Millions of individuals around the world suffer from intense sugar cravings that seem to have no end.  Typically, these sugar cravings are strongest right after a meal.  These cravings can make maintaining a healthy weight an impossible task and can interfere with weight loss goals.

However, there is more to story when it comes to sugar cravings in the body.  Many are under the belief that their body just naturally craves sweet foods and that it can call be controlled through discipline. 

How many times have you tried to kick the sugar habit only to find yourself collapse into eating even more sugary and sweet foods weeks later?  This is no accident and is a direct result of an imbalanced microbiome.  Unfortunately, millions struggle with an imbalanced microbiome mainly due to a fungal overgrowth called candida.

What is Candida?

Candida is a pathogenic fungus which can cause severe distress and disorder in the body.  In fact, we’ve covered candida extensively already so be sure to go our candida home page for more information on the subject.

Candida is simply a pathogenic fungus, which when given the opportunity, will grow at astronomical rates in the gut.  It becomes extremely severe when candida is able to make its way out of the gut and into the bloodstream.  This is because when candida enters the bloodstream it causes an intense immune response that can cause several different unwanted symptoms in the body.  Some of these symptoms include (1):

• Fever
• Chills
• Fast Heart Rate
• Rapid Breathing
• Low Blood Pressure
• Various Organ Dysfunctions
• Overstimulate the Central Nervous System

These are just a few symptoms that can be caused when candida is able to enter the bloodstream.  However, even when candida stays in the gut there are various negative symptoms which can result.  Such symptoms often include (2):

• Bloating After Eating
• Itchy Rash
• Acid Reflux
• Intense Sugar Cravings
• Unshakeable Brain Fog
• Blood Sugar Problems
• Nutritional Deficiencies
• Chronic Diarrhea or Constipation
• White Tongue

How Candida Causes Sugar Cravings

If you deal with intense sugar cravings in the body, there is a good chance that you may be suffering from a candida overgrowth in the gut and body.  High sugar and carbohydrate diets are the main reason for an overgrowth of candida in gut.  Unfortunately, these types of diets are typical of most individuals living in the United States.

It’s important to understand that candida is a fungus and requires adequate amounts of sugar daily in order to survive and multiply.  Processed foods, candy, sugar, and sugary fruits are the perfect fuel for candida.  Cutting out these foods from the diet can help inhibit the growth of candida and reduce its ability to multiple.

However, once well established, candida can be extremely difficult to rid from the body.  Even carbohydrates coming from whole foods such as potatoes, rice, and grains will feed candida in the body.  This is because all carbohydrates, whether they are simple or complex, break down into sugars in the body.  It’s for this reason that a low carbohydrate diet can be extremely beneficial for bringing candida numbers down in the gut and body.

For those interested in learning more about diet, be sure to check out our candida diet protocol which outlines exactly what you should be eating if you suffer from candida.  This protocol is broken down into three easy to follow phases which are easy to understand.

I Don’t Eat Sugar, Why Do I Suffer From Candida?

Candida is an extremely opportunistic fungus which can take control of the microbiome quite easily if allowed.  There may be some individuals who do not consume sugary foods, or eat high carbohydrate foods, yet still suffer from this pathogenic fungus.

Since candida is extremely opportunistic, it will remain dormant until conditions are right for it to take over.  In fact, every healthy body contains candida.  However, it’s typically in its non-pathogenic yeast form.  We only run into issues with candida when it morphs into its pathogenic fungal form.

The overuse of antibiotics, low stomach acid levels, and processed foods can all allow candida to gain control over the microbiome.  Antibiotics kill off the good bacteria in the gut which help keep candida in check and stop it from morphing into its fungal form. 

Also, those suffering from low stomach acid levels (which is extremely common) are at risk for developing a bacteria or fungal overgrowth in the gut.  This is because stomach acid is needed in order neutralize bad bacteria and fungus in the gut.  It’s for this reason that maintaining high stomach acid levels is crucial for optimal health.

Lastly, eating too many processed foods, even if they are low sugar and low carbohydrate, can make the gut more susceptible to bacterial and fungal overgrowth’s.  Research has shown that dietary emulsifiers present in packaged foods can cause metabolic disorders and can severely compromise the integrity of the gut (3).

How to Stop Sugar Cravings

Stopping sugar cravings when one is suffering from candida is sometimes easier said than done.  However, a simple strategy for reducing cravings in the body is to consume more bitter foods before and after meals.

Bitter herbs and foods naturally increase stomach acid levels in the body due to the stimulatory effects they have on the vagus nerve.  As a result, they can help inhibit the growth of pathogenic species in gut such as candida and can help curb cravings.  Many find that consuming a bitter herbal beverage after meals stops all cravings for dessert or sweets and helps facilitate in digestion.

For those looking to learn more about how to naturally stop sugar cravings in the body, you can check out our post on The Top 8 Foods for Candida.  Also, doing our candida protocol can naturally reduce sugar cravings caused by candida overtime.

What about Sugar from Fruit?

Many who begin to change their diet for the better and begin to remove junk foods often fall into the trap of replacing sweets with fruits.  The problem with this is that most fruits contain way too much sugar and can actually be the perfect fuel source for candida in the body.  This is because modern day fruit resembles nothing of what it once was.

Years and years of selective breeding and hybridization have left fruits with less seeds, more sugar, and much larger.  It’s actually quite interesting to see that almost all store bought fruits do not grow naturally in the wild. 

All wild fruit is extremely bitter or sour, low in sugar, very small, and contains high amounts of seed material.  In nature, the whole reason for fruit is so that the plant or tree can replicate and reproduce itself; feeding humans is always secondary.  Consequently, with a few exceptions, almost all modern fruit contains far too much sugar which can have digestive consequences if eaten long enough.

Another obvious truth that most do not think about is that fruit is seasonal.  Eating high amounts of fruits daily can not only have negative effects on the body, its plain unnatural!  For this reason, fruits should always be eaten in season.  Also, always choose fruits that contain seeds and which are not overly hybridized.  Most berries (with the exception of strawberries) have not undergone intense amounts of hybridization and are still good choices.

With all that said, fruit does contain nutritive value and can be enjoyed. However, just remember not to go overboard; moderation is your friend!

Meals That Can Stop Cravings

As well as following our candida diet protocol, there are several different healthy meals which can naturally help reduce cravings in the body.  For those interested in learning more about creating healthy meals that can help inhibit the growth of candida and reduce sugar cravings in the body, be sure to check out our Crush Candida Recipe Cook Book.

This recipe book is an easy to read and follow eBook which lists over 20 different recipes that can be great for anyone dealing with candida.  The best part of all, this recipe book is an instant download so there is no wait time; you get instant access right away!

Also, replacing all forms of sugar with healthy fats such as coconut oil, ghee, grass-fed butter, olive oil, and healthy animal fats is a great way to stop cravings in the body and keep the body satiated.  In fact, healthy fats play an extremely important role in our candida diet protocol and they have an extremely therapeutic effect on the body.

Lastly, although its sounds simple and obvious, removing all high carbohydrate and sugary foods from the diet can help dramatically reduce sugar cravings in the body naturally.