If you find yourself unable to resist a food or beverage, or if a craving leads to overindulgence, these tips can help you take back some control.

Almost everyone experiences a food craving now and then.^[1] It’s often difficult to fight this overwhelming urge to have a certain food or beverage. Satisfying the desire occasionally is fine, but giving in to cravings too often may negatively affect your health goals.^[2]

Here’s a look at how to combat food cravings.

7 ways to help overcome food cravings

Many factors—hunger, stress, or even the aroma of a favorite food—can bring on a craving.^[3] But if you find yourself unable to resist a food or beverage, or if a craving leads to overindulgence, these tips can help you take back some control:

1. Pay attention to your diet

Food cravings can occur when you don’t fuel your body properly.^[4] As your energy wanes, you reach for something sugary or loaded with refined carbohydrates (carbs) to get an energy boost.

To help stop cravings before they start:^[5]

• Don’t skip meals or let yourself become overly hungry.
• Balance meals and snacks with a healthy mix of protein, fiber, carbs, and fats.
• For some, it might be helpful to enjoy smaller, more frequent meals or snacks throughout the day to stave off hunger.

2. Find healthy ways to manage emotions and stress

Cravings for comfort foods can occur when you feel depressed, stressed, bored, or lonely.^[6] Emotional eating, as it’s known, can serve as a distraction from what’s bothering you.^[7] But the relief is temporary, and you might feel worse after indulging. Stress, in particular, causes your body to release a hormone called cortisol that can trigger hunger and cravings.^[8]

When emotions trigger a craving, try this mindfulness method called STOP:^[9]

1. Stop whatever you’re doing.
2. Take a deep breath.
3. Observe your emotions. Are you actually hungry or, instead, feeling emotional?
4. Pick a nonfood option (if you’re not hungry), such as calling a friend, going for a walk, running an errand, or doing a puzzle.

3. Practice mindful eating

When a craving is simply too powerful to overcome, go ahead and enjoy the food, but do so mindfully. With mindful eating, you tap into your physical and emotional senses to fully experience the food.^[10] By taking the time to savor what you’re eating, you may find you need less of it to satisfy the craving.^[11]

To practice mindful eating:^[12]

1. Focus only on the food. Don’t engage in other activities like watching TV or checking your phone.
2. Take small bites and chew slowly to savor the flavor of every bite.
3. Pay attention and observe the food’s smell, taste, texture, and how it feels in your mouth.
4. Notice your satisfaction level. Over time, you may find that you can eat less of the food and still satisfy the craving.^[13]

4. Satisfy a sweet tooth with healthier choices

Sugar gives your brain and body quick energy.^[14] But continually getting too much sugar in your diet can lead to weight gain, diabetes, heart disease, and other health concerns.^[15]

Try one of these healthier options when you crave something sweet:^[16]

• Apple slices with natural-style peanut butter or another nut butter
• Fresh fruit with a piece or two of cheese or a handful of nuts
• Plain Greek yogurt with cinnamon and a drizzle of honey
• Raisins or other dried fruit paired with nuts, seeds, or cheese

5. Reach for lower salt options

Many people crave crunchy, salty snacks instead of sweets. But excess sodium in your diet can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, and strokes.^[17] These foods offer a similar crunch as pretzels and potato chips, but with less sodium:^[18]

• Apples and no-salt peanuts
• Carrots, bell peppers, zucchini, or celery with hummus
• Unsalted or lightly salted popcorn or pumpkin seeds

6. Stay hydrated

Your brain needs fluids to function well. When you’re dehydrated, your body sends mixed messages to your brain.^[19] Your brain may mistakenly think that you’re hungry when what you really need is a tall glass of ice water.^[20] Experts often recommend waiting several minutes after drinking a glass of water to see if a craving passes.^[21] In addition to water, you can quench your thirst and cravings with unsweetened beverages like unsweetened sparkling mineral water (naturally flavored with no sugar or alternative sweeteners added), unsweetened hot or iced tea, decaf coffee, or milk.

7. Get more sleep

Your ability to control impulses (and fight cravings) weakens when you’re overly tired.^[22] A review of studies found that people’s hunger levels—and their cravings for sweet or salty foods—dropped with more sleep.^[23]

Sweets and refined carbs provide a quick burst of energy, which can feel good when you’re struggling to power through the day. But your body digests and absorbs simple carbohydrates like candy and cookies quickly.^[24] Your blood glucose (blood sugar) spikes and then drops, potentially causing you to want more sweets and refined carbs as a pick-me-up.^[25]

Another reason to improve your sleep habits: Poor sleep can lead to, or worsen, prediabetes

In summary: Take steps to manage cravings

Overcoming cravings is more than a matter of willpower. It starts with taking proactive steps—like eating a balanced diet—to help keep cravings from happening in the first place. It’s also important to be kind to yourself when you give in to a craving. Your favorite foods and drinks can and should be enjoyable parts of your life. The important thing is to make healthy dietary and lifestyle choices most of the time.

Now that you know how to manage cravings, you may be curious about how to make smart shopping choices. The Sincerely Health nutrition tools in the grocery app can help.

You can start by downloading the grocery app. You’ll save $10* on groceries for creating an account. Next, create a personalized Sincerely Health nutrition profile to receive 1,000 points.*

Your nutrition profile allows you to:

• Set specific nutrition goals.
  • Earn 10 points for items you purchase for a maximum 100 points per order (that’s 10 items at 10 points each).*

FAQs about overcoming cravings

What are easy ways to manage cravings?

Three easy ways to manage cravings include:

1. Not allowing yourself to get too hungry.
2. Finding healthy ways to cope with life stressors.
3. Making sure you get enough sleep.

How does mindful eating help cravings?

If you decide to enjoy a food you’re craving, mindful eating can help you savor it. By paying attention to what you’re eating—and doing so slowly and without distractions—you may satisfy the craving without overdoing it.

What causes food cravings?

Many factors can bring on food cravings, including hunger, dehydration, stress, and poor sleep.

Sign up for Sincerely Health and create a nutrition profile to help you get healthy today!

Download your app on the App Store today

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[1] Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine. Gender-related differences in food craving and obesity. Last reviewed June 27, 2016. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4918881/

[2] Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine. Gender-related differences in food craving and obesity. Last reviewed June 27, 2016. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4918881/

[3] Cleveland Clinic. Why You Stress Eat and How to Stop. Last reviewed January 26, 2023. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-stop-stress-eating; Mayo Clinic. Weight Loss: Gain Control of Emotional Eating. Last reviewed December 2, 2022. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/weight-loss/art-20047342

[4] Cleveland Clinic. Candy Crush: Why You’re Craving Sweets and How to Stop. Last reviewed November 23, 2023. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/why-am-i-craving-sweets

[5] Cleveland Clinic. Candy Crush: Why You’re Craving Sweets and How to Stop. Last reviewed November 23, 2023. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/why-am-i-craving-sweets

[6] Mayo Clinic. Weight Loss: Gain Control of Emotional Eating. Last reviewed December 2, 2022. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/weight-loss/art-20047342

[7] Mayo Clinic. Weight Loss: Gain Control of Emotional Eating. Last reviewed December 2, 2022. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/weight-loss/art-20047342

[8] Cleveland Clinic. Why You Stress Eat and How to Stop. Last reviewed January 26, 2023. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-stop-stress-eating

[9] Cleveland Clinic. Why You Stress Eat and How to Stop. Last reviewed January 26, 2023. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-stop-stress-eating

[10] Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Mindful Eating. Last reviewed September 2020. https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/mindful-eating/

[11] Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Mindful Eating. Last reviewed September 2020. https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/mindful-eating/

[12] Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Mindful Eating. Last reviewed September 2020. https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/mindful-eating/

[13] Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Mindful Eating. Last reviewed September 2020. https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/mindful-eating/

[14] Mayo Clinic. Carbohydrates: How Carbs Fit Into a Healthy Diet. Last reviewed March 22, 2022. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/carbohydrates/art-20045705

[15] Cleveland Clinic. How to Break Your Sugar Addiction. Last reviewed March 17, 2023. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-stop-sugar-cravings

[16] Cleveland Clinic. Quick Snacks to Help Kick Your Sugar Craving. Last reviewed August 12, 2022. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/kick-your-sugar-addiction-with-these-5-snacks

[17] CDC. Tips for Reducing Sodium Intake. Last reviewed January 31, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/salt/reduce-sodium-intake/index.html

[18] American Heart Association. Conquer Cravings With These Healthy Substitutions. Last reviewed January 18, 2024. https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/losing-weight/conquer-cravings-with-these-healthy-substitutions

[19] Duquesne University School of Nursing. 5 Benefits of Drinking a Gallon of Water a Day. Last reviewed August 5, 2024. https://onlinenursing.duq.edu/blog/benefits-of-drinking-gallon-of-water/

[20] Duquesne University School of Nursing. 5 Benefits of Drinking a Gallon of Water a Day. Last reviewed August 5, 2024. https://onlinenursing.duq.edu/blog/benefits-of-drinking-gallon-of-water/

[21] Cleveland Clinic. Are there any health benefits to drinking a gallon of water a day? Last reviewed February 2, 2021. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/are-there-any-health-benefits-to-drinking-a-gallon-of-water-a-day

[22] Scripps Health. 7 Tips to Control Your Food Cravings. Last reviewed July 8, 2020. https://www.scripps.org/news_items/6147-7-tips-to-control-your-food-cravings

[23] Journal of Sleep Research. The effects of sleep extension on cardiometabolic risk factors: A systemic review. Last reviewed October 19, 2018. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jsr.12865

[24] Cleveland Clinic. How to stop your cravings for carbs. Last reviewed May 25, 2022. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-stop-carb-cravings

[25] Cleveland Clinic. How to stop your cravings for carbs. Last reviewed May 25, 2022. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-stop-carb-cravings

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