Some people notice they overcome their cravings by not immediately “feeding” them. Saying no to cocktails with friends and red wine with dinner are obvious and foreseen challenges, but battling a sudden new sugar craving may be less expected. Here’s the scientific rationale for your newly adopted sweet tooth. These activities encourage dopamine production from behaviors that don’t bring about the terrible consequences of returning to active addiction. Too much sugar can lead to gut problems, tooth decay, weight gain, and even type 2 diabetes. So instead of consuming sugar, what other options do recovering addicts have?

This can become especially apparent when alcohol is removed from the equation. Some heavy drinkers may also experience “cross-tolerance” between alcohol and sugar. Cross-tolerance means that someone who is dependent on one addictive substance may also have higher tolerance for another. This can make it easier to become dependent on that other substance—such as replacing alcohol with sugar.

Find Long-Lasting Recovery from Alcohol Addiction at The Raleigh House

In essence, it is shown that sweets are a known side effect of quitting alcohol – but certainly not one of the worst ones. With moderation and attention to intake, a little sugar can be pleasurable and healthful if taken in the right amounts. The most optimal way is to stick to fruits and other natural sugars like honey, and to generally enjoy other sweets minimally. Therapy with a trained mental health professional — particularly one who specializes in substance use and recovery — can be another great way to explore long-term changes in alcohol use. When not drinking, you might begin to notice feelings of anxiety or other emotional distress, along with strong cravings for alcohol.

Alcohol disrupts your body’s ability to manage blood sugar, which can cause reduced blood sugar levels, leading to sugar cravings. Alcoholics crave sugar because their bodies are used to the dopamine spike caused by drinking. Even in recovery, you may still crave sugar often because hypoglycemia takes time to reverse. Unfortunately, why do alcoholics crave sugar sugar is only a temporary fix and doesn’t serve as a healthy, long-term solution to what you’re going through in recovery. To keep your blood sugar levels balanced and avoid sugar cravings, you need to maintain a healthy diet like the pro-recovery diet. Alcoholics often crave sugar as a way to satisfy their cravings for alcohol.

Other Connections Between Sugar and Alcohol

Choose quality ingredients and create meals that are satisfying to you. Have you ever eaten a meal that was just OK… then went straight to dessert in order to feel satisfied? This may require you to plan out your meals so you’re not throwing something together last minute when you’re famished. As a fierce proponent of mental health services, Jess believes in the compassionate care and person-centered approach at All Points North.

• Excessive consumption of fructose sweeteners, for example, can lead to fatty liver disease—just like alcohol.
• These days, there are plenty of mocktail recipes and nonalcoholic drinks meant to replicate your favorite boozy beverages.
• Without enough alcohol or sugar in your system to sustain dopamine levels, alcohol withdrawal symptoms will occur.
• Physiologically speaking, when we consume alcohol, the body converts it to sugar.
• Sugar affects the brain like addictive drugs⁴, which makes sugar particularly tempting for people with a substance use disorder.

People with severe alcohol use disorders can consume more than 50% of their calorie intake through alcohol alone¹, leaving them at significant risk for nutrient deficiency. Because your liver spends so much time processing the alcohol, other nutrient absorption is delayed. Eating a balanced diet is one of the best things you can do to improve your health, regardless of whether you’re battling addiction.