Imbalanced hormones and unstable blood sugar are often the lead cause of late night cravings. While you may be able to avoid late-night snacking a majority of the time with sheer will-power, the reality is, late-night cravings are uncomfortable and usually indicate something isn't quite right.
In fact, sleep deprivation alters our appetite-regulating hormones, which can increase your intake of calorie-dense foods and contribute to weight gain. More specifically, lack of sleep causes the hunger-stimulating hormone ghrelin to increase, which causes you to eat more sweets and sugary treats.
The circadian system increases hunger and cravings for sweet, starchy and salty foods in the evenings, according to new research. Eating higher-calorie foods in the evening can be counterproductive if weight loss is a goal since the human body handles nutrients differently depending on the time of day.
Many sugar cravings stem from a blood sugar imbalance. When your body ingests sugar, your blood sugar spikes and your body releases insulin to lower it to a safer level. If the insulin brings your blood sugar level a bit too low, as often happens, your body craves foods that will raise it and increase your energy.
Nutrient Deficiencies
Deficiencies in certain minerals such as zinc, chromium, iron, calcium, and magnesium may lead to sugar cravings as well, Elia says. Magnesium deficiency is specifically worth paying attention to.
However, it's not unusual to crave for high carbs, sugar, sweets and chocolates when you are feeling low or depressed. These sugar cravings can be your body's way to let you know that it is deprived of something you need like a specific vitamin or mineral.
It's not unusual to crave carbs, sugar, and chocolate when you are stressed or dealing with depression. Cravings can be your body's way of letting you know it's not getting something it needs, such as a specific vitamin or mineral.
In people with diabetes who are susceptible to hypoglycemia, sugar cravings develop as your body looks to get sugar. In this case, the temptation can arise for people to overeat sugar, such is the urge, but a lot of the time sugar cravings can develop out of the blue.
When it comes to chocolate, it is common knowledge that the craving signifies a deficiency in magnesium. Since cacao is considered the food with the highest amount of magnesium per gram, it comes as no surprise that chocolate is the first thing we reach for when we encounter such a deficiency.
Hunger masquerading as a chocolate craving means you need a snack that will satisfy and keep you fuller longer. Reach for something high in protein, which takes longer than other nutrients to digest: Greek yogurt, beef jerky, hard-boiled eggs, peanut butter, tuna, cottage cheese, protein bars.
For instance, chocolate cravings are often blamed on low magnesium levels, whereas cravings for meat or cheese are often seen as a sign of low iron or calcium levels. Fulfilling your cravings is believed to help your body meet its nutrient needs and correct the nutrient deficiency.
Waking up hungry likely isn't a cause for concern, but you'll need to make sure any late-night eating isn't making you gain too much weight. Eat a healthy dinner and don't go to bed hungry. A high-protein snack or a warm glass of milk can keep your blood sugar levels steady through the night.
People without diabetes should aim for a blood sugar range of 72–90 mg/dL or 4.0–5.0 mmol/L at bedtime for optimal health. Non-pregnant adults with diabetes often target a blood sugar range of 80–130 mg/dL or 4.4–7.2 mmol/L. However, blood glucose targets should be individualized for those with diabetes.
Blood sugar levels can drop below their target range at night if a person eats too little food after taking the usual nighttime insulin dose or takes more insulin than prescribed in the evening.
Lower levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT; serotonin) in the brain elicit sugar craving, while ingestion of sugar rich diet improves mood and alleviates anxiety.
In general, a craving can signal something is out of balance, but it doesn't always mean you need a certain type of food. A craving might mean you're dehydrated, stressed or lacking sleep. If you crave a snack, and you eat it, but you don't feel any better, your body was never needing that food to begin with.
It can make you feel better temporarily, but, in fact, sugar feeds depression and anxiety. Here's what research shows regarding the link between sugar and depression: A study across six countries found a “highly significant” correlation between sugar consumption and the rate of depression.
When our mood is low, our cravings for sweets seem to go up. No surprise, then, that carb cravings often go hand-in-hand with bipolar.
It depends on the type of sugar. Sugar in candy turns into glucose very quickly, 15 – 20 minutes. It can take 3-4 hours for your body to mop it up if you are a type 2 diabetic. If you're not a diabetic, it takes about 1-2 hours to get back to normal blood sugar.
Some little-known jobs of magnesium include regulating blood sugar, insulin production, and releasing dopamine. Many doctors believe sugar cravings could actually be a magnesium deficiency, especially if the person craves chocolate. Men should get between 400-420mg per day, with women up to 320mg of magnesium.
B Vitamins
B vitamins curb sugar cravings significantly through the essential support they provide to the metabolism and nervous system.
Supplements of magnesium can reduce sugar craving and help stabilise blood sugar levels[1]. If you have Type 2 diabetes or Pre-diabetes you are more likely to have low magnesium levels[2, 3].