How to Stop Diabetic Food Cravings

Anyone on a restricted diet will experience food cravings occasionally. For a diabetic, the temptation can be more serious because more than just weight gain is at stake. Some ways to stop diabetic food cravings also would apply to general food cravings. However, some approaches are specific to the diabetic's craving for simple sugars, a forbidden food and ingredient.

Instructions

• 1

  Avoid stress. Many people eat as a response to stress, leading to poor dietary choices. Listening to uplifting music or anything else that livens your mood can be enough to distract you from a craving and give you the strength to resist. Getting adequate sleep also makes you better able to deal with your normal daily stress levels.

• 2

  Exercise. Physical exercise releases endorphins that induce feelings of pleasure and suppress appetite. A diabetic should be careful about over-exercising with low blood sugar, but if you are following a normal diet and eating regularly, exercise can be a powerful way to stop food cravings.

• 3

  Eat small portions. One way to avoid food cravings is to eat. But eating must be done carefully, choosing only foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains, which are suitable for diabetics. Consuming small portions allows you to eat with more frequency, which can neutralize cravings.

• 4

  Eat enough. A common cause of food cravings in diabetics is simply not eating enough total calories. If you are careful about what you eat, your condition as a diabetic should not force you to reduce your total calories. Simply eating enough calories every day from various low glycemic index food choices is a good way to prevent diabetic food cravings.

• 5

  Enjoy satisfying foods. Some foods produce longer lasting feelings of satiety than others. Peanut butter, in particular, can be satisfying for several hours and can therefore stop food cravings. Whole grain rice and beans is another diabetic-friendly meal that produces the feeling of fullness.

• 6

  Substitute. Sometimes, you might have a craving for a food, probably something very sweet that you should not have. Instead, substitute with something similar that has lower effect on your blood sugar. Fruit-based desserts, for example, without added sugar or sugary toppings, can satisfy a craving for sweets. Don't necessarily look for lower calorie choices, but low sugar options.