May 13, 2025 in Lifestyle

How to Combat the 3pm Sugar Cravings

Whether a chocolate bar in the office vending machine is beckoning your name, or you find yourself reaching for the biscuits at home, everyone has the mid-afternoon sugar cravings at some point. And while the occasional afternoon sweet treat is perfectly acceptable, if you find that your sugar cravings are starting to become a daily occurrence – it’s time to combat them in a healthy way.

Resisting the urge to enjoy something sweet in the afternoon can be tricky! So, first we explain what causes the 3pm sugar cravings and how you can avoid overindulging your sweet tooth.

What causes sugar cravings?

Before you can begin treating the mid-afternoon cravings, you first need to work out what is causing them in the first place. We list some common causes for sugar cravings below!

Dehydration

Often, when you’re craving something sweet, it is your body telling you that it is dehydrated. When you’re not drinking enough water, this tends to thicken the blood in your system, which in turn slows down the transport of nutrients throughout your body.

Stress and/or anxiety

Feeling stressed, anxious or frustrated? These types of emotions often go hand-in-hand with comfort foods – particularly if those foods have made us feel better in the past. By indulging in chocolate or other sweets every time you are feeling stressed or upset, you are conditioning yourself to always need something sweet in order to feel better.

Low blood sugar

Around 3 o’clock in the afternoon, your blood sugar may dip – which makes you feel sluggish. When you reach for the nearest sugary snack, which causes a quick spike in your blood sugar. What goes up must come down! After sugary snacks, you generally come crashing down and feel just as tired, if not more so. Spiking your blood sugar is not only unhealthy in the short term, but can also have long term impacts on your health. Repeated blood sugar spikes can result in heart, kidney, and eyesight problems, as well as nerve issues.

Nutrient deficiencies

Trying a new diet? Diets typically reduce your caloric intake, which is naturally going to lead to hunger pangs and serious cravings – and could have you staring at the lolly jar all afternoon. You may also have heard sugar be compared to other addictive drugs. There is research to back-up these claims and that sugar addiction can induce the same components of ‘bingeing’, ‘craving’, and ‘withdrawal’ as seen in other addictions. If you are trying to lower your sugar intake, it’s best to reduce it little by little as opposed to going cold turkey.

Boredom

Let’s face it. Sometimes, we crave sugar because we’re bored! Devouring a packet of biscuits or something else sweet can be enjoyable in the moment, but won’t really cure that feeling of tedium or disinterest.

How to stop sugar cravings

Now that we understand some of the common causes for sugar cravings, let’s look at how to prevent giving into these cravings.

Maintain stable blood sugar levels

As low blood sugar can be a cause for sugar cravings, maintaining even blood sugar throughout the day can make a significant difference in helping prevent giving into the cravings. In order to maintain stable blood sugar levels, don’t skip meals and try to eat foods with a low-glycaemic (GI) index. Foods with a low GI are slowly digested and absorbed by your body which helps sudden drops and spikes in your blood sugar levels, leading to a gradual rise in your blood sugar levels. These foods can include oats, wholegrain bread, quinoa, lentils, beans, sweet potato, and yoghurt as well as many fruits and vegetables.

Swap to fruit

Substituting your 3pm sweet treat to fruit is a simple way to minimise the issues caused by processed sugar and foods and enables you to still enjoy something delicious. We recommend switching your chocolate bar for a handful of berries like strawberries, blueberries or raspberries. As berries are packed with soluble fibre, you’ll find that you are fuller for longer and won’t crave a second helping which is common with processed sweets. You can also make your own sweet treats like white chocolate and raspberry muffins or blueberry oat cookies, which will benefit your wallet and your health! You’ll understand exactly what is in your sweet treats and have the additional satisfaction of having made them yourselves.

Don’t keep sweets in the house

While you don’t need to avoid your favourite sweet treats altogether, it can be easier to manage your sugar cravings if you don’t keep them at home. Instead, have healthy snack options at home ready to eat. If you’ve got kids, try getting the whole family involved in food prep and cooking. Bake your own healthy muffins or chop up some fresh fruit together.

Stay hydrated

An easy way to prevent a sugar craving is to have a glass of water first. It’s likely you aren’t drinking enough water. As a general rule, adult men need 10 cups of water (or 2.6 litres) and women need at least 8 cups of water (or 2.1 litres). Young children and older people need to be especially careful about staying hydrated. Research has found that by increasing your water intake, you can reduce your overall energy intake as well as your sugar consumption.

Move your body

When you are craving something sweet in the afternoon, why not go for a walk or try stretching? If you still are desperate for something sweet after, then follow one of our earlier tips and have a piece of fruit or some berries and yoghurt instead of processed sugar. You’ll find that moving your body is a great cure for boredom and exercise is a wonderful stress reliever, two things that are often causes for sugar cravings.

Still hungry for something sweet?

If you are still looking for inspiration to avoid those 3pm sugar cravings, then check out our recipe collection! You’ll find a range of different recipes which will make great substitutes for your favourite sugary snacks. You can also enjoy our sweetest batch strawberries and blueberries which are sure to satisfy even the sweetest tooth!

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