Why Sugar Cravings Feel Out of Control When You Quit Drinking And What To Do Sobriety & Grey Area Drinking Coach, Speaker

When a person uses alcohol, the brain’s pleasure center is triggered. It releases dopamine, a hormone that helps you to feel happy and good. It is this feeling that the brain craves when it is using alcohol. Your brain is programmed to seek out things that make it happy, and alcohol addiction occurs as a result of the substance’s ability to create that feeling. Throughout my career in addressing nutrition in addiction recovery, this topic of sugar cravings comes up time and time again.

Look for chocolate bars that are at least 70% cacao (the higher the percentage, the greater the nutritional value). Enjoying dark chocolate will not only calm those cravings, but will also provide you with antioxidants, magnesium, zinc, and iron. The most common eating schedule in a rehab center is three meals per day (breakfast, lunch and dinner) with snacks in between. But for those trying recovery at home, you can break it up however you like.

How to Keep Sugars Out of Your Recovery Diet

The human body understands that in the absence of constant use of alcohol it has previously relied on, sugary foods can offer the same effect. Recent studies show that processed foods like sugar trigger the brain’s reward system in ways that are similar to alcohol and other addictive substances. In other words, it’s entirely possible for someone to become addicted to sugar. Additionally, some researchers believe there is a genetic component to sugar addiction in families with a history of substance abuse. But my appreciation of things that taste good and are probably quite bad for me is balanced with a healthy lifestyle and plenty of physical activity. The way it works for me is that I put energy into fueling and exercising my body in a healthy way during the week and allow myself a bit of freedom at weekends.

We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals. The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used https://ecosoberhouse.com/ in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers. An unbalanced diet is a common trigger for sugar and alcohol cravings in recovery. Fortunately, she said, the intensity of the cravings shouldn't last.

Sugar Cravings after Quitting Alcohol: 10 Dietitian-Approved Tips

Why are sugar cravings so common in people recovering from a substance use disorder? People with substance use disorders often experience intense sugar cravings. You’re not alone; it’s actually common for recovering alcoholics to crave sugar. Eating ice cream or a donut every once in a while is okay, but there may be cause for concern if you’re constantly snacking.

• This is why so many alcoholics wind up developing a sweet tooth.
• When they simultaneously crave sugar, it can feel like the consumption of it provides the answer.
• Many people who struggle with alcohol addiction also suffer from low blood sugar levels, or hypoglycemia.
• Enjoying dark chocolate will not only calm those cravings, but will also provide you with antioxidants, magnesium, zinc, and iron.

In addition, alcohol has a substantial impact on blood sugar levels. Drinking alcohol creates a yo-yo effect with blood sugar, causing an initial spike followed by a dramatic crash. This is because alcohol inhibits your body’s response to insulin, the hormone that helps regulate blood sugar levels. Mixed drinks often contain large amounts of additional sugar, but the alcohol itself does not contribute to your sugar intake.

Does Alcohol Kill Probiotics?

A person may find that focusing on obtaining and eating sweet foods feels like an acceptable substitute for their previous addictive behaviors. They may even become obsessed with finding recipes and learning to bake or looking for multiple sources to purchase sweet foods from. If you or a loved one is struggling with alcohol use and unhealthy diet habits, The Recovery Village is here to help. Contact us today to learn more about alcohol addiction treatment programs and nutrition plans that can help you begin the path to a healthy, alcohol-free future.

Fueling up on protein, fat, and fiber not only helps balance blood sugar levels, but these macronutrients provide your body with the raw materials to heal and rebalance. First, you get more of a dopamine boost from foods that are high in sugar or fat. This is similar to the dopamine rush you’d feel when drinking alcohol. Many people do not develop sugar cravings, but for those who do, taking action can help. They can talk to their doctor or schedule an appointment with a dietician or nutritionist.

After you quit drinking, your body knows that it can reach a similar state through sugar. In fact, according to the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, sugar affects many of the same neural pathways in the brain as alcohol does. Of course, alcohol and sugar cravings can sometimes go hand in hand.

However, all alcoholic beverages contain a significant number of calories and have little to no nutritional value. Even if you’re craving a food (or other substance) that isn’t doing your health any favors, in early sobriety your body is just trying to find its equilibrium. By making a few adjustments to your diet and lifestyle, you can help gently restore balance, which will take the focus off sugar.

(However a mix of both is ideal!) Protein can keep you satisfied throughout the day and provides amino acids to help combat cravings. It’s because addiction is a lifestyle, as well as a disease. There’s often an underlying reason fueling the addiction. That’s why treatment centers like Silver Maple Recovery offer trauma-informed care and cognitive behavioral therapy.

So, if you have sugar on your mind constantly after quitting alcohol – don’t be too hard on yourself. When your blood sugar is low, it’s natural for your body to crave sweets to counteract it. Even if you indulge and give your body sugar to level out, it won’t solve the issue long term. Your blood sugar will drop again, landing you right back where you started.

Unfortunately, sugar is only a temporary fix and doesn’t serve as a healthy, long-term solution to what you’re going through in recovery. To keep your blood sugar levels balanced and avoid sugar cravings, you need to maintain a healthy diet like the pro-recovery diet. The problem is that poor nutrition can lead to a variety of mental and physical health why do alcoholics crave sugar issues. Weight gain is a common problem for those new to recovery from alcohol addiction, and subsequently can lead to low mood which may then trigger a relapse to alcohol. Food, especially high-sugar foods, should not be a substitute for alcohol. Those who are not cautious may transfer their alcohol addiction to a sugar addiction or food addiction.

• Initially alcohol raises blood sugar levels, but after the body processes the alcohol blood sugar levels drop dramatically.
• Unfortunately, sugar is only a temporary fix and doesn’t serve as a healthy, long-term solution to what you’re going through in recovery.
• And it took me a long time to break that cycle of craving ice cream.
• Choose quality ingredients and create meals that are satisfying to you.