Sugar Addiction: Breaking Free for Good

Do you have intense cravings for sugar that you difficulty controlling often?

I’m going to cover seven spiritual and natural secrets for overcoming this addiction in this article.

But first, let me give you some background.

When you eat sugar, you raise two neurotransmitters in your brain: serotonin and beta-endorphin.

Both of these neurotransmitters influence your mood and give you a sense of calm, well-being, comfort, and just generally make you feel good. This is why many people crave sugar when they are emotionally upset.

However, your blood sugar levels spike too high when you eat sugar and your body has to release the hormone insulin to bring the blood sugar back into balance.

If too much insulin is released, your blood sugar crashes, leaving you tired, irritable, moody, and brain fogged.

For many people, this sets off a daily cycle of blood sugar spikes and crashes as they consume more and more sugar to try to restore those initial feelings of calm and comfort – but it never lasts.

To break free of sugar addiction for good, you first need to address its spiritual and emotional aspects, then its physical aspects. Here are seven ways to do this.

1. Go Back to the Beginning. For many of us, our attachment to sugar goes back to childhood. In my own situation, I learned to associate sugar with comfort.

My mother worked a lot as a single mom and before she would leave me with the sitter, she always gave me candy money so I could walk to the convenience store around the corner to get a treat. Now, I missed my mother and I was lonely, but the only comfort I had as a child was the candy.

Eating the candy made me feel better.

Unfortunately, that pattern continued as an adult. Whenever I felt emotionally stressed or upset, I craved candy and other sweets, never realizing that I was coping the same way I did when I was five.

Take a moment to think about your own sugar addiction history. When did sugar become a coping method for you?

Chances are, it was during periods of stress or emotional distress.

2. Re-think your coping choices. The bible says in 1 Corinthians 13:11: “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”

Remember that a child does not have many options when they experience emotional pain, but adults do.

Have compassion on the child/person you used to be but recognize that your way of coping then does not fit you now.

3. Ask God for help. Attempting to deal with emotional pain with food, sugar, sex, drugs or other addiction is like trying to fill a hole that does not have a bottom. No matter what you put into that hole, it will never be enough.

The only thing that is big enough to fill the hole is God.

Strengthen your relationship with him through prayer, praise, worship, and bible study. Ask him to reveal and heal any sources of emotional pain you have and receive that healing by faith.

4. Add more whole foods to your life. Eat high fiber fruits like apples, pears, and oranges to satisfy your sweet tooth without the sugar rush.

Eating reasonable servings of sweet potatoes, brown rice and whole grain pasta also help keep your blood sugar stable and increases the body’s natural production of serotonin.

Eat plenty of green leafy vegetables and other colorful vegetables to replenish B and C vitamins in your body; these vitamins help your body convert food into energy, but eating large amounts of sugar depletes them.

Eating lean sources of protein like chicken, fish, turkey, beans, and low-fat dairy products (in moderation) will also help to curb hunger and cravings.

5. Limit the sugar in your life. If you are sensitive to sugar, change your diet to limit your exposure to it. Otherwise, it becomes a case of “the more you get, the more you want.”

Learn to read labels. A good guideline is to replace any prepared food or drink that has more than 10 grams of sugar per serving with one that has less sugar.

Sugar goes by many names besides the obvious ones (those with sugar or syrup in the name) such as dextrose, fructose, glucose, galactose, sucrose, maltodextrin, barley malt, and molasses. If one of these names for sugar is one of the first three ingredients on the label, replace it with something else.

Also, limit your intake of fruit juice to less than 1/2 cup – fruit juice also raises your blood sugar quickly.

Limit your intake of artificially sweetened drinks too, because they can keep your taste for sugar alive.

Lastly, limit foods made with white flour and white rice because the body breaks them down quickly and reacts to them in a similar way as to eating sugar.

6. Make your own feel-good chemicals. I mentioned earlier that eating sugar increases chemicals in your brain that make you feel good. There are other natural things you can do that have the same effect:

* Exercise. If sugar addiction is a problem for you, I recommend that you exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes most days of the week to make some endorphins.

If you aren’t exercising at all now, start with 10 minutes a day and work up.

But here is a tip: When you are exercising, grin – show your teeth. When you smile, you send an “all is well” signal to your brain and it releases even more “feel good” chemicals. Also, when you give a wide smile, your mouth is open slightly, which increases your oxygen intake when you exercise, making it easier do.

So smile when exercising. I dare you to put it to the test and see.

* Sunshine. Sunshine also increase the body’s production of endorphins also, so get about 15-20 minutes of sunshine exposure a day if you can.

* Hugs. Hug others as much as you can. If you don’t have anybody to hug, then hug yourself. The more hugs, the better. If you are married then have sex often. This releases feel-good chemicals as well.

* Laughter. Get a clean joke book or watch a comedy program and make yourself laugh several times a day.

* Uplifting music. In the Bible, David used music to calm King Saul whenever a distressing spirit came upon him. In similar fashion, listen to music that emotionally moves and soothes you, like beautiful classical music or praise and worship music a few times a day.

7. Find your joy. The bottom line is that you cannot have true peace or joy as long as an addiction controls you.

Ask yourself: is food or sugar one of the few sources of joy or pleasure that you allow yourself?

If that is the case, you can bring your life into balance. Take the time to think of other things you can add that bring you pleasure so that these activities are restored to a healthy place in your life.

Be Blessed with Health, Healing, and Wholeness,

Kimberly Taylor

Author of the Take Back Your Temple program

P.S. Do you struggle with overeating sugar? If so, you are not alone!

Overcoming sugar addiction was a key factor on my weight loss journey; I lost 85 pounds and dropped from a size 22 to an 8.

In our 14-day Sugar Detox Challenge online course (inside the Take Back Your Temple program), you’ll get the same success strategies and support to gain peace in your eating habits and achieve lasting weight loss.

Click here to learn more about the Take Back Your Temple program.

“Prayer for Weight Loss”

About the author 

Kimberly Taylor

Kimberly Taylor is a certified Christian life coach and has a heart to help others struggling with emotional eating and weight loss. Once 240 pounds and a size 22, she can testify of God’s goodness and healing power to overcome. She lost 85 pounds as a result of implementing techniques to overcome emotional eating and binge eating disorder.

Kim is the author of "The Take Back Your Temple Program," which teaches Christians how to take control of their weight God's way and the books "The Weight Loss Scriptures" and "The Weight Loss Prayers."

Kim has been featured in Prevention Magazine, Charisma Magazine and on CBN’s 'The 700 Club' television program.

  • Hey kim, i thank God for letting you writing this blog. I was once a fit person with BMI if 19 and now my BMI is 22 cause I have binged for 3 months and it really depressed me and feeling that I have no choice. I’ve been searching so many things at google on how to quit binge and have a quick weight loss, then I read this blog and the ebook u gave for free, and God really speak to me and I promise I will quite binge and sugar addiction. Thank you so much. God bless you 🙂

  • “I’d kill myself if I couldn’t eat sweets anymore.” I remember thinking that BC (before Christ). And my given name itself, is a temptation. I used to steal money as a child to feed my addiction.

    Jesus freed me of lifelong addictions to sex, cigarettes and anger, but no answer came – and it’s been years of asking for one – about my sugar cravings until I read this article. It’s been a week – no cravings!! And I have not even given a thought to it!

    The Lord brought me to this place: now, but not for long, overweight; so that I will never judge others after I take the log out of my eye.

    PS. My gf is a Christian and a trained nutritionist – and she’s been powerless to help me because she never used God’s truth, but worldly knowledge in her attempts to help me.

    I am eternally greatful, sister. See you in paradise. 🙂

    • Wow, that is a powerful testimony, Candy! Keep on watching out for your thoughts. It’s amazing how our old addictions can deceive us with “one little bite won’t hurt.” It can hurt if it leads you down a path of addiction for 20 years! I am praying for you, Sister. May the Lord continue to bless you on this journey!

      • Thank you and God bless you for your kind reply and prayers, Kimberly. Fasting now (so much easier without the sugar cravings!). Keep writing hun… you’re changing lives! 🙂

      • Kimberly I should have asked you instead of Sam…sorry. Can I get a copy of that free ebook Sam was talking about?
        Just stumbled on your site here. Looks great so far! Thank you!!

  • Dear Kimberly

    Your article I got today is God sent! You know my case of needing to rid with laxatives after eating wrongly. So this morning I surrendered to God and prayed for one sober meal. Sugar gets me so high and brain fogged that a sugar fast a meal at a time I what I can start with.
    With the Christmas days away and abundance festive foods around , I sure need big reminders like your mail and surrender to God for grace and good food choices.
    God bless you sis and have a Blessed Christmas with families.
    PS is hot here in Auckland New Zealand

  • Hi this was very helpful to me , I’m Praying that God will take this addiction away from me . I’m 51 yrs old and this Diabetes is getting worse by the day because of this sugar addiction . Please Pray with me for this healing . Thank You !!!

  • This is so good. A friend and I were discussing getting rid of sugar addictions just this morning. Interesting how God works.. I am going to show her this article. As I read the article God showed me some things about addictions from my childhood. Thanks Kim.

  • Take back your temple! The title is so fitting. I’m so glad I “happened upon” this article. I’m caught in this cycle that does nothing but fuel my guilt which in turn causes me to eat sugar and feel guilty again. Someone in the comments said that she was working to restore her body as opposed to loosing weight. That along with everything you wrote in this article struck a cord one that I hope will lead to a change. BUT, I know I have to put in the work. I’ve bookmarked this article so I can refer back. Thank you!!!

  • Thank you for this article, i am on my second day without chocolate 🙁 felt weak so i had to read something uplifting. i am still on the giving up sugar journey, i really hope i never go back to my old ways. I’ll come back in 100 days to update on my situation. Thank you once again

  • The Lord has just recently led me to think about the link between childish ways and sugar cravings in my life. Thank you for sharing other alternatives to sugar such as exercise or doing something to increase the joy in our lives. God bless :).

  • “The only thing that is big enough to fill the hole is God.” The rest will follow.Thank you,and thank you for all your words; you’ve helped me remember that I need God’s help in everything I do.You’ve made me pick my Bible from the shelf -something I haven’t done for a long time.

    • Fantastic about reading your bible again, Ileana! Jesus said that if we hear his word and do it, we would be strong and stable; otherwise the storms of life would blow us down. I make sure to add another piece of the rock (God’s word) to my life every day. Don’t know where I would be without it!

  • I have to share. I am a true believer in no accidents. I felt lead this year to dedicate my efforts to restoring my temple rather than just losing weight. I have felt so alone in this desire. The first of the year came and I felt a need to a concentrated sugar fast. I decieded I would do this until the next holiday. I have mediated and prayed for God to teach me something from this fast and it has been so rewarding. I am learning that I don’t need sugared sodas and flavored coffee’s and chocolate. I was having one of those days when I felt like my efforts where little and stupid and I picked up a Prevention magazine in my doctor’s office. I saw your article and was so overwhelmed with the spirit because God had brought someone here before me and it wasn’t small or stupid efforts. Thank you for sharing your story. Oh the first article I came to on your site was this one about sugar. LOL I thank God for you and all he has done through you. DE COLORES

  • Thank you…
    I have been struggling with emotional eating and sugar addiction for sometime. While surfing youtube I came across you youtube spot and heard you talk about going back to the basics. You talked about your childhood and how you mother use to give you candy money…my mom did the same. thank you for sharing your experience and encouranging people as myself to go back to the beginning….

  • i think this article was very informative. i look forward to these articles because i have such terrible internet service that it makes downloading anything pretty iffy. (your ebook would be a lot of time and trouble) thanks again

  • This morning I started researching sugar and depression. My adopted 17 yo daughter spent the weekend with family and came home depressed, sullen and puffy. She had indulged in everything sweet. Mom wasn’t there to help her make good choices and she hasn’t learned self-control. I wanted to show her that mom isn’t the only one that thinks sugar is bad.

    A friend sent me this link as we searched for the reasons sugar is bad. She had gotten it last week. God working for sure!

    I now have 17 pages copied on the effects of sugar! I so agree with the things I have read on this blog. We eat a very healthy lifestyle and talk often about how food is meant to be used and how we abuse it. I look fwd to learning more from here.

    This weekend was I hope a defining moment for my dd. I am praying she can now see how food choices effect her whole being.

  • {"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}
    >