The holidays are almost over. We can go back to our normal lives, get back to regular exercise, and eat healthy foods again. But, what if you overdid it with the sugar over the past month. Do you just stop cold turkey or wean off?

I don’t try to be perfect during the holidays. I do try to continue eating many fruits and vegetables, but I also allow myself some sugary treats. Usually toward the end of it all, I feel the inflammation in my gut (bloating), body aches, feel my energy waning, stop sleeping well, and actually feel myself craving sugar. Yikes! I thought it might be helpful to give you some suggestions for getting off the sugar more easily and with less cravings and distress. Here are my top tips for sugar withdrawal:

1) One of the first steps you can take is to replace sugary foods with fruit. Obviously, we don’t want to over-do sugary fruits either, but fruit can be a good stepping stone toward reducing sugar. You can start with more-sugary fruits like bananas, oranges, and watermelon and then move toward less-sugary fruits, like berries, apples, and pears.

2) Substitute stevia for sugar. Stevia is made from a plant and will have a much lesser effect on blood sugar than processed sugars. You could also use small amounts of honey or maple syrup. Please, no artificial sweeteners (a topic for another day).

3) Water! Staying hydrated can really help with sugar cravings. Some people will feel hungry when they are actually thirsty. If you find yourself wandering around the kitchen or standing with the fridge open looking for something to satisfy a craving, take a moment to evaluate how much water you have had. Try slowly drinking 8-12 ounces and see if the craving is still there. If it isn’t, run! If it is, then have a piece of fruit and try to get busy with something else.

You also could consider adding lemon to your water. Lemon keeps your digestion moving, decreases inflammation, and aids the liver with detoxification. Squeeze a small amount of fresh lemon into your glass or cut up an entire lemon and keep handy in a pitcher of water.

4) Protein. When we fill up on sugary foods, we tend to eat less protein. Protein helps to keep blood sugar in balance. Try eating a small amount of protein every 2-3 hours while coming off of sugar. Good choices are a small handful of nuts (not peanuts) or seeds, a few ounces of chicken, fish, or meat, edamame, a cheese stick, or low-sugar yogurt. You even cut up a protein bar and eat a little at a time.

5) Evaluate stress eating. When do you crave sugar? How are you feeling at that time? Are you using sugar for energy or to lift your mood? Maybe do a little journeying about what happens while you are craving sugar, what happens if you satisfy that craving, what happens if you don’t. I am always looking for the root of the problem. If you don’t solve distress eating, you will have a hard time getting off sugar.

6) Try a cup of green tea if you need a lift. Green tea has much less caffeine than coffee or sodas. It contains l-theanine, an amino acid that improves alertness and mental performance, reduces distractibility, and enhances the mood. It is also a powerful antioxidant, helping your body release toxins. This is my favorite packaged green tea:

7) Watch labels. There is a lot of hidden sugar in processed foods. While I always recommend whole, organic foods, if you do need to use something processed, read the label. A general rule is that the more ingredients that are listed, the more the junk and sugar. Look for processed foods with just a few ingredients and then watch for words ending in -ose, as these are forms of sugar.

8) If you have tried all of the other suggestions for a week or so with no relief from sugar cravings, there are some supplements to consider:

Chromium
Chromium is a mineral that helps to stabilize blood sugar levels, which may decrease cravings for sugar and helps to enhance the action of insulin. Chromium is also important in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Foods high in chromium include, broccoli, garlic, basil, beef, turkey, apples, and red wine (yes!). The typical dose is 200mcg with meals when you are trying to curb sugar cravings.

Zinc
Zinc is a mineral important for cell division, protein synthesis, immune function, and wound healing. Zinc is also essential to blood sugar regulation by influencing carbohydrate metabolism, increasing insulin response, and improving glucose tolerance. The body cannot store zinc, so it is important to have daily intake. Some foods high in zinc include, oysters, beef, crab, pork, beans, and yogurt. Supplementation is usually around 50mg daily.

B-complex
B vitamins help with the body’s response to stress and support the adrenal glands. The adrenals regulate cortisol metabolism, which affects blood sugar levels. Bs also work on the pathways of neurotransmitters, helping us have better concentration, improved mood, and better stress management. Foods high in B-vitamins, include liver, nuts, leafy-green vegetables, rice, milk, eggs, meat, and fruits. Dose will depend on brand. I recommend one daily of the B-Complex Plus from Pure Encapsulations, one of my very favorite supplements.

Vitamin C
Vitamin C is important for sugar cravings for many reasons. It plays important role protein metabolism and the development of collagen. It helps to increase serotonin and norepinephrine, two feel-good neurotransmitters. It works has an antioxidant and may even increase the production of other antioxidants. It may prevent some cancers and allows for assimilation of iron. Foods high in vitamin C include, red pepper, oranges, kiwi, green pepper, broccoli, and cantaloupe. Supplementation would be 500-1000mg daily.

Do your body a favor and stop the sugar before things get out of control. Try to work from the root of the problem up to symptom control using the techniques discussed. You may need an evaluation to rule-out any underlying health conditions if the cravings do not stop.

Want to talk this over with a healthcare professional who really listens and understand? Schedule your private consultation with me today. Learn more about my work here.

I have also had people have great results using these books from Dr. Mark Hyman:

Do you have other techniques for handling sugar cravings? I would love to hear about them in the comment section below. Please share this content with anyone who might also need to kick the sugar habit.

Good luck, you can do it!