Alternative Sugar-Free Snacks to Satisfy Your Cravings
If you have a so-called “sweet tooth,” cutting sugar from your diet can be difficult if you keep getting sugar cravings. But did you know some healthy snacks can be just as indulgent as your go-to sugary favorites?
We’re sharing a few sugar-free alternatives that can satisfy your sweet tooth and help you reach your healthy goal more easily.
How to Cut Sugar from Your Diet
Cutting sugar from your diet can provide you with plenty of benefits like weight loss and improved heart health and energy levels. However, you may not have to be intimidated by cutting out sugar completely. Not all sugar is bad for you, and removing it completely from your diet may be unnecessary—unless your doctor says differently.
If you want to reduce sugar from your diet, try adding healthy foods with plenty of nutrients. Eating foods containing extra whole grains, fiber and protein can help you feel full longer and prevent sugar cravings.
Foods with fiber and protein can help to stabilize your blood sugar and prevent that craving for a sugar binge. Plus, having low-sugar or sugar-free alternatives ready and available can keep you on track to your goals and leave you feeling better without a sugar crash.
What to Look for in Sugar-Free or Low-Sugar Snacks
The first thing to remember is that not all sugar is bad for you. Naturally occurring sugars like in whole fruit are necessary for a healthy diet. Avoiding sugar altogether may mean missing out on other healthy nutrients, like fiber. When looking at sugar-free or low-sugar snacks, be wary of added sugars like high-fructose corn syrup and refined sugars, flours and starches that are in white bread, pasta and white rice.
Sugar-free products usually contain artificial sweeteners and other chemicals that don’t add nutritional value. Even though you’re going “sugar-free,” the artificial sugars may increase your cravings and lead to weight gain.
Thankfully, the FDA requires that food manufacturers disclose the number of added sugars in their products on the nutrition label. You’ll find added sugars listed underneath “Total Sugars” in the nutrition facts.
5 Tasty and Sugar-Free Alternative Snacks
Fruit
You can’t go wrong with this delicious classic. Swapping out high-calorie foods like candy for the natural sweetness and juiciness of fruit can help you enjoy a sweet–yet healthy–treat. Fruit is also full of fiber, which is good for your digestive system and helps you stay full longer.
Fruits like grapes and mangoes are higher in natural sugar and will help scratch that sugar itch. Berries are also great for popping into your mouth at a moment’s notice. Berries also have antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties that may help prevent infection and reduce your risk of certain diseases.
Dark chocolate
If you’re craving something sweet, then chocolate may be the first thing that comes to mind. Thankfully, you may not need to swear off this world-favorite treat.
Dark chocolate contains significantly less sugar than milk and white chocolate. So, it’s a delicious and healthier treat that can help halt a sugar craving in its tracks. It even has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, which may help with heart health.
Keep in mind that dark chocolate still contains sugar and fat, so you don’t want to overdo it—even if that smooth, sweet taste can make it can difficult.
Yogurt
Yogurt is a tasty, creamy, and sweet snack for when you need to satisfy your sugar temptation. Yogurt is also high in protein and calcium, so it can satisfy your appetite for longer.
When choosing a yogurt, look for one that’s free of added sugar and has live cultures so your body gets plenty of healthy probiotics.
You can also make a fruit smoothie with yogurt, which can give you a boost especially in that mid-day slump. You’ll feel full and get your sweet craving under control. Be sure to use whole fruit in your smoothie and not just fruit juice, so you get the fiber benefits as well.
Nuts or trail mix
Nuts contain a combination of healthy fats, fiber and protein that can help curb your sugar cravings. They’re also great heart healthy diet choice and can be an important part of your diet.
The great thing about nuts is they can perfect for on-the-go and don’t require much prep, so they can satisfy you in a pinch. If you’re looking to be more intentional with your snacking, then try pistachios that are still in their shell. This can help slow down while eating and be more intentional.
Trail mix has a combination of dried fruits and nuts to provide that sweetness you crave and healthy benefits. However, just remember that trail mix can be higher in calories, so be aware of serving size before you dig in.
Electrolyte drinks
If you’re looking for healthy hydration to feel your best throughout the day, try to avoid sugary sports drinks that may spike your blood sugar level. Instead, aim for an electrolyte drink that refreshes your body’s cells and contains a naturally sugar-free sweetener.
An electrolyte drink with a naturally derived, sugar-free sweetener like stevia won’t send your blood sugar levels on a rollercoaster. Ultima Replenisher is sweetened with organic stevia leaf extract and uses fruit and plant extracts for natural flavor and color. So, it not only tastes delicious, but it’ll hydrate you without affecting your blood sugar levels.
No need to worry — you can still be the life of the party while enjoying a sugar-free and alcohol-free lifestyle. You can easily replace a favorite sugary cocktail with a no-alcohol, electrolyte mocktail. has new and tasty flavors—Strawberry Margarita and Cranberry Cosmo—that will help curb your sugar cravings and replenish your body’s vital electrolytes.
As you strive to reach your health goals, know that you’re doing a great thing! Remember that it’s normal to get sugar cravings, especially as you’re reducing sugar from your diet.. Arm yourself with healthy diet choices and these delicious sugar-free and low-sugar alternatives so you can stay on track and form new healthy habits that you love!
