Why am I craving sugar?

Have you ever experienced a craving for something sweet? Do you know what was behind that feeling? Your blood sugar levels naturally fluctuate throughout the day when you eat.  Sugar cravings can result from drops in your blood glucose levels.

However, there are a number of health conditions that are associated with poor regulation of blood sugar levels, such as diabetes. Stress, hormonal imbalances, and some medications can also disrupt your body’s natural ability to regulate blood sugar concentration.

h2>Why do sugar cravings occur?

It’s normal to crave sugar, especially if you’re stressed or anxious. Certain medications and hormone imbalances can also cause you to crave sugar.

Sugar activates the reward systems in your brain and causes the release of a neurotransmitter called dopamine. Because dopamine results in pleasure, it can stimulate your brain to seek the same behaviors in the future.

In other words, when your brain experiences a sugar-associated dopamine hit, it encourages you to seek more sugar. This helps explain why sugar cravings are so common.

Some of the reasons why sugar cravings occur include:

• Psychological stress
• Anxiety
• Depression or low mood
• Hormonal imbalances
• Health conditions, such as mental health conditions, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome
• Medications
• Nutrient deficiencies, such as magnesium deficiency
• Malnutrition or severe restriction

Ultimately, sugar cravings are common but that doesn’t mean you should ignore them. If you’re getting strong sugar cravings, it’s important to identify the reason why this is the case and if you are unable to manage them, speak to your healthcare professional.