needs any extra fat. By eating a protein packed snack, you will stay fuller longer and not crave sugar. It is recommended to have a snack around 2 or 3 in the afternoon to help prevent the drop in blood sugar. Having real food snacks on hand, makes it easy to make good choices. I have provided some easy snack options for you to choose instead of sugar packed snacks.
10 Easy Snacks to Stop Sugar Cravings
1. Nuts (Spiced Nuts make the salty version)
2. Fruit (Apples, Bananas, Apricots)
3. Dried Fruit, like dried apricots (Without Added Sugar)
4. Cottage Cheese and Fruit
5. Plain Yogurt (Add fresh fruit) (Learn how to make yogurt in a slow cooker)
6. Spiced Garbanzo Beans
7. Dried Peas
8. Fresh Veggies (With Homemade Ranch Dip)
9. Homemade Peanut Butter and Fruit
10. Kale Chips
How to avoid the sugar cravings
Try to stay away from sugar added dried fruits and only have a small amount of dried fruit. Fruits are great if you really need to satisfy your sweet tooth and is a healthy option. Cottage cheese and yogurt have high amounts of protein to help stop sugar cravings and keep you feeling fuller longer. Slowly go away from a sugar snack to a nut or veggie option. This is a lifestyle change and it won’t come overnight. Taking little steps will help you reach your goals and be successful. Celebrate your victories and learn from your defeats. It is OK to have a cheat day, just get back to clean eating the next day. Stay update and follow Mainly Homemade community on Facebook and look for more clean eating ideas on Pinterest.
What do you crave the most? Share how you stop your cravings.
I have not eaten added sugar in 15 years!! Can you believe it?! Salmon and fatty fish are my Go-Tos! I don’t need sugar! Plus, my body cannot process it, thus I feel HORRIFIC if it is in fact ingested! So that’s great motivation alone to stay AWAY!
Love this!!! I crave sugar all the time, it is so hard not to eat chocolate. This is a wonderful reminder to eat other foods than chocolate to stop the sugar cravings! Thank you so much for sharing!
These tips are spot on! I have always been a sugar addict but decided to give it up for Lent this year. I made it through by eating the foods you suggested and have carried on. I feel great and as an added bonus, I’ve lost 20 lbs. I don’t think people realize just how addictive sugar is! Visiting from Creative Ways link party.
Great list! I’m trying to stay away from sugar myself and sometimes it’s just so tough. These foods will definitely curb my sweet tooth, however, so thank you so much for sharing it! Saying hello from Totally Terrific Tuesday 🙂