Kopi-C with two sugars at breakfast, a piece of kuih at 10, teh tarik after lunch and biscuits at night. You don't feel like you eat "a lot of sugar", but the urges come back every few hours. Here's how to stop sugar cravings without giving up everything you enjoy.
Learning how to stop sugar cravings is less about willpower and more about removing the triggers behind them: hunger, habit, poor sleep and very sweet drinks. If you want to understand those triggers first, read why you keep craving sweets. The tips below are the practical side, split into quick fixes and longer-term habits.
How to stop sugar cravings in the moment
When an urge hits, here's how to stop sugar cravings before you open the biscuit tin:
- Drink a glass of plain water. Thirst can feel like hunger, and Malaysian heat makes it worse. Wait 10 minutes and see if the urge fades.
- Take a short walk. In a study of 47 adults who often snacked on sweets, a 15-minute brisk walk reduced their urge for sugary snacks, even under stress.
- Eat something with protein. A boiled egg, a handful of unsalted nuts or a cup of plain soya milk keeps you full longer than a kuih.
- Change the scene. Brush your teeth, step away from the pantry or call a friend. Most cravings pass within 15 to 20 minutes.
How to stop sugar cravings for good: 7 daily habits
1. Eat breakfast, and add protein
Skipping breakfast sets you up for a mid-morning sugar hunt. In a small study of young women who usually skipped breakfast, eating breakfast reduced later cravings for sweet food. Try eggs on wholemeal toast or thosai with dhal instead of a sweet bun. If you're wondering how to stop sugar cravings, start here.
2. Go kurang manis, then kosong
Your taste adjusts slowly, so step down rather than quit overnight. Singapore's HealthHub notes that ordering less sweet cuts about a teaspoon of sugar a cup. Order kurang manis for two weeks, then try kopi-O or teh-O kosong. That's how to stop sugar cravings from drinks without feeling deprived.
3. Don't leave long gaps between meals
Going five or six hours without food makes any sweet thing irresistible. Eat every four to five hours, and keep a simple snack like fruit or nuts in your bag for long meetings and traffic jams.
4. Balance your plate
Fill half the plate with sayur, a quarter with fish, chicken, tofu or egg, and a quarter with rice. More fibre and protein means steadier blood sugar after meals, and fewer dips that leave you hunting for dessert.
5. Sleep at least seven hours
Late nights make tomorrow's cravings stronger. Put the phone away earlier and aim for a regular bedtime, even on weekends.
6. Don't stock sweets at home
Often, how to stop sugar cravings at night is simply a matter of what's in the kitchen. If the kuih, biscuits and canned drinks aren't there, you can't grab them at 11pm. Buy treats in single portions when you really want one, and keep cut fruit at eye level in the fridge.
7. Allow a small treat, on purpose
Banning sugar completely often backfires. Plan a small treat, like one piece of kuih at a weekend gathering, and enjoy it slowly. Sugar added to drinks is the kind the NHS says most of us eat too much of, so cut drinks first and keep the occasional dessert.
When sugar cravings need a doctor
Knowing how to stop sugar cravings helps, but if cravings come with constant thirst, frequent peeing, tiredness or weight loss you can't explain, don't just rely on willpower. Get a blood sugar test at a Klinik Kesihatan or your GP; our guide to diabetes screening explains what to ask for.
Still working out how to stop sugar cravings in the morning?
Many people tell us they can cut the kuih, but the sweet morning drink is the hardest habit to drop. That's when some swap their morning drink for one that supports healthier blood sugar.
Regen Cocoa by Hishin is a chocolate drink made for people watching their blood sugar. It combines two plant ingredients:
- Pure Malaysian cocoa powder — naturally rich in cocoa polyphenols (a review of 19 trials found cocoa flavanols may improve insulin sensitivity)
- Japanese dual bitter melon peptide — helps support how your body handles sugar (bitter melon has been studied in clinical trials for blood sugar)
It is KKM, MeSTI and GMP certified, 100% plant-based and suitable for vegetarians. Each serving has only about 0.3 g of natural sugar and around 95 kcal, yet it tastes like a smooth chocolate drink, not bitter and not "medicine-like".
Mix 2 tablespoons with 150–200 ml of room-temperature or warm water and drink it before breakfast. It makes an easy swap for your usual kopi, teh tarik or 3-in-1.
Regen Cocoa works together with the habits above, not instead of them, and not instead of the treatment your doctor prescribes.
The bottom line
How to stop sugar cravings comes down to small, steady changes: eat breakfast with protein, step your drinks down to kurang manis, sleep enough and keep sweets out of reach. Start with one habit this week and add another next week.
Learn more about Regen Cocoa →
Individual results vary. Regen Cocoa is a dietary supplement drink and is not a substitute for medication or medical advice. Please consult your doctor before changing your diet or medication.