Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day—a day associated with love, romance…and chocolate. This year Valentine’s Day falls on Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent and a day of fasting and abstinence for Roman Catholics. Last year, I successfully gave up candy for Lent. What do you think? Can I crush the candy cravings and do it again?
If you’re a regular reader, you’ll be well aware of my self-confessed addiction to candy…especially chocolate. Every year at the beginning of Lent, I ask myself what I’ll give up for Lent this year. After six weeks without candy last year, I returned to my old habits as soon as Easter rolled around.
As I thought about what to give up for Lent this year, I first considered doing another Buy Nothing Challenge like I did in 2021. Since I’m in decluttering mode and buying very little these days, I thought that would be too easy. And I’ve already given up alcohol for Dry Feb so there’s another vice off the list.
So, once again, I’m attempting to crush my candy cravings by giving up the sweet stuff for Lent. The big question remains…can I turn that into a new habit, or will all be lost after the Easter bunny makes his annual visit?
Health problems associated with sugar consumption
Some extremists suggest avoiding all sugar, including sugar that occurs naturally in most foods. Harvard Health reports it’s okay to consume whole foods containing natural sugar because your body digests these foods slowly, resulting in a steady supply of energy to your cells.
The big enemy, however, is what Harvard Health calls “added sugar”. That’s sugar added by manufacturers to improve taste or increase the shelf life of their products. You’ll find added sugar in most prepared foods. Things like cookies, cakes, and candy are obvious. But added sugar also lurks in products like soups, bread, and sauces like ketchup and barbecue sauce. Interestingly, about half of added sugar comes from beverages, including coffee and tea.
Diabetes is a commonly known risk associated with consuming too much sugar. But the Harvard Health articles explains that added sugar is also linked to an increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease.
And the bad news doesn’t stop there. Healthline associates excessive sugar consumption with a long list of health problems, including obesity, acne, increased risk of some cancers and even depression. Further, sugar consumption may accelerate the skin aging process, and increase cellular aging.
And that spike in energy you get after eating a sugary snack is short lived. Too much sugar depletes your energy levels and increases fatigue.
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“Sugar free” products aren’t the answer
And if you’re tempted to opt for “sugar free” candy to satisfy your cravings, don’t be fooled. Take some time to read the ingredients and nutrition information on those products. Sugar-free options that are low in calories are usually sweetened with chemical sweeteners like Sucralose or aspartame. And those that use natural sweeteners like Stevia or honey contain as many calories as the sugary stuff.
As an example, one of my readers suggested I try sugar-free chocolates. I bought some Russell Stover chocolate coated caramels, and admit they were delicious. However, when I read the package, I saw they contain 180 calories per serving. That’s more than most regular chocolate I eat.
So ultimately, the best solution is to find healthier options to satisfy my sweet tooth. I need to slay the candy beast.
My strategies to crush the candy cravings
I read an interesting article about a small study that indicated soaking in a hot bath for an hour can reduce sugar cravings. Since taking an hour-long bath in the middle of the day really isn’t an option for me, I need some more realistic strategies. Here are some things I’m going to try during Lent.
- First, I’ll keep lots of fruit on hand. This will give me some healthy sweet options.
- Instead of automatically reaching for something sweet after a meal, I’ll head out for a walk.
- I’ll stock up on my favourite herbal teas for those mid-afternoon cravings.
- Finally, I’ll make some home-made healthy granola bars.
Wish me luck. I’m going to need it.
Do you have other suggestions to tackle candy cravings? Drop me a comment below with your ideas.
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I’ve never noticed an energy boost after eating sugar, I thought that was a myth like saying sugar makes kids hyper. Natural sugars are still sugar, the only thing that causes sugar in fruit to be slow release is the fibre in the fruit, but stuff like orange juice lacks that fibre so you’re just getting sugar that’s fast release due to the like of fibre from the juicing process. Same with smoothies, if my memory serves me
I can’t say I’ve noticed an immediate energy boost from eating sugar either. And I didn’t see that when my kids ate candy when they were young. I agree that sugar from fruit is still sugar. I think the problem with “added sugar” is that it’s hidden in so many things. Thanks for reading and commenting!
Good luck Michelle! I gave up chocolate once for lent and managed but never again haha. Eating fruit instead seems like a good strategy 🙂
We’ll see how it goes. I did it last year so hopefully I can do it again.
If you could crush candy cravings once you could do it again! I consider myself lucky because I don’t eat candy and also I don’t crave for sugar in general. But I could eat pizza every day!
Oh yes, pizza is delicious! It’s funny that when I was younger I preferred salty snacks to sweet ones.
Sugar (particularly chocolate) is my one vice. Best of luck, Michelle.
It’s a struggle, isn’t it Pete? Thanks. I’ll be sure to post on how it’s going.
I JUST read an article…but can’t think of the source at the moment…that touted the benefits of eating just a few almonds – 10 or 15 – to regulate blood sugar and slay the sugar monster. I know for me eating a few walnuts seems to have that effect — I just need to remember to carry them with me. And hey…if you have a healthy granola bar recipe on deck for another post…I’ll be watching! xo! 🥰
I think nuts are an excellent solution to try, Vicki. And raisins, too.
I will definitely find some granola bar recipes and share them. I bought one of the Pampered Chef silicone granola bar makers a couple of years ago and rarely use it. Time to get it out and hit Pinterest for ideas!
Oh…Pampered Chef parties…yes. I remember those! And yes, yes. Bust out some recipes for us, Michelle! 🥰
I do wish you the best Michelle! I know how difficult it can be, but it is possible. I have been “added sugar” free now for about 2 years. In the first year I slowly lost 12 lbs. None of the weight has come back! My joints, because arthritis is impacted by sugar, feel much better. My labs continue to be normal.
I literally just tossed any treats I still had in the trash and refused to bring any more in. I also really sat and evaluated everything I commonly eat, why and if it had hidden sugars. Those things rarely come into my kitchen anymore. Your thoughts on fruit are spot on as well. I am never without apples and they often are my dessert. The cravings do go away, but like any sort of addiction, it takes time and effort. I know you can do it and wish you the best 🙂
Oh, my other trick- I would floss and brush my teeth as soon as I finished eating. I felt guilty if I flooded my mouth with sugar just after getting them clean! I think that made a huge impact.
I also have arthritis so that’s really interesting to hear, Deb.
My husband is a bulk candy buyer so we always have the stuff in the house. I am doing Dry Feb and find it far easier to give up alcohol than candy.
I imagine the temptations are very real, especially when housemates are ready with a huge supply! Sugars apparently exacerbate the inflammatory response. I learned this years ago when trying to adjust other things in my diet and noticed a major difference as I let sugar go. I have the advantage in this case of living alone so no one buying in bulk or sneaking candy in under my nose. Perhaps you can discuss your concerns…maybe get him onboard as well? Certainly any amount of reduction is great. I just know for myself that it all has to go as it’s too easy to get sucked back into the “well just one piece won’t hurt” syndrome 🙂
You got this!!
Thanks. I’ll keep you posted!