How to stop cravings for sweet and salty foods: 10 tips

Firstly, it is important to learn to distinguish between ‘real’ hunger and cravings. While ‘real’ hunger is usually accompanied by a rumbling or slight pain in the stomach, these symptoms do not occur with cravings. Instead, you have a strong urge to eat something very specific, such as particularly salty, fatty snacks or sweets.

One thing in particular can have a major impact on our feelings of hunger and cravings for unhealthy foods: stress. Researchers have found that hectic and stressful periods can affect our eating habits: around two thirds of people eat more than normal during stressful times.

The reason for this is that in stressful situations, the body mobilises its energy reserves in order to be able to react. It then converts the glucose supplied to it more quickly into energy and craves more – there is no natural appetite suppression. High-calorie foods with a lot of fat and carbohydrates in particular trigger a reward effect in your brain, which can make you want more of them.

Hormones are among the most important protagonists in this interaction:

• Cortisol: This hormone is released in greater quantities when your body is under stress. It stimulates food intake, influences metabolism and increases blood sugar. This can cause you to develop more cravings for sweet or salty foods during hectic periods.

• Insulin: Insulin is considered a protective mechanism. It is produced in your pancreas when your blood sugar level is too high and needs to be lowered. The problem is that while your blood sugar level returns to normal, insulin lags behind – it is still at a high level. However, because your brain relies on balanced blood sugar and mainly metabolises carbohydrates, it sounds the alarm and wants you to replenish your carbohydrate stores quickly. The result: you get cravings, you eat sugar – and end up in a vicious circle.

Magnesium plays an important role in this context. This mineral supports insulin function and helps maintain blood sugar levels. A long-term magnesium deficiency can disrupt your sugar metabolism, which can manifest itself in greater fluctuations in energy levels and increased cravings for sweet or fatty foods. On the flip side, make sure you're getting enough magnesium to support your metabolism and prevent cravings.

Other causes of cravings can include:

• Boredom and frustration

• Lack of sleep

• Poor eating habits (e.g. irregular meals)

• Metabolic problems

• Pregnancy and breastfeeding

• Growth phases (in children and adolescents)

• Magnesium deficiency

Hunger and fatigue can be closely related:

• Food can make you tired: On the one hand, there are a number of foods that make you want to take a nap. These are primarily foods that have a high glycaemic index or contain too much sugar. They hinder the transport of glucose to the cells, cause blood sugar levels to drop and make you sleepy. These include white flour products, fatty foods, fried foods and processed meat. Dehydration also promotes fatigue.

• Lack of sleep can make you hungry: Too little sleep can increase ghrelin levels in the blood. Ghrelin is produced in the stomach lining, enters the brain via the bloodstream and stimulates neurons that are responsible for feelings of hunger.

There are ways to stop cravings for sweet and savoury foods – with simple home remedies, natural appetite suppressants and other helpful tips.

The best way to avoid cravings is to eat at regular intervals. Ideally, you should prepare three meals a day, four to five hours apart. Also, make sure you eat until you are really full.

Make sure your meals contain a balanced ratio of macronutrients. Around half of your daily energy intake should come from complex carbohydrates, around a quarter from high-quality proteins – as these ensure you feel full for longer – and the rest from healthy fats. Proteins play a particularly important role here, as they ensure you feel full for longer. At least half of your meal should also consist of vegetables and low-sugar fruit.

If you want to curb your cravings even more, add Bitter substances to your diet. These inhibit the hunger hormone ghrelin, which means you won't get cravings. Bitter substances are found in foods such as: Olives, grapefruit, chicory, ginger, legumes, cabbage, Swiss chard, rosemary, nettle, green tea. The activation of bitter substance receptors by bitter substances signals satiety to your body and thus acts as an appetite suppressant – allowing you to outsmart your body and curb your cravings.

Mindfulness is another effective way to curb your sweet tooth. Avoid quick lunches on the go, in front of your laptop or while walking, and instead take enough time for every meal. Chewing thoroughly is essential – it aids digestion and makes you feel fuller.

Since stress and hunger are closely related, you should try to eliminate hectic situations from your life as much as possible. Take breaks, use relaxation techniques such as yoga or meditation, incorporate sufficient exercise into your daily routine and meet up regularly with your loved ones. Dietary supplements can also help you find your inner balance – for example, ashwagandha.

Good sleep is essential if you want to control your cravings. Therefore, stick to regular bedtimes and wake-up times, make sure you get enough sleep and have a quiet environment. Bedtime rituals can also be helpful.

Sport and exercise are other important tips if you want to avoid cravings. On the one hand, exercise reduces stress and releases happiness hormones. On the other hand, sport is an excellent way to distract yourself from cravings for unhealthy food and you don't have time to stuff yourself during your workout.

Your brain sometimes confuses thirst with hunger. It is therefore essential that you drink enough water. What's more, once you've had a drink, you have something in your stomach, which signals to your brain that there is no acute deficit at that moment. Water is therefore one of the best home remedies for stopping cravings. On average, your body needs 1.5 to 2 litres per day.

Cravings are often linked to certain habits. You make yourself comfortable in front of the TV and your hand reaches for the crisps bag as if by itself. Your working day is over and your brain automatically craves a sweet reward. The first step is to become aware of these situations. The second step is to take countermeasures. For example, put a bowl of olives out as a snack before you sit down to watch TV, and treat yourself to a walk in the fresh air after work instead of dessert.

Nature offers a number of foods and active ingredients that will fill you up in a healthy and sustainable way. These include the following foods, which are high in valuable fibre and protein:

• Water or warming drinks

• Berries

• Nuts and seeds

• Potatoes

• Whole grain products

• Legumes

• Fish

• Chicken and turkey

• Carrots

• Apples

• Oatmeal

You can support your body with various dietary supplements. For example, beneficial gut bacteria can improve feelings of fullness and thus prevent cravings.

Cravings are a complex phenomenon that affect many people. But the good news is that with simple home remedies, stress reduction, the right diet, a healthy lifestyle, enough sleep and changing a few habits, they can be successfully eliminated from your life.