As seen on mindbodygreen.com

Oh no…the sweet treats are luring you…again! You’re at your weakest at 4pm and 10pm. And, if you’re honest, you give into them more than you’d like too. You’ve tried the dark chocolate thing…but, you know, the entire bar somehow goes in two days. You’ve justified cacao dusted almonds – they’re just almonds with a superfood, right? And you’ve gone cold turkey on all sugar, including fruit, only to find yourself eating nut butter straight from the jar (it’s sugar-free)! And now you think you have a nut addiction. What’s a sugar-craving person to do?

Think raw food! I’ve got eight delectable substitutions to turn off your physical cravings for sugar.

1. Green vegetable juice

The most power packed of them all. Cucumbers are naturally sweet when juiced and they’ll trick your taste buds into thinking you’ve had something sweet. If green vegetables juices are new to you, add 1/2 an apple to sweeten it. And if you don’t have time to juice, pick up a cold-pressed juice on the go or, better still, keep them in your refrigerator at work and at home for when a craving strikes!

2. Vanilla chia seed pudding

Make this by soaking 3 tablespoons of chia seed in 12oz of unsweetened vanilla almond milk for 15 minutes. Add a pinch of cinnamon and ground vanilla bean to sweeten the pudding. Vanilla is known for decreasing sugar cravings while cinnamon helps to regulate blood glucose levels so you’re not looking for another sugar hit 30 minutes later! For more ideas on chia seeds click here.

3. Coconut water with squeeze of lime

Pour coconut water over ice then add a touch of lime juice. This is a refreshing option that not only abates a sugar craving but also provides hydrating potassium and mood-boasting magnesium.

4. Pear slices dipped in tahini

Cut the pear into slices and serve it on plate with 1 tablespoon of tahini. Dip the pear slices into the tahini. Fruit is a simple way to cut through a sugar craving and if it’s just one serving (about a cup), it won’t spike your blood sugar levels.

5. Chocolate almond milk with a cinnamon stick

Pour unsweetened chocolate almond milk into a glass and serve it with a cinnamon stick. This is a very low calorie option at 40 calories for 8oz.

6. Rose tea with raw honey

This is ideal for a 10pm sugar craving. Making tea helps to soothe the mind while the honey gives a hint of sweetness. While some people put honey into the same category as sugar, I don’t. Raw honey is an alkaline food (sugar is acidic) and it contains enzymes and phytonutrients while sugar does not.

7. Two fresh apricots

Take two fresh apricots, which are loaded with skin nourishing carotenoids, and slice them into 1/4’s to serve on a plate. Be present when you eat and notice how deliciously sweet the apricots are.

8. Raw flax crackers with manuka honey

Choose raw flax crackers (raw means they are gluten-free) and top them with manuka honey. The fiber in flax seeds helps to decrease the appetite while the manuka honey sweetens them and boosts the immune system.

If these substitutions don’t work, then your craving is likely to be emotional and driven by a desire to suppress a subconscious emotion. To learn more about this, take a look at my “How to Ditch Sugar” Video Course.