It’s a biological fact: Stress makes us crave foods we don’t need. And it’s often sugary, packaged foods we tend to grab in those tense times. But what if we could soothe our stressed-out brain so we didn’t feel the urge to reach for junk? Here, one expert explains how to stop sugar cravings and bounce back after a stumble, so weight loss feels easier than ever.
Why you crave sugar
To beat cravings, we have to understand why they strike. When we eat sweet treats (or a carb-heavy snack that turns to sugar in the body), we get a hormone hit of feel-good dopamine in the reward center of our brain. Experts call this phenomenon “reward-related eating.” It is so pleasurable that it can be addictive, triggering a constant cycle.
“These foods are engineered to hijack the brain, making it difficult to stop eating—even when we know we should,” explains Princeton neuroscientist Nicole Avena, PhD, author of Sugarless.
In fact, research in Nature Metabolism shows that five days of eating sweets is all it takes to suffer long-term cravings. There’s even something called “dessert stomach”—a mechanism in the brain, activated only by sugar, that makes us crave sweets even when we’re full, according to a 2025 study from Germany’s Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research.
Even experts fall for sneaky sugar cravings
Journalist and health coach Connie Bennett is an expert in cravings. Years ago, the former sugar and carb addict suffered from 44 symptoms until she cleaned up her diet, lost weight and became the bestselling author of Sugar Shock!
Then stress came calling when she became a caregiver for her mom. Bennett threw her knowledge out the window and started eating “carbage,” or carb garbage foods, again. She gained weight and developed insulin resistance. Bennett admits, “It was mortifying for me. For over a decade, I’d been telling people to cut out sugar and ultra-processed carbs.”
So Bennett spent more than seven years studying what people can do to bounce back after setbacks. Her new book, I Blew My Diet! Now What?, offers a three-week, mind-body-spirit plan to beat cravings two ways: by distracting from them in the moment and preventing them in the future. Keep reading to try the plan for yourself. And don’t miss an inspiring weight-loss success story at the end.
How to stop sugar cravings in 2 steps
Ready to curb your sweet tooth? Here’s how to get started.
Step 1: Reward your brain in a new way
To stop sugar and carb cravings when they strike, we need a mental decoy in the form of nonfood rewards, says Bennett. The approach sounds smart to Avena. “From a neuroscience perspective, when we anticipate sugary foods, dopamine levels rise, reinforcing the urge to consume them. However, engaging in pleasurable or calming activities can also stimulate dopamine release in a healthier, more sustainable way.”
Bennett pinpointed 21 non-food rewards or “FEASTS” (Fast, Easy, Awesome, Simple, Tested Strategies) to help people “easily ignore the pervasive calling of sugary, salty, fatty snacks and meals in the ‘Junk Foods Jungle.’”
For instance, Bennett listened to a chapter of a fun romance novel, played Ping-Pong, gave herself a bear hug or quick massage, took a nature walk, watched a soothing YouTube video of ocean waves or danced to a favorite song. She found these strategies to be 100 percent effective to get through a craving.
Step 2: Eat clean foods
To prevent future sugar and carb cravings, Bennett finds we also need to plan to eat balanced, nutrient-dense foods that keep our blood sugar levels steady. Her research suggests the best approach is a moderate keto, or KetoMod, way of eating that is naturally low in simple carbs and added sugar.
Bennett doesn’t want anyone to stress about food calculations, but she recommends a gentle daily guideline to aim for: 70 to 90 grams of protein, 90 to 100 grams of healthy fat, 40 grams or fewer of non-starchy carbs (like asparagus or yams) and 30 grams or more of fiber. You’ll also want to ditch artificial sweeteners and processed foods containing added sugar.
These 21 foods help nix sugar cravings
Bennett also identified 21 “Power Foods,” shown to speed weight loss and guard against cravings. They are:
- apple cider vinegar
- avocados
- berries
- black pepper
- cacao nibs
- cinnamon
- citrus fruit
- coconut oil
- cruciferous veggies
- eggs
- ginger
- garlic
- green tea
- leafy greens
- nuts
- olive oil
- onions
- salmon
- seeds (flax, chia, hemp)
- sweet potatoes
- turmeric
“Eating quality foods while shedding unhealthy extra weight is a way to treat your body with love!” -Connie Bennett
The benefits of avoiding sugar
This satisfying way of eating essentially rewires your brain and your taste receptors so you crave fewer sweet foods. It can also lead to weight loss, improved energy, mood, mobility and blood work. In short, beating cravings brings freedom.
Bennett says, “I wanted to feel more optimistic, empowered and in control—to enjoy life more. For me, eating quality foods while shedding unhealthy extra weight is a way to treat your body with love!”
Craving busters that work in 1 minute or less
Interested in more ways to quash cravings for good? Here, four bite-size strategies to try. Connie Bennett says, “These tactics can be used for any kind of addiction, not just sugar or carbs!”
Try ‘slow’ breathing
Taking leisurely belly breaths, what Bennett calls “The Cortisol-Calming Quickie,” stimulates the vagus nerve to shift you from a stressed state to a calming state. To do: Place one hand on your heart and the other below your rib cage. Inhale deeply from your nose and exhale from your mouth four to six times in 1 minute. Add the mantra: “Peace of mind is mine now.”
Enjoy a gentle touch
Patting points on your face, collarbone and hands can lower stress signals. This type of acupressure, called the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) or tapping, cuts cravings by 83 percent. Bennett found, “The results were extraordinary. Within several tapping sessions, I lost all interest in the quickie carbs that had trapped me for months!”
Try a visualization
Close your eyes and daydream about achieving your slimming goals. A study in the International Journal of Obesity found that overweight people who visualized losing weight lost more than 14 pounds in a year, without any diet or exercise changes. In fact, they lost 860 percent more weight and 269 percent more belly inches than those who didn’t visualize!
Write in a journal
When a craving strikes, write and reflect on how the food will make you feel in 20 minutes. Sweets may taste good in the moment, but often leave us feeling lethargic, headachy or foggy. “That is the key to sustainable weight loss. You’re eating to feel better,” not just look better, says Bennett. “You’re eating to fulfill your dreams and become a better you. If you do, unhealthy excess pounds will melt away more easily.”
Success story: Sue beat sugar cravings and lost 65 pounds
While attending a retirement party, Sue Brown realized, I don’t want to get old—and at 52, I already FEEL old! She’d struggled with sugar addiction all her life. But with research, she created a recovery plan. She focused on eating a big breakfast with 20 grams of protein and zero sugar. She enjoyed salads with homemade unsweetened dressings and satisfying salmon, rich in healthy fats. “It took four weeks to not miss sugar.”
If a craving struck, Sue stayed busy with Zumba dance, journaling her feelings or creating playlists of favorite songs for walking. Sue shed 52 pounds in 52 weeks at the age of 52. Even more amazing: She’s kept the weight off for 18 years! Today, she is a member of the National Weight Control Registry of successful slimmers and the author of Simply Sugar Free.
Like Bennett, Sue even became a health coach, certified at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. “I have permanently removed cravings from my life,” she says. “At 69, I feel the best I’ve ever felt. I even wore a bikini for the first time this year!”