We need to talk about sugar
The full guide for cravings, alternatives, and mindset shifts
Fair warning: this is a long one.
This is also the one I wish I had read at the beginning of my own health journey.
If you have ever blamed yourself for your sugar cravings or stood in a supermarket aisle having a full internal debate looking at your favorite cookie, this one is for you.
The full sugar edition.
Grab your coffee or tea, get comfortable, and let's go.
So, my last night of vacation, I finished dinner and immediately wanted something sweet.
I sat with it for a second. And as a health coach, I found it fascinating rather than alarming. Because I know this pattern really well.
The more sugar you eat, the more your taste buds adapt and ask for it.(and that’s what happened as a result of overindulging last week)
And the less you eat, the faster they reset.
Science says it takes about 10 days for your palate to shift back.
That observation turned into this week’s newsletter.
What sugar actually is, what it does inside the body, why the “healthy” alternatives are often not what they seem, and how to manage cravings when they show up.
What Sugar Actually Does to the Body
The form of sugar we eat most (sucrose) is made up of two molecules: glucose and fructose. Glucose is used by every cell in your body for energy. That part is fine. The problem is fructose. Fructose is processed almost entirely by the liver.
When we consume it in small amounts from whole fruit, it comes with fiber that slows absorption, and the liver handles it well.
When we consume it in concentrated form, without fiber, the liver gets overwhelmed.
And what does the liver do when it gets overwhelmed? It converts the excess fructose into fat.
This is how fatty liver develops.
Beyond the liver, here is what refined sugar does to the body over time:
It spikes blood glucose, which triggers a large insulin response. Do this repeatedly, and the body stops responding properly to insulin.
That is the beginning of insulin resistance, which is the pathway to type 2 diabetes.
It feeds the wrong bacteria and yeast in the gut, disrupting the microbiome and creating an inflammatory environment.
It activates the same dopamine pathways in the brain as addictive substances. Which is why one cookie rarely stays one.
And it keeps hunger signals confused, so you eat more, feel less satisfied, and reach for more.
The World Health Organization recommends limiting free sugars to under 10 teaspoons per day, ideally closer to 5 to 6 teaspoons.
Meanwhile, average intake in many Western countries is often around 17 teaspoons or more per day. Some studies put it even higher.
And a lot of that sugar is hidden in foods people consider healthy: flavored yogurts, granola bars, oat milk, pasta sauces, and bread.
Sugar Hides Under a Lot of Names
Most of the sugar we consume is already inside the foods we buy, often under names we do not recognize.
Food companies use over 60 different names for sugar on ingredient labels! A product can technically say "no added sugar" and still be loaded with it.
Here are the ones to watch for:
Anything ending in -ose: glucose, fructose, sucrose, dextrose, maltose, lactose.
Syrups of any kind: high-fructose corn syrup, rice syrup, malt syrup, oat syrup, tapioca syrup.
"Natural" sweeteners that are still concentrated sugar: fruit juice concentrate, apple juice concentrate, cane juice, coconut sugar, molasses, agave nectar.
A simple rule: ingredients are listed by weight, highest to lowest. If any form of sugar appears in the first three ingredients, that product is built around sugar, whatever it claims on the front of the package.
And if the label lists more than five or six ingredients in total and you cannot pronounce or picture most of them as real food, that is usually a signal, too. (I will create a special edition on labels, stay tuned!)
So, anyway, this is not about creating fear around it, but about understanding what we are actually dealing with and what we are putting into our bodies.
Because there is a whole food industry and engineers sitting and thinking about how to hijack our taste buds.
Which brings us to the alternatives. Because many of those "natural" sweeteners on that list are exactly what people reach for when they try to eat less sugar.
But What About the “Healthy” Kind?
Because natural does not automatically mean healthy. And this is where a lot of people get stuck.
Even if it is fruit sugar. Even if it comes from a plant. Too much concentrated fructose without fiber puts stress on all of the same organs. The form matters just as much as the source.
Let me walk you through the most common ones.
Honey
Honey is a gift from bees. It is beautiful and genuinely beneficial.
But once heated, it loses all of its valuable properties. The enzymes the bees produce disappear when exposed to heat. What remains is basically pure sugar.
Coconut Sugar
Because coconut itself contains wonderful fats and fiber, people assumed coconut sugar must also be healthy. But coconut sugar is made from the sap of the coconut palm flower buds, not from the coconut fruit.
Coconut sugar is composed mostly of sucrose, which breaks down into roughly 50% fructose and 50% glucose, making it metabolically similar to table sugar.
Agave Syrup
Agave syrup comes from the agave plant, so yes, it is natural.
But it is also very high in fructose, usually much higher than normal table sugar. Depending on the product, around 70–90% of it can be fructose.
Molasses
Molasses is made by boiling fruit to extract and concentrate its natural sugars into syrup form. If it contains no added sugar and is consumed in moderation, it can be both beneficial and delicious.
But when it is heated at high temperatures, certain compounds form. Including something called HMF (hydroxymethylfurfural), which is believed to be carcinogenic and genotoxic (damaging to genes).
That is why I personally do not really recommend cooking or baking heavily with it.
And making a cake with a full cup of molasses and calling it “healthy” isn't entirely accurate either. The sugar content is still very high.
But occasionally, 1–2 teaspoons drizzled raw over tahini is absolutely fine and honestly one of my favorite Turkish breakfast rituals. (That is why I usually take the lead on that part at breakfast 😉)
Artificial Sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners in tablet or powder form, and those used in “diet” drinks, are completely chemical products.
Their harmful effects on gut bacteria and brain cells have already been proven. Most products labeled “diabetic” contain these sweeteners. Zero calories do not mean healthy.
I strongly recommend removing them from your life entirely. Erythritol and xylitol fall into the same category.
Maple Syrup
Compared to agave syrup, maple syrup is a bit more innocent because it has lower fructose content. But I am still cautious about all liquid sweeteners. Maybe 1 to 2 teaspoons occasionally is acceptable.
Stevia Leaf
Stevia is a plant grown in Brazil and Paraguay, and its leaves are naturally sweet. It is around 200 times sweeter than table sugar, so only very tiny amounts are needed.
Among sugar alternatives, pure stevia leaf is one of the safer options. But there is a catch.
Many products marketed as “stevia” are highly processed chemical sweeteners with only a small percentage of real stevia inside. Some are 90% chemical. The packaging just says “Stevia.” Please do not fall for those.
If you want to use stevia, buy the leaves yourself and grind them into powder form. So far, no proven harmful effects have been found with pure stevia leaf.
Apple Juice Concentrate
The word “apple” makes it sound innocent, and people fall into a familiar trap. “I made it with apple juice concentrate, so it is healthy. I can eat more of it.” But this is not apple juice.
Real apple juice is the one you squeeze fresh at home. In just one glass of this concentrate, you may be consuming the concentrated sugar of around 3 kilos of apples, without any of the fiber, vitamins, or minerals.
This ingredient shows up constantly in “sugar-free” recipes and products. Which is exactly why it deserves the most attention.
Apple juice concentrate is not a healthier alternative to sugar. In many ways, it may actually be more harmful.
The real issue with all of these, whether it is molasses, honey, syrups, date syrup, or the endless new versions appearing on the market, goes beyond whether they are cooked or not.
The main issue is the form. Highly concentrated fructose, without fiber, spikes blood sugar quickly and puts unnecessary stress on the body.
I always say: if we are going to consume sugar, at least let it come with some benefits too. Fiber. Vitamins. Minerals. That is why whole fruit, 2 to 3 portions a day, is still the best option.
And I want to be clear here: Fruit is one of nature's most complete foods. It comes with fiber that slows down sugar absorption, vitamins and minerals your body actually needs, antioxidants that protect your cells, and water that hydrates you. Eat the fruit. Enjoy the fruit.
And personally, when I bake, I use only fresh or dried fruit, like dried mulberries, and I keep the temperature below 150 degrees.
No matter the form, sugar is still sugar. My recommendation is always moderation and whole foods first.
So let’s talk about what you can actually do when the sugar craving hits.
10 Tips to Manage Sugar Cravings
In functional medicine, we never just look at the symptom. We look at the whole picture.
Because everything is connected: your sleep, your stress, your gut, your hormones.
So when cravings show up, we do not just ask “how do I stop this?” We ask “why is this happening in the first place?”
When a craving hits, these are the tools I reach for and share with my clients.
1. Ask what you really need. Are you actually hungry? Or is it stress, boredom, needing a rest, or a hug? The craving often points to something else entirely.
2. Limit caffeine. How many cups have you had today? Caffeine spikes you and then drops you, and that drop is usually when you start reaching for something sweet.
3. Try the water test. When did you last drink water? Try a big glass first and see if the craving is still there in 5-10 minutes. Most of the time it just fades.
4. Eat naturally sweet foods. Do you have berries, sweet potatoes, or roasted carrots at home? Give your body the sweetness it is asking for from whole foods.
5. Skip the sweeteners. Look at what you are putting in your coffee or tea. Sweeteners change your taste buds and metabolism over time. Choose fruit instead.
6. Move your body. Can you shift your focus to activating your body? A walk, a stretch, a dance in the kitchen. It shifts blood sugar faster than you think.
7. Get more rest. How did you sleep last night? Poor sleep disrupts hunger hormones and makes you crave simple carbs. Tiredness and sugar cravings are almost always connected.
8. Increase your protein. What did your last meal look like? Think of eggs, fish, tofu, legumes, organic turkey...A proper protein source keeps you full longer and takes the edge off cravings before they even start.
9. Check your food labels. Flip over the snack you are about to eat. Even the healthy-looking ones. If you cannot pronounce it, or if sugar appears among the first three ingredients, you know what to do.
10. Use spices. Do you have cinnamon, cardamom, or nutmeg at home? Add them to your coffee, oats, or yogurt. They flavor food beautifully and genuinely cut the craving for something sweet.
Mindset Shifts to Come Back To
In my experience working with clients, the biggest shifts never came from the perfect meal plan or knowing which sweetener to avoid.
They came from a mindset shift.
When someone stops saying “I have no willpower around sugar” and starts saying “I am someone who listens to what my body actually needs,” everything changes.
The choices follow the identity. Not the other way around.
This is the work I find most powerful. So try saying:
1. “I have a choice.” Not something that controls me. A choice I get to make.
2. “I already know what this tastes like.” I have had it before. So what is this really about right now? Sometimes even just smelling it helps. ;)
3. “I know what I actually need in this moment.” Is it water? A walk? A breath? Or just a moment to feel whatever is going on?
4. “Food is there to nourish my body. It does not fix how I feel.” I am allowed to feel my emotions. I do not need to eat through it.
5. “Noticing is already progress.” That pause between the urge and the action is where everything starts to change.
Your Tiny Experiment This Week
Check the label on something you normally buy as sugar-free.
Notice what is really behind your next craving before you act on it.
Swap your afternoon snack for something naturally sweet: berries, a roasted sweet potato, or a date with some almond butter.
One change. Ten days. Your taste buds will follow. I have seen it happen with my clients over and over again.
With energy,
Gözde
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Hey, I'm Gözde Imamoglu, Founder of Rising Yellow and the Energy Shift Community. I help leaders with demanding lives get their energy back through functional medicine and sustainable habits.
