Could swapping out sugar for fruit reduce your sugar cravings?

Many of us will experience a strong craving for sugary food at some point in our day. And if we’re a bit stressed, sleep-deprived – or simply suffer from a sweet tooth – it can be tough, if not impossible, to ignore. But research shows that cutting back on sugar has major health rewards. Not only does it help our teeth and health, it may boost our mood, our memory – and even help us live longer. 

Is eating fruit the solution? Although it contains natural sugar, the fibre in fruit lessens the risks. And new research shows it may actually help to reduce our lust for the sweet stuff. For his Radio 4 podcast, Just One Thing, Dr Michael Moseley asks, can swapping out sugar for fruit really curb those cravings? 

Give your gut some love 

Fruit, particularly the skin, contains lots of vitamins which help feed the good bacteria in your gut.  

“If we only have a lot of added sugar but not a lot of fibre in our diets this can lead to having certain bacteria strains which are maybe not so beneficial for our gut says Dr Medawar. “If we consume one apple with the skin and the fruit flesh, we get all the benefits feeding our gut microbiome because all the fibre is in there.”