5 ways to take control of your sugar cravings and naturally produce dopamine

Find out more about sugar cravings and why you still may feel hungry for dessert despite being completely full.

A sugary treat is often the unmissable cherry on top for our palate after a meal, something that truly helps define the gastronomic experience. Even an elaborate course meal feels incomplete without dessert. But beyond mealtimes, on a daily basis, the sugary cravings can sneak in too, making you cave in; opening the fridge in the middle of the night or stuffing your face when you are bored, stressed or just emotionally drained. It's a quick pick-me-up for low moods. But soon it results in a crash; a low, sluggish and irritable mood, which further demands even more sugar.

This becomes a problematic situation when dopamine, the feel-good, happy hormone, is time and again triggered by sugar consumption. Over time, this turns into a loop.

Dr Sameer Bhati, Public Health Expert and Independent Director at Healing Touch Super Speciality Eye Care, shared with HT Lifestyle why this is harmful, associating sugary treats with emotional comfort.

First off, he explained the basics, why sugar cravings occur in the first place and how they lead to an elevated mood. He said, “Glucose is sugar in its simplest form and the primary energy source for the brain. The brain requires glucose for optimal functioning. A slight fall in glucose levels induces fatigue, irritation, and lack of focus. Sugar is broken down to glucose right inside the body. The D-glucose thus produced enters the bloodstream at once, pushing a burst of brain activity into motion. This effect is also accompanied by an improved sense of mental clarity and happiness. Hence, we automatically reach for sugary snacks in times of tension, fatigue, or downright being down.”

Why does the sugar-dopamine loop happen?

From just ‘one more bite’ to feeling like the appetite isn’t complete without dessert, let’s understand why this loop happens. This goes beyond than just satisfying your sweet tooth as this loop creates a kind of reward system with the brain releasing dopamine every time you consume sugar.

Dr Bharti explained, “Dopamine, the feel-good neurotransmitter, is more than just reward: motivation, learning, and habit formation are strongly associated with it. With the consumption of sugar, the brain secretes dopamine, reinforcing the activity and encouraging one to repeat it. What makes sugar perhaps the strongest is that it causes a rapid release of a huge amount of dopamine, akin to the sensations created by some addictive substances in the human brain. The pleasure pathway, also known as the mesolimbic dopamine system, gels with excitement; the reward jackpot lights up the brain.”

Are you actually hungry when you are craving sugary treats?

Any sugary treat makes us feel good and giddy like a kid. (Shutterstock)

Ever wondered if you are actually hungry when you still feel like reaching for something sugary, especially after a full meal or when you are not physically hungry at all (because you just ate)? This craving that doesn't go away often has deep psychological roots.

Dr Bharti added,“Cravings are purely emotional or psychological. They are strongly neurochemical. When in the brain a sugar dopamine hit occurs, it remembers the hit and builds a neural pathway. Over time, these pathways harden and pave the road for you to reach out for that brownie even without thinking about it. Repeated exposure could weaken a dopamine signal, so a person would begin to require more sugar for the same level of satisfaction. This creates habit loops and also sugar addiction.”

5 ways to break the dopamine boost from sugar rush

To take control of your sugar cravings and naturally produce your dopamine not relying on sugary treats, Dr Sameer Bharti shared these 5 ways:

1. Balance your meals:

• The trick is to pair complex carbohydrates with proteins and healthy fats, so glucose absorption is hastened lesser.
• Whole grains, legumes, nuts, and fibre-rich vegetables are our best friends.

2. Don't skip meals:

• Blood-sugar dips bring on evil sugar cravings after skipping meals.
• Have your regular-interval meals for even energy levels.

3. Get natural dopamine hits:

• Exercise, listen to music, or go walk in nature.
• Indulge in meditation.
• Always seek natural ways in which you can tap dopamine without the crash.

4. Read labels carefully:

• Sugar is hidden in everything you just need the eye to look for it, even in healthier items.

5. Stay hydrated:

• Drinking water curbs the sugar craving, so try to drink water before you go for a sugary snack.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.