• Sugar cravings are often a symptom of nutrients missing from your diet.sugar image by Randy McKown from Fotolia.com
  
  Your body needs sugar as a source of energy, but not in the amounts we typically consume. Craving sugar is a sign you are lacking essential nutrients in your diet. Sugar temporarily boosts feel-good chemicals in your body providing a quick high, but results in an equally sudden energy low. If you eat foods that provide the natural sugars and nutrients your body uses to make energy, you can curb your sugar cravings.
  
  

Fruits

• Fruit contains natural sugars which are good for your body.fresh fruit salad image by citylights from Fotolia.com
  
  Refined sugars do little more than give our bodies a temporary high. Your body needs sugar that is naturally obtained, not added to foods to sweeten them. Fresh fruits give your body the natural sugars it needs while also providing a variety of other nutrients and vitamins. Specifically apples, pears, grapes and berries have a low glycemic index, which means you will avoid highs and lows in your blood sugar, which are a major factor in sugar cravings.
  
  

Dairy

• Dairy products play an important role in how your body stores energy.got milk image by Leticia Wilson from Fotolia.com
  
  Drinking milk and substituting sugary snacks with yogurt or cheese gives your body calcium, phosphorus and natural sugars. Phosphorus works with calcium to build strong bones and it also plays an important role in how your body stores energy. When you don't eat enough dairy, your body lacks these nutrients and you may begin to feel tired, which often sparks a craving for sugar.
  
  

Vegetables

• Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli give your body the natural energy it needs.broccoli image by Mary Beth Granger from Fotolia.com
  
  Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, kale and cabbage contain sulphur, which is an important nutrient. It removes toxins from our bodies that can make us feel tired and sick and cause us to crave sugar. Legumes, sweet potatoes and spinach are also healthy alternatives that will satisfy your body's sugar cravings. A healthy lunch that includes these vegetables will help you to avoid that midday slump and stave off cravings for sugary snacks.
  
  

Meat

• Chicken is a healthy source of protein which your body needs for energy.chickens' breast meat image by Maria Brzostowska from Fotolia.com
  
  Chicken, lean beef and fish contain protein that your body converts into energy. If you have enough protein in your diet, chances are you will not feel fatigued and your body will crave less sugary boosts through the day.
  
  

Natural Sugars

• Honey contains natural sugars which are healthier than refined sugars. Whole grains have a low glycemic index so a snack of oatmeal with honey will both fill you up and give you enough energy to ward off sugar cravings.