I stop eating meat but now I'm having sugar cravings?

[Heaven]

Ok I was fine before when I used to eat meat and I always love my sweets but now that I'm not eating meat I actually don't crave meat but I crave sweets and its on a daily basis "its actually annoying me" . I just want sweets mainly cookies, cakes and of course lots of soda. By which I feel like I'm not making a good healthy choice, I stop eating meat but I'm eating more sweets :confused: so it doesn't help. Anyone experience the same as me when stop eating meat? or any advice on how to stop craving sugar?

[Clover]

Edit: sorry I just realized this was the vegan/Vegetarian section. *blush* My advice was not vegan oreitned, Lol. I would recommend seeing a nutritionist.

[innerlight]

I think it would be helpful for others to give you more help with this, if you were to give us a sample of what you eat in a day. To help see if you are missing something that your body needs.

You need an optimum ratio of protein, carbs, healthy fats to maintain balance.

Meat is also very grounding and can be a comfort food for some. As is sweets. So it is possible that you switched one comfort food for another.

[Xiomara]

It happened to me when i quit eating meat,and still happens,since i've always loved sweets.What helps is not buying cakes or cookies,but dark chocolate,the higher cocoa%,the better.With time the craving for something sweet decreases.
The better option is raw cocoa with a little brown cane sugar,agave or molasses.

[Squatchit]

I have found drinking pints of plain water helpful. It fills me up and reduces the cravings. Also eating fruit such as bananas, apples and dates (yum) instead of sweets is better. If I get to the point where I need 'sweets' then I tend to choose natural licorice.

Oh, one thing I just remembered. A heck of a lot of sweets have meat products in them. The ordinary bog-standard licorice is not vegetarian, so I have to buy a particular brand of soft-licorice (which is actually tastier anyway). Most chewy and/or gummy sweets have got gelatin in (a meat product), as have extra strong mints. Strange but true.

[Gem]

Ok I was fine before when I used to eat meat and I always love my sweets but now that I'm not eating meat I actually don't crave meat but I crave sweets and its on a daily basis "its actually annoying me" . I just want sweets mainly cookies, cakes and of course lots of soda. By which I feel like I'm not making a good healthy choice, I stop eating meat but I'm eating more sweets :confused: so it doesn't help. Anyone experience the same as me when stop eating meat? or any advice on how to stop craving sugar?

Only have sugar in coffee m'self, so I don't crave it, and only drink soda like once in a year... but sugar is a quick fix of fast energy, so maybe look into more nuts and seeds (good oils and protien) and sultanas, dry figs etc (good sugar).

[Gem]

I have found drinking pints of plain water helpful. It fills me up and reduces the cravings. Also eating fruit such as bananas, apples and dates (yum) instead of sweets is better. If I get to the point where I need 'sweets' then I tend to choose natural licorice.

Oh, one thing I just remembered. A heck of a lot of sweets have meat products in them. The ordinary bog-standard licorice is not vegetarian, so I have to buy a particular brand of soft-licorice (which is actually tastier anyway). Most chewy and/or gummy sweets have got gelatin in (a meat product), as have extra strong mints. Strange but true.

Oh yeah, dates too...

Good idea also is herbal tea, like peppermint, sweet but not sugary and there's lots of water in it.

[knightofalbion]

Meat is fatty and it takes a long time to break down in the stomach. Plant food is more readily and more quickly digested.
The sugar craving is really just a response to this.

The answer is either something more substantial with your meals i.e. containing fat - nuts, avocado etc. or a snack between meals to boost your blood sugar level.

You can get vegan dark chocolate if your sweet tooth is still hankering for sweets, and in small amounts it is even good for you.

[LPC]

If you still have a craving for sweet food, apart from the excellent suggestions above, do try having a banana when you feel a craving. They are sweet in taste, but also contain good amounts of potassium, magnesium and vitamin C. But like everything else, please don't eat too much each day!

Every best wish to you!

[Heaven]

Wow, awesome advice from all of you!!! I love chocolate and of course I love bananas too! I really need to do something about it. A look at my daily eating it varies everyday so I can give you a look at one day. I know the cookie doesn't help. :D

Breakfast - Eggs in the morning, soda for drink, a cookie for dessert and water with lemon. Or sometimes I substitute the soda for hot chocolate.

Lunch - Fish sandwich, with water or soda or sometimes I eat peanut butter sandwich.

Dinner - varies from pasta, rice, beans, vegetable or soup.

So I already see that I'm missing nuts, more bananas and I will substitute the cookies for dark chocolate. Thanks everyone for your help!!

[innerlight]

Wow, awesome advice from all of you!!! I love chocolate and of course I love bananas too! I really need to do something about it. A look at my daily eating it varies everyday so I can give you a look at one day. I know the cookie doesn't help. :D

Breakfast - Eggs in the morning, soda for drink, a cookie for dessert and water with lemon. Or sometimes I substitute the soda for hot chocolate.

Lunch - Fish sandwich, with water or soda or sometimes I eat peanut butter sandwich.

Dinner - varies from pasta, rice, beans, vegetable or soup.

So I already see that I'm missing nuts, more bananas and I will substitute the cookies for dark chocolate. Thanks everyone for your help!!

Well you are certainly not eating much, that is for sure. I don't know what type of eating habits you are adopting, or if there are certain things besides Meat that you are giving up.

For breakfast, trying adding things to your eggs, so it's not eggs. Perhaps make an omelet with mushrooms, peppers... Or perhaps add a piece of fruit with it, like an orange.

For lunch, that is the meal where one usually eats the most, and allows the rest of the day to slow down.

So add like a small salad to your fish sandwich, or perhaps a baked potato/sweet potato.

Small amounts of nuts, can be a good snack, as well as slices of cheese, or some peanut butter from time to time..

[MIND POWER]

Well you are certainly not eating much, that is for sure. I don't know what type of eating habits you are adopting, or if there are certain things besides Meat that you are giving up.

For breakfast, trying adding things to your eggs, so it's not eggs. Perhaps make an omelet with mushrooms, peppers... Or perhaps add a piece of fruit with it, like an orange.

For lunch, that is the meal where one usually eats the most, and allows the rest of the day to slow down.

So add like a small salad to your fish sandwich, or perhaps a baked potato/sweet potato.

Small amounts of nuts, can be a good snack, as well as slices of cheese, or some peanut butter from time to time..

Asking some women what they eat is like asking them how many people have they had sex with.

[LadyMay]

This is so weird. I just came back from Mexico and all I ever ate there is meat. I never had any cravings. Coming back the UK I've (sadly) resumed my usual diet of wheat and dairy, and I just cannot stop craving sweet things. I don't know what it's about.. but I think there's something in my diet here that is lacking.

[LadyMay]

Asking some women what they eat is like asking them how many people have they had sex with.

It's the three time rule. Lol.

[innerlight]

Asking some women what they eat is like asking them how many people have they had sex with.

Not when they are asking for help... That would be like a computer tech talking to someone and them telling them, "it's broken. fix it."

[MIND POWER]

It's the three time rule. Lol.

I never ask a woman questions like that, its totally irrelevant anyway. If a man ever askes you such questions, its not a good sign.

But none of the less, i was going to reply with some nice advice but..?

I decided to mix things up.

I am not being funny with "Heaven" she is a nice woman, she does need to be drinking more water though soda is like crack cocaine. I would not stress out or change much of anything else, life is too short.

[Heaven]

Well you are certainly not eating much, that is for sure. I don't know what type of eating habits you are adopting, or if there are certain things besides Meat that you are giving up.

Thanks for your advice! The only habit I'm adopting is the fast way habit. I usually take care of everyone else in the house and I'm last. Its my own fault I need to take care more of myself more often. I have give up dairy too. I think the problem is not consuming meat, cause I stop consuming dairy long before meat and I was fine. The meat has made a huge difference in my diet.

[Heaven]

I am not being funny with "Heaven" she is a nice woman, she does need to be drinking more water though soda is like crack cocaine. I would not stress out or change much of anything else, life is too short.


Nice comparison by the way! lol

Thanks for your advice! I do need to slow down with soda and replace it with more water, sometimes I drink a little to much and I know soda is very addictive. This is my next goal not to drink so much soda. I'm trying not to stress out about it, but never in my entire life I had cravings for sugar like now. I still won't give it up, I love my sweets. :wink: I just want to slow down with it.

[Heaven]

This is so weird. I just came back from Mexico and all I ever ate there is meat. I never had any cravings. Coming back the UK I've (sadly) resumed my usual diet of wheat and dairy, and I just cannot stop craving sweet things. I don't know what it's about.. but I think there's something in my diet here that is lacking.


Is call meat Scarlett! :D lol There has to be something in the meat that the body craves and its replacing it with sugar. If I make any sense. Thanks for your comment. I thought my diet was going out of whack and I know its the lack of meat but I really don't want to go back to eating meat again.

[MIND POWER]

Nice comparison by the way! lol

Thanks for your advice! I do need to slow down with soda and replace it with more water, sometimes I drink a little to much and I know soda is very addictive. This is my next goal not to drink so much soda. I'm trying not to stress out about it, but never in my entire life I had cravings for sugar like now. I still won't give it up, I love my sweets. :wink: I just want to slow down with it.

You worry too much, everybody worries its just problem solving. I can also be over analytically about everything, it has its strengths and weaknesses.

But yes, water is the main thing. Your body is between 50-75% water, its involved in every metabolic process in the body, it helps your blood flow and also is the limiting factor in how your body detoxes. It seems so simply, but it is over looked.

Water also!!! try coconut water.

I don't drink coconut water, but Bernard Hopkins is a big fan of it.

Dark Chocolate is good though..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Hh8srmoqOM

[Heaven]

You worry too much, everybody worries its just problem solving. I can also be over analytically about everything, it has its strengths and weaknesses.

Thanks for reminding me! Not the first time I heard it, people that know me tell me the same. I do prefer to look at it as being analytical. I do enjoy very much coconut water and I do have organic cacao powder that I bought and its sitting in my cabinet. I just want to be a little bit more healthy. Thanks for the link I knew cacao was good but that's some great information, good to know.

[LadyMay]

Is call meat Scarlett! :D lol

:wink:


There has to be something in the meat that the body craves and its replacing it with sugar. If I make any sense. Thanks for your comment. I thought my diet was going out of whack and I know its the lack of meat but I really don't want to go back to eating meat again.

I don't really understand though how cutting something out your diet that has no sugar in it creates such sugar cravings.. it's so weird. Lol.

I wish I could go back to eating meat but alas, in the UK it's too expensive, and my mother who buys the food is a near vegetarian anyway.

Mexican meat isn't full of GMO's either. It's the real deal ya know :D

[Tobi]

Bananas are actually a great idea because they contain a long-lasting carbohydrate. That's why they are a great snack for athletes. They don't leave you with a 'low'. Eating bananas may help to stop sugar cravings. I think sugar cravings may be caused by sudden 'lows' in blood-sugar. The body is asking "Please give me a quick fix now!" and sugar does the trick but it doesn't last long enough, so reinforces the craving. Bananas are an excellent snack if you know you are starting to get hungry but it's a while until dinner!

There are also other foods which have long-lasting carbohydrates.
Corn, potatoes, peas, dried beans, whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Popcorn, brown rice, wild rice, quinoa, barley, oatmeal, bulgur and buckwheat.

And the cruel answer (boo-hoo....lol) is that if you simply stop eating sugary things, go cold turkey, you will find that in a few days you will have no sugar cravings at all. But be prepared to feel a bit woozy for the first couple of days!)

[Heaven]

And the cruel answer (boo-hoo....lol) is that if you simply stop eating sugary things, go cold turkey, you will find that in a few days you will have no sugar cravings at all. But be prepared to feel a bit woozy for the first couple of days!)


That sounds wonderful Tobi!! :D but I really do enjoy sweets, I have already given up dairy and meat but sugar, I be torturing myself! I just can't do it! I just don't want constant cravings. I'm hoping with chocolate, bananas, more water and other great advice from the members will do!

[Heaven]

:wink: I don't really understand though how cutting something out your diet that has no sugar in it creates such sugar cravings.. it's so weird. Lol.
I wish I could go back to eating meat but alas, in the UK it's too expensive, and my mother who buys the food is a near vegetarian anyway.

Mexican meat isn't full of GMO's either. It's the real deal ya know :D

That's why I'm so puzzle by it Scarlett!!! :dontknow: lol like you said meat is getting too expensive and "over here too"!

[Baile]

any advice on how to stop craving sugar?
I still won't give it up, I love my sweets.
I really do enjoy sweets, I have already given up dairy and meat but sugar, I be torturing myself! I just can't do it!Hi Heaven. I transformed my diet over the past 15 years to the point where I'm now 100% vegan, no sweets, no stimulants, no processed food, only whole foods and mostly organic. I also lost close to 100 lbs in the process which was my original goal... I didn't even know what vegan was before I began my holistic dietary journey. My experience:

If you want it, you will eat it.
If you say you can't, you won't.
If you say you won't, then you've made your choice already.

If you say you only want it sometimes, you are still thinking about it.
If you're still thinking about it, you still want it.
If you want it...

If you want something else, you will gravitate towards that.
And that mindset will become your physical reality, over time.

My inappropriate cravings have always had to do with concessions and compromising: I quit such and such, so I deserve this. But I learned after a time that concessions and compromising have to do with the lower self, running from and denying its higher directives and responsibilities. It's a lower ego mind trap is all, and once one recognizes the reality and process, it becomes easy to stop falling into all the time.

Best advice I can give: You are perfect. If you like sugar, eat it and stop worrying about. But if you continue worrying about it, that means you actually want to do something about it. And if you actually want to do something about it, you will, because you're perfect. But you do have to stop allowing the lower self to override those higher callings. And that's a consciousness choice.

[Heaven]

Thanks Baile for your lovely message!! That's awesome that you lost 100 lbs. in the process. That's a nice accomplishment! See I couldn't be vegan even if I wanted. It be nice but I just think is a little too much for me. At the moment I'm fighting with quitting smoking completely, meat and dairy from my diet. I been doing good with dairy, meat and smoking much better than before, one a day or sometimes two days go by and no smoking Yay!!. The only comfort food at the moment is my sweets. I don't mind eating sweets once in a while, I just don't want to have the constant craving, its getting worst than the smoking urges. But so far these past two days I been drinking hot cacao chocolate by which contains tons of antioxidants and I been eating more nuts and bananas. My cravings are lowering. :)

Here's the hot cacao chocolate recipe if any of you want to try it and its pretty good and healthy. Now with the cold weather coming up it will warm you up.

- 1 cup of Almond Milk
- 1/2 teaspoon of organic cacao powder
- 1 teaspoon of sugar or tablespoon :)

Better than coffee or hot chocolate which contains cow milk. I actually enjoy it.

[Heaven]

I want to thank everyone for your wise advice! I have to say that since I have incorporated into my diet I have seen a huge improvement. I seem to have more control of my sugar cravings. I been eating more bananas, nuts, and or course I been drinking my hot cacao chocolate. Plus I started this week taking MSM supplements and I feel so good. Plus I'm not drinking so much soda, but more water. :) Thanks!!

[VisionQuest]

Ok I was fine before when I used to eat meat and I always love my sweets but now that I'm not eating meat I actually don't crave meat but I crave sweets and its on a daily basis "its actually annoying me" . I just want sweets mainly cookies, cakes and of course lots of soda. By which I feel like I'm not making a good healthy choice, I stop eating meat but I'm eating more sweets :confused: so it doesn't help. Anyone experience the same as me when stop eating meat? or any advice on how to stop craving sugar?


Sugar = Pain ; it will turn your body ACIDIC and that brings on bodily PAIN!

STOP ALL SUGAR and substitute w/ STEVIA and Xylitol as these will not harm the body , teeth and bones!

Go to an ORGANIC CO-OP or Farm for advice in nutrition~

[knightofalbion]

I want to thank everyone for your wise advice! I have to say that since I have incorporated into my diet I have seen a huge improvement. I seem to have more control of my sugar cravings. I been eating more bananas, nuts, and or course I been drinking my hot cacao chocolate. Plus I started this week taking MSM supplements and I feel so good. Plus I'm not drinking so much soda, but more water. :) Thanks!!

Well done and good luck!

[knightofalbion]

Sugar = Pain ; it will turn your body ACIDIC and that brings on bodily PAIN!

STOP ALL SUGAR and substitute w/ STEVIA and Xylitol as these will not harm the body , teeth and bones!

Go to an ORGANIC CO-OP or Farm for advice in nutrition~

Quite right, refined sugar is bad. A factor and 'food source' in all manner of unwelcome ailments & diseases.

[Heaven]

Quite right, refined sugar is bad. A factor and 'food source' in all manner of unwelcome ailments & diseases.

That's why I want to cut down on the sugar intake. I know how much it can harm your health. A little bit too can't hurt much either! :D Just saying!

[Ilush]

If you are having sugar cravings...means you are not eating enouff fruits. Eat at least 1kg/day of fruits (which?...depending on season)

PS an ultra marathon runner...Michael Arnstein..eats around 12kg fruits/day.

[Heaven]

If you are having sugar cravings...means you are not eating enouff fruits. Eat at least 1kg/day of fruits (which?...depending on season)

PS an ultra marathon runner...Michael Arnstein..eats around 12kg fruits/day.


Thanks for your advice! I wish I could do that but I'm fructose intolerance so I can't eat so much fruit during the day.

[Everly]

Since you still eat the flesh of fish, which is meat, you haven't stopped eating meat. Whether from land or water, an animal's flesh (muscle) is meat. So it's clear that the sugar cravings are not because you stopped eating "meat".

I didn't have sugar cravings when I went veg overnight more than 20 years ago, but I've never been much of a sweet-eater. It may not have anything at all to do with what you eat or don't eat; there's no way to tell for sure. Try giving yourself a treat at the end of the day, but make it something sort of healthy...chocolate-covered banana or strawberries, for example. As mentioned by others, substituting the sweeter fruits can help, too.

[Sapphirez]

Heaven honey it doesn't sound like your diet is really all that healthy, you have to look at chemicals and additives and other toxic things in food.. also gmos are you eating food that has corn or beets that were injecting with gut-exploding bacteria? because most food at least in the U.S. has gmo ingredients, or produce that isn't trustworthy and organic is sprayed with pesticide, some of these pesticides are part of the recipe for Agent Orange which has caused defects and other horrible health issues for people in Vietnam and other soldiers who were there for the war.. So you need to clean your diet up and eat high quality organic food without added poisons.

I think sugar addictions are often because of parasitic infection. There are honestly not many people that don't have invasive parasites destroying their bodies.. but you can get rid of them if you do a proper detoxification and make a goal to vanquish them. Apparently some parasites can get into your brain, and literally control what you want to eat!

There are tons of fruits which are healthy for you, and many are anti-parasitic. Of course it's when you take the sugar away from its natural element surrounded by other nutrients that it becomes a problem. Maple syrup and raw honey or bee products are better because they are more complete and offer a lot of benefits.. although some day if I were being ideal I would probably give up those too.. but you can also make desserts without added sugar, lots of fruits and coconut and avocado can also be a dessert ingredient, frozen bananas make easy ice cream, etc..


Not eating meat is never a bad thing. but you do have to take responsibility and make sure that you give your body the nutrients it needs to help you, and don't poison it with all this sick stuff they put in our foods nowadays.. and tap water or bottled water hopefully you have a good water purifying system too because in addition to the toxic chemicals in there, and plastic chemicals leaching from the bottles, (getting non-fluoridated gallons instead of individual bottles would be the best IF you can't afford another option right now.. I just finally got my first water purifier, it's a Royal Berkey and cost over $200 but now I never have to worry about getting water from the store, and I knew so much about the tap water I could never drink it anymore no matter how thirsty..) parasites and bacteria and fungi and other crazy things pollute the water and thus sabotage your progress

I only became vegetarian myself at the beginning of October but I was learning about nutrition and health and all that long before. But actually if you eat fish you are not a vegetarian you are a pescetarian, which my brother also is.. sorry to be outspoken lol but I didn't really understand it.. I mean stopping animal cruelty is part of the goal right? but fish had lives too, and they suffer when they die too.. and some may suffer even more because they are caught and not killed right away, they suffocate to death in piles and bags/nets! very sad and traumatizing.. There are so many sources of protein and essential fatty acids and iron and all the other nutrients (except b12 is trickier but still possible to get from vegan sources) in plant food so there really is nothing missing if one doesn't have meat.. We just have to take ownership of our diets and sustenance of ourselves, and everyone should be doing that no matter what kind of lifestyle they want to have. :smile:

[Tobi]

Oddly, eating nuts may reduce your sugar cravings. Snack on unsalted nuts and see what happens.... (so long as you don't have an allergy of course.) Unsalted roasted peanuts/almonds/hazelnuts are delish! Brilliant protein as well.

[Heaven]

Hi Sapphirez! Thanks for your comment!

I do love sea food in general and the most I eat are shrimps and clams. I do know I'm not vegetarian but there is no section for pescetarian on the site. I wish I could be vegetarian completely but it will take me time and commitment. I do have a water filter so I don't drink tap or bottle water cause I know how bad the water is, specially where I live. I am working my way to a better health, I mean is not perfect and I don't think it will ever be a perfectly healthy diet but it is much better than before. I do have to cut down on the sugar and do a detox, I just love it but very addicting!! For a detox I need to be mentally prepare and I'm not prepare at the moment for it.

[Heaven]

Oddly, eating nuts may reduce your sugar cravings. Snack on unsalted nuts and see what happens.... (so long as you don't have an allergy of course.) Unsalted roasted peanuts/almonds/hazelnuts are delish! Brilliant protein as well.

I been eating more nuts and it helps! I just eat almonds, love them!

[Heaven]

Since you still eat the flesh of fish, which is meat, you haven't stopped eating meat. Whether from land or water, an animal's flesh (muscle) is meat. So it's clear that the sugar cravings are not because you stopped eating "meat".

I didn't have sugar cravings when I went veg overnight more than 20 years ago, but I've never been much of a sweet-eater. It may not have anything at all to do with what you eat or don't eat; there's no way to tell for sure. Try giving yourself a treat at the end of the day, but make it something sort of healthy...chocolate-covered banana or strawberries, for example. As mentioned by others, substituting the sweeter fruits can help, too.

I have always like sweets, but weird enough I don't like candy. I mainly like cookies, soda, pancakes, chocolate bars and more cookies I don't get tire of cookies is my weakness. Whether stopping eating meat affect it more, I don't know. Before I had control over it and now I don't. Some people just don't like sweets. Now with the holidays it was hard not to eat sweets, even thought I was sick from my stomach I still manage to eat sweets. Ridiculous! but I do have to enjoy once in a while the pleasures of life and sweets is one of them.