Blog · Published 21 October 2026 · By Sober Counter · How we write these posts

Sugar cravings after quitting alcohol: why they happen, how long they last and what helps

Craving sugar after you stop drinking is common. Why it happens, how long it lasts, whether sweets are OK in early sobriety, and what helps.

Quick answer

Craving sugar after you stop drinking is common. In a study of 222 people who had just been through alcohol detox, 78.2% said they were having more coffee, cigarettes, chocolate or other sweets. Another study of 150 people found the rise in cravings for chocolate and sweets was biggest in the first month. Alcoholic drinks contain a lot of sugar, and sugar acts on the same reward system in the brain. In the first weeks, something sweet is a fair trade for not drinking, though in a trial, eating sweets did not reduce the urge to drink.

Why you crave sugar when you stop drinking

No one has found a single cause, but the research points to a few things that probably work together.

Your drinks were full of sugar. The UK charity Drinkaware says alcoholic drinks "can be full of sugar too". A pint of cider can contain around 46 grams, more than the NHS limit of 30 grams of free sugars a day for adults. Fortified wines, liqueurs, cider and premixed drinks are especially high, and spirits are often mixed with fizzy drinks. Drinkaware says alcoholic drinks account for 9% of the free sugar adults aged 19 to 64 in the UK consume. If you drank most days, your body was used to a steady supply of sugar that has suddenly stopped.

Sugar and alcohol act on the same reward system. A 2025 review of the research says that "like addictive substances, sugar seems to trigger the dopaminergic reward centre", the part of the brain that makes things feel rewarding. Take the drink away, and something sweet is an easy way to get a similar lift.

Some people have a stronger sweet tooth to begin with. In a 1997 study, 65% of 20 men who had been through alcohol detox preferred the sweetest sugar solution they were offered, compared with 16% of 37 men without alcohol problems. Researchers call this "sweet liking", and the 2025 review says some people may be born with it, which might be linked to a higher risk of alcohol and drug problems.

Sweets can stand in for the drink. A German study asked 222 people who had just been through alcohol detox about their habits before and after. 78.2% said they were having more coffee, cigarettes, chocolate or other sweets, and the rise was significant for coffee, chocolate and sweets. The authors suggest these may work as a kind of self-regulation against the craving for alcohol.

How long do sugar cravings last after quitting alcohol?

No study has tracked sugar cravings week by week, but three give a rough picture. All three studied people being treated for alcohol dependence.

The first month is the peak. A study in Berlin followed 150 people for six months after alcohol detox. Cravings for chocolate and other sweets rose, and the increases "were most prominent within the first month".
They build over the first weeks. A US study of 26 people in early recovery found that sugar intake and sweet cravings both went up over the four weeks after they started treatment.
The extreme sweet tooth fades for some. A US study that followed people for six months after they stopped found that the share who preferred the sweetest taste fell over time.

So expect the pull to be strongest in the first few weeks.

Is it OK to eat sugar after quitting alcohol?

In the first weeks, mostly yes. Not drinking matters more than a few extra biscuits.

Chocolate and staying sober went together in one study. In the Berlin study, people who stayed alcohol-free for the first month ate three times as much chocolate as those who drank again. A quarter of the patients went from rarely to often eating chocolate, and 84% of them stayed alcohol-free for that first month. The authors suggest chocolate "might be a temporary protective factor" for some people. The study only shows a link, though: it cannot say the chocolate kept anyone sober.
But sweets do not cure the urge to drink. A US trial randomly told people in early recovery to eat sweets when they wanted a drink, to eat a balanced diet, or to avoid sweets. The advice made no difference to their urges to drink or to how much they drank. Over six months, the people recovering from alcohol dependence gained more weight than the light drinkers they were compared with.
Why you reach for sugar may matter. In the small study of 26 people, those who used sugar to cope with bad feelings had stronger sweet cravings four weeks later, and, in a less certain part of the analysis, stronger cravings for alcohol too. The authors call this a hypothesis that needs bigger studies.

A fair reading: something sweet to get through a hard evening is fine. If sugar has become the only way you handle a bad mood, it is worth building a few other ways too.

Our guide to weight loss after quitting alcohol explains what the extra sugar can mean for your weight.

What helps with sugar cravings

Eat regular meals. Drinkaware advises trying to eat regularly when you stop drinking. Arriving at the old drinking hour hungry makes any craving harder.

Watch what you drink instead. The NHS says a can of cola can have as much as 9 cubes of sugar, more than the daily limit for adults. Go for water, sparkling water or sugar-free drinks, and keep fruit juice and smoothies to 150ml a day. Some alcohol-free drinks and mixers are sugary too, so check the label.

Plan for the old drinking hour. If 6pm was wine time, have something ready for 6pm: a meal, a walk, a call, or a treat you have chosen in advance.

Have other ways to handle a bad mood. Drinkaware suggests ways to relax such as reading, a walk or music. If you are also struggling with tiredness after quitting, our guide covers what helps.

Cut back later, slowly. Once the first months are behind you, the NHS suggests reducing sugar gradually, for example in hot drinks, until you can cut it out altogether.

Our page on what happens when you stop drinking covers the other changes in the first weeks and months.

When to see a doctor

If you drink heavily every day, speak to a GP or a local alcohol service before you stop. Stopping suddenly when you are dependent on alcohol can be dangerous.

If you have diabetes, talk to your GP or diabetes team. Drinkaware says alcohol can make controlling your blood sugar more difficult, and stopping drinking while eating more sugar changes things again.

If the urge to drink is strong or keeps coming back, a GP or a local alcohol service can help. Craving sweets is common. Craving alcohol is the part to get help with.

Questions

Why do I crave sugar after quitting alcohol?

Alcoholic drinks contain a lot of sugar, so your body has lost a steady supply. Sugar also acts on the same reward system in the brain as alcohol, and some people have a stronger sweet tooth to begin with. In a study of 222 people after alcohol detox, 78.2% said they were having more coffee, cigarettes, chocolate or other sweets.

How long do sugar cravings last after quitting alcohol?

No study gives an exact timeline. In a study of 150 people after alcohol detox, the rise in cravings for chocolate and sweets was biggest in the first month. Another study found the strong preference for very sweet tastes faded over six months for some people.

Is it bad to eat sugar instead of drinking?

Not in the first weeks. Not drinking matters more, and in one study people who stayed alcohol-free ate more chocolate than those who drank again. Keep an eye on sugary drinks, and cut back slowly once things settle.

Does eating sweets help with alcohol cravings?

Not directly. In a trial, people told to eat sweets when they wanted a drink had the same urges to drink as people told to avoid sweets. Something sweet can still make a hard evening easier, but it does not replace support if the urge to drink is strong.

Sources

Need support right now?

In the UK, the NHS lists free alcohol support services: NHS alcohol support. In the US, the SAMHSA National Helpline is free, confidential and open all day, every day. Elsewhere, your local health service can point you to help near you.

Also in: Español · Français · Português · Deutsch · Polski · Svenska · Italiano · Nederlands · Русский · Čeština · Suomi · Dansk · Norsk · Türkçe · 日本語