Sugar Cravings after Quitting Alcohol: 10 Dietitian-Approved Tips

Throughout my career in addressing nutrition in addiction recovery, this topic of sugar cravings comes up time and time again. After quitting drinking, there are a number of reasons why sugar hits the ‘sweet spot’ and cravings for sugar can be at all time high. Personally, I know this to be true because when I quit drinking, I substituted the glass of wine for a bowl of ice cream… every night. And it took me a long time to break that cycle of craving ice cream. Today I’m going share what worked for me, and tips I have picked up from clients. And I want to let you know it is possible to quit alcohol without picking up a different addiction.

First off. Lets not get this twisted…. Quitting drugs and alcohol is a priority. That is the most important step towards getting healthy and addressing any mental health issues. Fine tuning your eating habits and lowering your sugar intake is secondary.

Quitting drugs and alcohol is a personal decision and nobody can make that choice for you. If you are considering quitting, please reach out and I can put you in contact with the right resources.

 So getting back to sugar. Why is it so good? Well, humans are programmed to like sugar. Our primitive ancestors sought out sugary food because they are higher in calories, needed for survival. These days, we don’t have to hunt and gather for food, its much more accessible. But our brains are still wired to want sugary foods.

High sugar intake can trigger the reward center of your brain to create dopamine and serotonin. I’m early sobriety, these neurotransmitter levels may be below baseline… that means you may be wanting anything and everything to boost your mood! The is the biggest reason why sugar cravings appear in early sobriety, especially the first month.

Giving yourself permission to have some ice cream or chocolate is helpful, however it gets to be a problem when someone is eating an excessive amount of sugar, energy drinks, high carb foods and their intake is not tapering down. If a newly sober person feels their eating habits aren’t supporting their recovery or mood- it’s time to take a look at these habits.

Constant sugar consumption can inhibit dopamine transporters. Which means you have to eat more and more to feel the same effects. Sounds like a drug?! Kind of- it’s hitting the same neurotransmitter.. just in a much lower level.

I see many people quit the booze, but then pick up another addition- sugar, cigarettes, caffeine, social media, sex, shopping, gambling, codependent relationships. This is called ‘addiction transfer’. We may find relief in these other behaviors because they are triggering the same reward center of the brain. When someone quits drinking alcohol (chronic use), the body will search for dopamine in other ways. Addictions are physically and mentally consuming and I recommend working with different behavioral health practitioners to get to the root of your individual addiction patterns.

Your body may also be craving the carbohydrates you drank in alcohol, especially if you consumed wine, beer, or sugary mixers. This is what most of my clients believe to be true if they are having sugar cravings. But it isn’t that simple. And honestly you get a minimal amount of carbs from something like vodka or tequila.

Alcohol disrupts metabolism, normal hunger/fullness cues, and can produce massive blood sugar swings. Hypoglycemia is very common in early sobriety. This low blood sugar can cause sugar cravings.. as well as irritability. These fluctuations in blood sugars can cause cravings for sweets or other high carbohydrate foods.

 It TAKES TIME for your body chemistry to stabilize. Getting your blood sugars normalized, neurotransmitters balanced, and emotions more stable will take time. Sugar cravings in early sobriety aren’t a matter of will power, it’s a matter of human physiology.

The good news is, it is possible to get to a place where you don’t feel controlled by the sweets in your house. It is possible. Typically, I see sugar cravings tapering down within a few weeks with the proper nutrition and hydration.

Here are my 10 tips to help prevent or lessen sugar cravings in early sobriety:

1) Notice your hunger/fullness level and your emotions. When you are reaching for something sweet or when you eat something that you did not intend to, what emotions arise? Where are you feeling these emotions in your body? Are you physically hungry? What is your hunger/fullness level? Are you using food to distract, avoid, or numb an uncomfortable emotion?

Challenging emotions such as shame can perpetuate the cycle of emotional eating and bingeing. Try pausing for only 5 minutes. Journal or write on a sticky note to identify any confusing or painful emotions you may be trying to suppress or numb. Cravings come and go. Feelings come and go. This too shall pass. You must ride the wave when you have a craving or emotion because what you resist persists. And if you are truly hungry, honor your hunger and nourish your body. It may be helpful to ask yourself- what does my body need right now? It may be food, water, rest, tea, or a hug!

2)    Eat regular meals and snacks. Don’t go longer than four hours during the day without eating. Please don’t deprive yourself of nourishing meals and snacks. Choose quality ingredients and create meals that are satisfying to you. Have you ever eaten a meal that was just OK… then went straight to dessert in order to feel satisfied? Eat substantial meals that include carbs, fat, and protein. Remember, restriction can lead to rebellion. This may require you to plan out your meals so you’re not throwing something together last minute when you’re famished.

3)    Include PROTEIN at every meal and snack. Lean meat, seafood, eggs, tofu, edamame, tempeh, beans, nuts, hummus, seeds, almond butter.. it doesn’t matter if it’s plant or animal protein. (However a mix of both is ideal!) Protein can keep you satisfied throughout the day and provides amino acids to help combat cravings.

4)    HYDRATE. And I mean WATER. Half your body weight in ounces.

5)    Limit caffeine intake to 300mg or less daily. This is about 2 cups of coffee/day. Or one energy drink. Other sources of caffeine include tea, soda, coffee ice cream, and chocolate. Excessive caffeine intake can actually increase sugar cravings due to fluctuations in blood sugars and dehydration.

6)    Prepare for the afternoon and night time sugar cravings. If you drank a glass of wine at exactly 5pm every night, prepare to have something delicious and hydrating at that time. Have snacks on hand such as dates & almond butter, popcorn, yogurt & berries or granola, dried fruit, fresh fruit, a smoothie, popsicle, seltzers, teas, kombucha.

7)    Lower your sugar taste threshold by cutting back on sugar and hidden sugars. Examples include sauces (tomato sauce, BBQ sauce), salad dressings, yogurts, granola bars and granola, creamers in coffee, sugar covered nuts, baked goods/breads. Eliminate sugar alternatives or ‘fake sugar’ to help lower your sugar taste threshold. (The less sugar you eat.. the less you will actually crave!)

8)    Make sleep a priority. If you’re tired, you are more likely to reach for a sugary treat or a pick-me-up in the afternoon. Protect your sleep by getting to bed at a reasonable hour, use a diffuser with lavender, white noise, magnesium supplements, eye mask, whatever you need to do to get 7-8 hours of shut eye. 

9)    Supplement as needed. Discuss with your doctor or dietitian. Glutamine, an amino acid, may be helpful to reduce sugar cravings. Multivitamin and/or B vitamins can be helpful as well especially with heavy alcohol use.

10) Move your body. What movement brings you joy? Do more of that. Walking, dancing, swimming, yoga, biking? Exercise can help stabilize blood sugars, reduce stress and anxiety, and increase muscle mass and metabolism. A collection of studies suggest that regular exercise can increase the abstinence rate for substance use by 95 percent.

Be easy on yourself. Progress over perfection.

If you would like additional support please contact me here.