A sugar craving is a powerful urge to eat or drink things that are high in sugar like chocolate bars, cookies, ice cream…
What deficiency causes sugar cravings? There are several possible nutrient deficiencies that can lead to sugar cravings, including a lack of Chromium, Magnesium, Zinc, Vitamin-B, and Tryptophan.
Consider Tryptophan, for example. This essential amino acid is used by the body to produce serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate our mood and appetite.
Low levels of serotonin have been linked to increased sugar cravings! 😱
Nutrient deficiencies can occur in developed countries for various reasons, including an inadequate nutrient intake, poor absorption into our system, as well as from an increased demand for certain micronutrients due to various life stages, like pregnancy, lactation, or growth…
Additionally, stress can spike cortisol and adrenaline hormone levels, which can in turn drain our body’s energy and nutrient reserves! 😮💨
As modern agricultural practices prioritize yield and appearance, often using chemical fertilizers and pesticides that can deplete soil of vital nutrients, produce is often harvested prematurely for transportation and storage, leading to lower overall nutritional makeup. 🚚💨
However, not all commercially grown produce is nutritionally depleted, and nutrient density can vary based on farming practices and location!
In order to prevent micronutrient deficiencies, consider implementing these four strategies:
Fresh and natural foods are the most nutrient rich options, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins! (Here you have the Harvard plate! The visual guide that can help you integrate these concepts!)
Eating a variety of foods can help prevent micronutrient deficiencies. A wider range of foods opens you up to a wider range of nutrients. Make your meals colorful like a rainbow!🌈 Substituting ultra-processed 🍪and sugary products with natural foods is the best option to attain good health. Continuing to consume ultra-processed foods will only lead to further sugar cravings!
an research about the Influence of cooking methods on antioxidant activity of vegetables, has shown that processing and cooking can reduce the nutrient content of vegetables so it’s best to eat veggies raw or lightly cooked. 😋 Make salads a part of your meal rotation🥗; snack on hummus and carrot sticks 🥕 and eat at least one piece of fruit every day 🍑!
If you are following these rules and still find you have low nutrient levels in your blood or, perhaps, your dietary restrictions are naturally omitting certain nutrients from your diet (like a B12 deficiency due to your vegan lifestyle), talk to your doctor to get advice on the best supplements for your specific situation. However, it's important to note that supplements should not be considered a substitute for a healthy, balanced diet.🙅🏼♀️
If your diet is not balanced or you have a condition that prevents you from absorbing essential micronutrients like vitamins, you may find yourself asking what vitamin deficiency causes sugar cravings, since there is some evidence supporting the supplementation of certain vitamins and minerals. For example, chromium benefits can include reducing appetite and potentially improving blood glucose levels.
However, the truth is that if your vitamin and mineral levels are already sufficient, supplementation is not necessary — and therefore, there’s no reason to expect a reduction in cravings.
That’s why the first step before taking any supplements should always be consulting your healthcare provider, who can assess your vitamin and mineral levels through a blood test. Once the results are in, your doctor may recommend a specific supplement to curb sugar cravings. Still, this won't guarantee that your sweet cravings will stop completely, as there may be many other underlying causes driving those urges.
Cravings for both sweets and salty snacks can have a variety of causes.In this section, we’ll explore some of the most common ones to help you identify which might resonate most with you.
You may have completely cut out carbohydrates from your meals, or perhaps you’re forbidding yourself from eating certain hyperpalatable foods like sweets or chocolate.
When we restrict certain foods too severely, our brain may begin to crave exactly what we’re not allowing ourselves to have. This is backed by the well-known Minnesota Starvation Experiment, in which 36 healthy men followed a semi-starvation diet for six months. The results showed not only significant weight and energy loss, but also an extreme obsession with food, irritability, depression, anxiety, and decreased concentration. Many of them spent their days thinking, talking, and dreaming about food. This demonstrates how excessive restriction can affect both the body and the mind — and how intense cravings can be a natural response to deprivation.
The solution is to follow a balanced diet rich in vegetables, whole grains, and a variety of protein sources. It’s also important to include foods that are commonly labeled as “unhealthy,” such as sweets. These foods can actually be part of a healthy diet when enjoyed occasionally and without guilt. Including them mindfully helps prevent discomfort, restriction-related stress, and food obsessions — supporting a more sustainable and enjoyable eating routine.
👉Check out this article on the Harvard Plate, a simple way to build balanced meals.
If you're someone who doesn’t follow a regular eating schedule, you might be unintentionally disrupting your natural hunger and fullness cues. Having consistent mealtimes helps regulate your metabolism and supports better appetite control throughout the day. When we skip meals or eat chaotically, we’re more likely to experience intense cravings, overeating, or energy crashes. Creating structure around your meals doesn’t mean rigid rules — just a general rhythm that helps your body feel safe and balanced.
A lack of plant-based foods — like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains — can lead to low fiber intake, which plays a key role in managing appetite and satiety. Fiber slows digestion, helps stabilize blood sugar, and promotes gut health, all of which contribute to longer-lasting fullness and fewer cravings.
To boost your fiber intake, try adding:
Aim for a variety of fiber sources throughout the day to keep your digestive system and appetite signals functioning optimally.
Consuming high amounts of added sugar — especially from processed snacks, sugary drinks, or sweets — can lead to blood sugar spikes and crashes, which may trigger more cravings, especially for sweet or energy-dense foods. Over time, this cycle can affect your energy levels, mood, and hunger regulation.
Instead of cutting sugar completely, try balancing it by:
Remember, the key isn’t to eliminate these foods entirely — it’s to enjoy them occasionally as a choice, not as a need. When you allow yourself to eat them without guilt from time to time, they lose their power over you, and you’re more likely to build a balanced and sustainable relationship with food.
The best way to prevent sugar craving is by eating nutrient-dense foods at every meal and varying them in both type and cooking style. By doing this you ensure you get all the necessary nutrients your body needs without leaving you craving for additional sugars!
So now you have more information about what deficiency causes sugar cravings! I hope you enjoy the article. 😁
See you soon!
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There can be multiple causes, but your sugar cravings can be caused by nutritional deficiencies of micronutrients or by a lack of structure in your diet. Therefore, a planned diet, rich in vegetables, whole grains, and varying protein sources, can be the key to start combating these cravings.
How do you relate to sweets? Are they a forbidden food that you try to avoid, or do you consume them whenever you want? Reassessing this relationship and finding a balance in your diet can be a great strategy to manage cravings. If you forbid them, it's normal for your brain to crave them, or on the other hand, if you consume them in excess, your brain may become accustomed to them and ask for more. Make peace with sweets and enjoy them occasionally without guilt, while following a diet rich in vegetables, whole grains, and diverse sources of protein.
There is no universal way to combat cravings; the best approach is to have a balanced, non-restrictive diet, rich in vegetables, whole grains, and diverse sources of protein, with occasional treats of sweets without feeling guilty about them. At night, our body and mind are more tired and may be more prone to giving in to impulses. Additionally, if your diet has been very restrictive, especially in carbohydrates, you may give in and end up giving in to these cravings.
Article written by Laura Guinovart Martín, certified Dietitian and Nutritionist; Specialized in TCA, Obesity and Food Development and Design; Nº Col:CAT002123
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