How to Manage Sugar Cravings on the Mediterranean Diet
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Sugar cravings are often the most difficult part of following a healthy diet.
In this blog post, I’m sharing with you:
My top tips to manage sugar cravings
How I drastically improved my health by following the Mediterranean diet and how you can, too
A guide to understanding the glycemic index and how to choose foods that won’t spike your blood sugar
How to pair foods so that your blood sugar stays stable all-day
How to choose healthy sugar options and which artificial sweeteners to avoid at all cost
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How You Can Drastically Improve Your Health By Following the Mediterranean Diet
In 2018, I was struggling to make healthy food choices and experienced constant joint pain, brain fog, blood sugar highs and lows, and extreme fatigue every day. These were symptoms that had become a part of my every day and was something that I thought I would always have to live with.
However, I knew there had to be a way for me to feel better, so I started doing research on evidence-based ways of eating that supported long-term health. As one of the healthiest diets in the world, the Mediterranean diet showed up repeatedly in my searches. In 2020, I decided to make the shift toward eating a more Mediterranean-based diet to support my health.
I started applying what I learned by following a Mediterranean-based diet and immediately saw great results!
After implementing a Mediterranean-based diet, I quickly noticed my energy levels drastically improve, I was sleeping SO much better each night, and my skin had become clear and glowing (yay for no more “adult acne!”) and I did all of this in a healthy, balanced way. I was so ecstatic about my results that I put together all my recipes that I had used and developed at this time and started sharing them with others with the hopes that they would feel just as amazing as I was feeling.
Eating a Mediterranean diet restored my physical and mental health.
My goal for you is to experience these same incredible benefits. My 30-Day Mediterranean Meal Plan is the exact plan I used to improve my health and eat intuitively.
How to Manage Sugar Cravings on the Mediterranean Diet
Why do we crave sugar?
Sugars and carbohydrates are responsible for the release of serotonin and other endorphins that give us a natural, feel-good high. This makes us want to keep going back for more of these foods to make us feel good throughout the day.
Tip #1: Be realistic - slowly taper down your sugar consumption
You are in this for the long run to experience the long-term benefits and live a healthier life, so you don’t have to be perfect right off the bat! Set a goal for yourself for each week to slowly decrease the amount of sugar you eat.
For example: if you currently eat a candy bar every day, your weekly goals might look like this:
Week One: eat only ½ a candy bar every day
Week Two: eat one mini piece of candy
Week Three: replace with 1 serving of dark chocolate (over 75% cacao) and add ½ cup of berries
Here’s another example: Let’s say you drink three cans of soda every day.
Week One: Drink two cans of soda each day and replace the third with a cup of water
Week Two: Drink one can of soda each day and replace the other two cans with water
Week Three: Only drink water
You can taper down as slowly as you need. As long as you are making progress, you will make it to your goal!
Tip #2: Replace unhealthy sugar options with healthier choices
Often times excess sugar is consumed in the form of snacks. Instead of reaching for a candy bar, try one of the snacks listed below that contain real sugar through whole foods. These snacks are also paired with healthy fats and protein to help keep your blood sugar balanced throughout the day.
Try these naturally sweet snacks paired with healthy fats and protein:
An apple with 2 Tablespoons peanut butter and 1 oz. dark chocolate (at least 75% cacao)
1 oz. dark chocolate squares with ½ cup strawberries and 2-3 Tablespoons pecans
½ cup homemade fruit salad with ½ cup whole Greek yogurt and ¼ cup muesli
Tip #3: Keep your blood sugar stable throughout the day to prevent blood sugar spikes and crashes
Blood sugar spikes cause that “hangry” feeling that many of us are all too familiar with. It can make you reach for any source of sugar you can find as your body is desperate to regain that “feel-good” sensation.
To understand why it’s so important to keep your blood sugar stable, we need to have a basic understanding of the glycemic index.
The glycemic index tells us how much food will increase our blood sugar. Foods are categorized as either low, moderate, or high on the glycemic index scale.
The Glycemic Index scores is as follows:
Low: 55 or less
Moderate: 56-69
High: 70 and higher
Below is a graphic showing where a variety of foods fall on the glycemic index.
Blood sugar is best controlled when we eat mostly foods from the low glycemic index category and a small amount of foods from the moderate category.
When eating foods from the moderate and high categories, pair them with healthy sources of fat to help keep blood sugar levels more stable.
For example:
Eat a banana with 1-2 Tablespoons peanut butter (no sugar added)
Eat potatoes with real, grass-fed butter
Eat pineapple and watermelon with whipped cream (check out this recipe for homemade whipped cream using no added sugar)
It’s best to avoid processed foods such as bagels, English muffins, cereals, crackers, pastries, and pretzels as much as possible to keep your blood sugar stable.
Creating well-balanced meals is key to keeping your blood sugar stable.
When choosing what meals you eat for the day, choose meals that include high-quality protein and healthy fats:
High-quality proteins include grass-fed beef, chicken breasts, wild-caught salmon, and pasture-raised eggs
Healthy fats include whole Greek Yogurt, avocados, olives, nuts, olive and avocado oil for cooking, grass-fed ghee
With these meals, include a small serving of a healthy carbohydrate, such as a red potato, sweet potato, or quinoa.
Healthy Protein + Healthy Fat + Low-Glycemic Carbohydrate = A Well-Balanced Meal
Tip #4: Avoid excessive blood sugar spikes from fruit juice.
Fruit juice takes out all of the fiber of natural fruit which helps to keep your blood sugar stable when ingested. Instead of fruit juice, choose to eat the whole fruit. Fruit juice also tends to include added sugar, which is no good when trying to keep blood sugar levels stable.
Tip #5: Don’t fall for artificial sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners may seem like a good alternative to sugary snacks, but there is a lot of research showing it actually contributes to weight gain and the development of many health conditions including diabetes and cancer. (See one study here)
Rather than choosing foods that contain artificial sweeteners, reach for natural, whole-food options.
AVOID these common artificial sweeteners:
Aspartame
Sucralose
Erythritol
Acesulfame K (aka Sweet One)
Saccharin
Xylitol
Neotame
Enjoy these healthier sweeteners:
Pure maple syrup (sorry Mrs. Butterworth!) - maple syrup will still increase blood sugar, so use it in moderation, about 1-2 teaspoons.
Pure, raw, unfiltered honey (local is best) - honey will also increase blood sugar, so use it in moderation, about 1-2 teaspoons.
Stevia powder is a natural sugar substitute and is made from the stevia plant. It doesn’t affect blood sugar levels and is a great option for baking or adding to coffee and tea.
Monk fruit extract powder - I am currently obsessed with using monk fruit for all of my baking needs! This stuff is incredible - just 1/32 tsp. of monk fruit powder = 2 tsp. regular sugar! If a recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar, I use just 1/8 - 1/2 teaspoon monk fruit powder (depending on taste preference) and no one can tell the difference! Like stevia, monk fruit does not affect blood sugar and is a whole food. Just be careful to buy monk fruit powder or liquid that is ONLY monk fruit. Many companies include erythritol with monk fruit, and this is no good and not natural. I order this brand of monk fruit powder.
Be careful when purchasing these natural sweeteners as companies often include artificial sweeteners as well (such as Truvia which contains stevia and erythritol). You want the 100% natural choice!
Start Eating Healthy with the Mediterranean Diet
If the Mediterranean diet is very different from how you have been eating, I HIGHLY recommend you follow a meal plan that has already been designed to help you be successful and quickly see results. The 30-Day Mediterranean Meal Plan I created includes everything you need to get started on the Mediterranean diet. It includes over 80 easy and delicious recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks that you can simply follow along to and enjoy all the delicious flavors that come with the Mediterranean diet.
Once I learned how to eat a balanced Mediterranean diet, I quickly saw great results! By having an understanding of what my own body needed each day, I was able to set myself up for success and have maintained this healthy lifestyle for almost 2 years.
I want this for you too! If you are ready to fully benefit from the Mediterranean diet, I urge you to get started with my 30-day meal plan now while it’s the lowest price it will ever be! Click here to get started.
Choosing the right foods makes all the difference in how you feel. Even if you’re not yet ready to go all in, I have something that will help you make a step towards eating healthy and reaping the benefits of a healthy, balanced diet. Download my Top 10 Must-Try Mediterranean Diet Recipes ebook by using the form below to get instant access to this valuable resource. I have also included a Mediterranean Diet Shopping List to help you get started.
Get Your FREE ebook: Top 10 Must-Try Mediterranean Diet Recipes + Free Shopping List
I have also put together a resource library containing my top recommended books, kitchen must-haves, supplements to support your health, and more! Click here to check it out!
References
https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/a-good-guide-to-good-carbs-the-glycemic-index
https://www.healthline.com/health/diabetes/low-glycemic-fruits-for-diabetes#peaches
https://guidelines.diabetes.ca/docs/patient-resources/glycemic-index-food-guide.pdf
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/glycemic-index
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3198517/
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