We’re all for the occasional sweet treat. An afternoon chocolate pick-me-up, a gooey cookie with crispy edges, a frosty ice cream on a hot day… Food is joy, and pleasure is SO important. But we’ve also felt the aftermath of overdoing it on the desserts, and you probably have too. The sugar crash, the foggy brain, the weird bloating, or that inner voice of guilt and shame that creeps in after your last bite all make the experience feel less than worth it.
The reality is, indulging mindfully doesn’t have to mean giving things up; rather, it’s about adding in feel-good practices so you can enjoy what you love without the unwanted slump. So consider this your guide to eating sweets in a way that feels good both during AND after.
Helpful Tips
Eat protein first
What many of us don’t realize is that what you eat before the sweet treat matters! If you dig into something sugary on an empty stomach, it hits your bloodstream right away, causing your blood glucose levels to spike and (eventually) crash. Yet when you eat protein first, you slow that absorption wayyy down. So, aim to eat your sweet treat either after a balanced meal with 25-30 grams of protein, or paired with something protein-rich, like some nuts, cheese, or a slice of deli meat.
Take a short walk after
One of the most underrated ways to support healthy glucose levels also happens to be the simplest: move your body after eating. Truly just 5 minutes of walking after indulging in sweets, lots of carbs, or heavier meals can significantly reduce postprandial blood sugar spikes by encouraging your muscles to take up some of that glucose floating in your bloodstream and store it as glycogen. Movement can look like walking your dog, taking a stroll around your block, folding laundry, or just dancing it out for a few minutes.
Prep with a dose of apple cider vinegar
If you know sweets are on the menu, take a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar or 1-2 dropperfuls of GlucoBitters in a bit of water before eating. The acetic acid in both helps improve insulin sensitivity and slow down glucose absorption, blunting blood sugar spikes by a whopping 30 % (1, 2)!
A pre-meal herbal "metabolic vinegar" infused with bitter botanicals that help maintain healthy blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity.* STAR HERB: Gymnema
GlucoBitters
Tune into what you’re REALLY craving
Often we reach for sugar when we’re tired, bored, stressed, overwhelmed… you name it. Other times, it hits the spot and leaves us feeling perfectly content. The key is to identify the difference between the two, which all begins with a mindful pause. In that moment, take a breath and ask yourself: What do I really need right now? Maybe it’s not a treat at all, but rather, a moment of connection with someone you love, comfort, or for your inner child to feel acknowledged and seen. This quick, intentional check-in with your body can turn a mindless moment into a conscious, satisfying experience.
Make it a ritual
The way we eat something is just as crucial as what we eat. In other words, when we rush through a treat or a meal while driving, watching a movie, or scrolling through social media, it’s extremely easy to miss the pleasure entirely. In that case, we end up unsatisfied and tend to reach for more.
Turning indulgence into a sensory ritual can help us slow down, tune in, and get the most out of it. That can look like putting your treat on a plate or in a bowl, sitting down without any distractions, taking slow bites, and using all five senses to experience it. This mindful indulgence helps us rebuild body trust because every time you honor a craving, pause before eating it, and stay present while enjoying it, you’re telling your body that you’re listening and that you’re safe. That creates a feedback loop, where you become more in tune with your hunger and fullness cues, you feel less reactive with food, you build confidence in your choices, and you stop moralizing what you eat.
Upgrade your sweets
The thing is, not all sugar is created equal. For instance, your body doesn’t process packaged candy in the same way it does a date or a banana. This is because natural sugars are often paired with fiber, which slows down their digestion and metabolism and reduces blood sugar spikes.
If you have a sweet tooth but want to be more mindful of your sugar intake, you can: look for desserts that are made with real ingredients and less refined sugar, opt for natural sweeteners (like agave, maple syrup, honey, date syrup/dates, coconut sugar), choose dark chocolate over candy, and add fiber (chia or flax) to your baked goods.
And if You Overdo It
We’ve all been there! Instead of beating yourself up about it, focus on giving your body some love and maybe even a gentle reset by:
-
Hydrating deeply to replenish water pulled from your cells when processing sugar
-
Moving your body to clear the glucose fog
-
Sipping on a cup of herbal tea to boost digestive function (think: ginger, chamomile, fennel, mint)
-
Taking a dose of GlucoBitters
-
Loading up on minerals from leafy greens, pumpkin seeds, avocado, and sea salt
What Your Sweet Tooth Might Be Telling You
Listen, cravings aren’t inherently bad. They’re actually wonderful messengers from your body, offering clues as to what your physical body might need, like certain nutrients. If you’re craving sweets 24/7, you might want to consider some possible root causes:
-
You’re not getting enough protein or healthy fats
-
You’re low in magnesium (especially if you find yourself craving chocolate a lot!)
-
You’re not sleeping enough
-
You’re in a stress response and are looking for a dopamine hit
Before reaching for the sugar, check in with your body and ask yourself: Did I skip a meal today? How was my sleep? How’s my nervous system feeling right now?
