20 Ways to Curb Food Cravings

Curbing your food cravings can be one of the biggest challenges when trying to maintain a healthy diet or lose weight. Having strong desires to consume certain foods can lead to eating unhealthily and eating too much. This makes it more difficult to stick to your dietary goals. Having occasional cravings is normal, but if you get regular cravings that you are struggling to control it might lead to unhealthy eating habits.

If you learn how to reduce your food cravings it can help you to make better food choices, keep your weight stable, and generally improve your health. This article explains why you might get food cravings and offers some advice on how you can try and control them.

Food cravings are when you get intense urges to eat certain foods. We often crave to eat foods that are high in sugar, salt, or fat. Unlike physical hunger, which is your body’s response to needing energy, food cravings are usually because of psychological or environmental factors.

The physical feeling of hunger is your body’s way to tell you that it needs food for energy. It often comes with symptoms like a growling stomach, low energy, or feeling irritable. On the other hand, food cravings happen because you want to taste a particular food and are often caused by emotional or habitual factors.

Food noise refers to getting persistent thoughts about food, even when you are not actually hungry. Food noise is similar to food cravings. But food noise is where you are constantly thinking about food, whereas food cravings are focused on certain foods.

It’s possible to crave all kinds of foods, but generally food cravings involve highly-processed, calorie-dense foods. According to studies, if you are someone who gets food cravings frequently, it is often for high-calorie foods. You might be more likely to get cravings for very sweet and ultra-processed foods because of their ingredients.

This means that you might get cravings for foods like:

• chocolate
• crisps
• sweets and sugary snacks
• fast food
• highly refined or processed foods

One leading theory scientists have suggested is that we might crave high-calorie foods because humans evolved to eat a lot of food whenever it was available, as food was often hard to find in ancient times. Evolution is a very slow process, and although food has become much more easily available in the last few hundred years, it may be that our biological instincts have not caught up. This can lead to overeating and consuming unhealthy foods because they are easy to get, and our bodies are likely to crave them.

Several factors might contribute to your food cravings, including:

1. Stay hydrated

Sometimes, what feels like a food craving is because you’re dehydrated. Drinking plenty of water before eating a snack can help you determine if you are truly hungry.

2. Consume high-protein snacks

Protein helps to regulate your appetite and cravings by making you feel full for longer. Try healthier, high-protein snacks like Greek yoghurt, nuts, or boiled eggs to prevent unnecessary snacking on unhealthy foods.

3. Eat mindfully

Slowing down and being thoughtful about exactly what and when you eat can help reduce impulsive eating. Trying mindfulness practices like chewing slowly, focusing on the flavours, and avoiding distractions while eating can help curb food cravings.

4. Keep your stress levels down

Stress is a normal part of life for everyone, but it can also trigger food cravings. Trying to actively reduce your stress via activities such as exercise, meditation, or deep breathing can help you to reduce stress-induced food cravings.

5. Plan out your meals

Eating balanced meals at regular intervals can prevent hunger-induced cravings. Planning and prepping the food you’re going to eat with this in mind can help to ensure you have healthy options readily available.

6. Chew gum

You might find chewing a sugar-free gum keeps your mouth busy and reduces your cravings for sweet snacks.

7. Stock your house with healthy foods

If unhealthy foods are not on hand, you’re less likely to eat them. Stock your kitchen with healthy foods and reach for them when you get food cravings instead.

8. Practice good sleep hygiene

Not getting enough sleep can increase food cravings including for unhealthy foods. Practicing good sleep hygiene can help improve your sleep and reduce your cravings.

9. Occupy yourself with something enjoyable

Activities you might enjoy like going for a walk, reading a book, or doing a hobby can help take your mind off your food cravings.

10. Identify your triggers and try to avoid them

Knowing which foods give you food cravings can help you avoid them. For instance, if sweets are something you crave, keeping them out of sight or not buying them for your house can reduce temptation.

11. Eat more fibre

Foods which are rich in fibre like vegetables, whole grains, and legumes can help keep you full and stabilise your blood sugar levels, and this can lead to reduced food cravings.

12. Try eating more healthy fats

Some fats are better for you than others. Healthy fats are found in avocados, nuts, and olive oil. They can make you feel satisfied by eating more healthily and help curb cravings for unhealthy snacks.

13. Think about your portion size

Rather than stopping eating indulgent foods completely, try having smaller portions to satisfy cravings without eating too much.

14. Get into a routine and stick to it

Being consistent with your eating can prevent spiking your blood sugars and reduce food cravings.

15. Reduce sugar and caffeine

Too much sugar and caffeine lead to energy crashes, which may lead to you craving quick fixes like sweets and processed foods.

16. Eat more whole foods

Unprocessed whole foods contain essential nutrients which can make you feel fuller for longer, reducing your food cravings for less nutritious foods.

17. Keep a food diary

Keeping track of the food you eat can help you recognise your habits and triggers, making it easier to manage your food cravings.

18. Drink less alcohol

Alcohol consumption can make you more impulsive and likely to give in to food cravings. Drinking less alcohol might help control impulse eating.

19. Exercising regularly

A healthy amount of physical activity can help regulate your hunger hormones and reduce stress, which may lead to reduced food cravings. Structuring your meals around regular exercise may also help you develop a healthy routine.

20. Drinking more herbal tea

Drinking some caffeine-free herbal tea like peppermint or camomile can help curb cravings and provide a comforting, calorie-free alternative.

Consider the social media content you view

Many social media platforms feature photos and videos with recipe ideas, nutritional advice or suggest you try certain diets. A study found those who spent more time on social media were more likely to experience food cravings. You might consider trying to avoid or reduce your exposure to food-related media other than when you’re close to mealtime.

When you get food cravings, giving healthier alternatives a go can help satisfy your desires without having a negative impact on your diet and nutrition. Here are some simple swaps you can try:

• Craving chocolate? Opt for dark chocolate (70% cocoa or higher) instead of milk chocolate.
• Craving crisps? Try eating baked vegetable chips.
• Craving sweets? Eat some fresh fruit or a small portion of dried fruit.
• Craving ice cream? Some Greek yoghurt with berries is a protein-rich alternative with low fat options available.
• Craving fast food? Making yourself a homemade burger with lean meat (low in fat) and wholemeal bread is a healthier choice.
• Craving fizzy drinks? Give some sparkling water with a squeeze of lemon a try instead of sugary sodas.
• Craving pastries? Some wholemeal toast or an oat cake with a dollop of almond butter makes a nutritious alternative.

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