Menopause cravings: Why you're craving sugar (and what actually helps)
It's 3.30 pm. You've had lunch, you've got things to do, and yet somehow you've found yourself standing in front of the kitchen cupboard looking for something sweet.
Or perhaps it's the evening. You've had dinner, you're comfortably full, but there's a packet of biscuits calling your name.
One biscuit turns into three. Three turns into... well, let's not count.
And you're left wondering why on earth you can't seem to control yourself around food any more.
Sound familiar?
As a menopause nutritionist, I've spent over 10 years helping women navigate the frustrations of midlife weight gain, and food cravings are something that comes up in my clinic ALL the time.
Women tell me they're constantly thinking about food. They're craving sugar, picking at things throughout the evening or finding it almost impossible to resist the snacks they previously wouldn't have given a second thought.
And the really frustrating part is that they're often trying incredibly hard to lose weight. Like really really trying.
They're eating less, cutting carbohydrates, skipping meals, experimenting with fasting and doing all the things they've been told should work.
Yet by mid-afternoon, they're desperate for chocolate. And by the evening, it feels like somebody else has taken over the controls.
So what's going on?
Well, there's quite a lot to unpack. Because your cravings aren't simply a question of willpower. They're influenced by your hormones, blood sugar regulation, appetite, sleep, stress and, importantly, what you're eating throughout the day.
And here's something I want you to consider.
Could the way you're trying to lose weight actually be making your cravings worse?
Can menopause really cause food cravings?
Yes, hormonal changes during perimenopause and menopause can contribute to changes in appetite and eating behaviour.
But there's more to it than oestrogen falling and suddenly making you want to eat chocolate.
Oestrogen plays a role in several systems involved in appetite regulation, energy metabolism and the way your body responds to food.
During perimenopause, oestrogen levels can fluctuate considerably. After menopause, they settle at a much lower level.
These changes can influence the systems involved in hunger and fullness, including how our bodies respond to hormones such as leptin, which helps regulate appetite, and ghrelin, which is involved in signalling hunger.
Oestrogen also interacts with the brain pathways involved in food reward and motivation.
But hormonal changes are only part of the story.
A 2025 study exploring women's experiences of eating during menopause found that women reported changes in appetite, sugar and salt cravings, satisfaction after eating and their relationship with food.
Sleep disruption, weight changes and other menopausal symptoms also influenced their experiences.
This was a small qualitative study, so it doesn't tell us how many women experience these changes. But it does reflect something I hear repeatedly in clinic.
Women often feel that the way their body responds to food has changed, and they don't understand why. Which brings me to one of the most important pieces of the puzzle.
Could your blood sugar be driving your menopause sugar cravings?
Here's something I talk about a great deal with clients.
Sometimes, the foods we reach for to satisfy a craving can contribute to the circumstances that leave us wanting something else a few hours later.
I often describe this as a bit like the cycle smokers experience.
For a smoker, having a cigarette temporarily satisfies the urge, but nicotine dependence means another craving will eventually follow.
Now, I'm not suggesting sugar works exactly like nicotine. It doesn't. But the idea of a self-perpetuating cycle is useful when we think about certain eating patterns.
Let's say you've skipped breakfast because you're trying to lose weight.
By mid-morning, you're hungry, so you grab a couple of biscuits with your coffee.
They're delicious. They give you some energy. Job done.
Except, rather inconveniently, you find yourself hungry again before lunch.
The blood sugar rise, fall and hunger cycle
When you eat carbohydrates, your digestive system breaks many of them down into glucose, which enters your bloodstream.
Your blood glucose rises, and your pancreas releases insulin.
Insulin helps glucose move from your bloodstream into cells, where it can be used for energy or stored for later.
All perfectly normal.
But the speed and size of that blood glucose response can vary depending on what you've eaten, the composition of the meal and your individual metabolism.
Foods containing rapidly digested carbohydrates, particularly when eaten without much protein or fibre, can produce a relatively quick rise in blood glucose.
For some people, this can be followed by a larger fall in glucose a couple of hours later.
And here's where things get interesting...
A 2021 study published in Nature Metabolism, involving 1,070 participants, found that larger blood glucose dips two to three hours after eating were associated with greater hunger, eating sooner and consuming more energy afterwards.
In other words, the fall in glucose after eating appeared to matter more for subsequent hunger than the initial rise.
Now, that doesn't mean every craving is caused by a blood sugar dip. The study showed an association, and hunger is influenced by plenty of other things too.
And please don't get hung up on trying to prevent every blood glucose rise. Blood sugar is supposed to rise after eating.
But it does help explain why some women feel trapped in a cycle of eating something quick, feeling satisfied for a while and then wanting something else.
And when you're hungry, tired and looking for a quick energy fix, your brain isn't necessarily suggesting an apple and a nice piece of cheese.
It's more likely that the chocolate, crisps or biscuits are looking extremely appealing.
So you eat something. You feel better. Then, a little while later, you're looking for your next food fix.
What you ate earlier may be influencing what you want to eat next.
That's why blood sugar balance is such an important part of my approach to midlife nutrition.
And it's also why I encourage women to look at their whole eating pattern rather than blaming themselves for the biscuit they ate at 4 pm.
Why do sugar cravings hit at 3 pm during menopause?
Ah, the mid-afternoon biscuit-tin situation.
I hear about this one constantly.
You've had a perfectly respectable breakfast. Perhaps a slice of toast, a banana or a bowl of cereal.
Lunch was a salad, a small sandwich or some vegetable soup.
You've avoided snacking because you're trying to be good.
And now it's 3 pm.
You're tired, you're hungry, and the thought of another cup of herbal tea is frankly insulting.
Suddenly, the biscuits are calling.
Here's what I often discover when I start looking at what someone has actually eaten.
There simply hasn't been enough food, or enough of the foods that help keep them satisfied.
Perhaps breakfast was low in protein.
Perhaps lunch was mostly vegetables with very little protein, fat or overall energy.
Perhaps they've had a busy morning, forgotten to eat properly and are now running on coffee and determination.
Or perhaps they're deliberately restricting their food because they want to lose weight.
The result can be a combination of genuine hunger, fatigue and a very understandable desire to eat something rewarding.
The protein and fibre problem
Protein is particularly useful here because it contributes to feelings of fullness.
The science backs this up.
A 2020 systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials found that higher protein intake reduced hunger and increased feelings of fullness in the short term. The longer-term results were less clear.
Fibre-rich foods also have an important role in a satisfying eating pattern.
Think vegetables, beans, lentils, oats, wholegrains, nuts and seeds.
And don't forget that meals need to provide enough energy. A lunch might contain plenty of vegetables and still leave you hungry an hour later if there's very little else in it.
One of the first things I do with clients is look at what's actually on their plate.
Are they eating a proper breakfast?
Is lunch substantial enough?
Are they including protein and fibre throughout the day?
Are they eating enough overall?
Because sometimes the most effective way to get a handle on afternoon cravings is to start eating a more satisfying breakfast and lunch.
Eating less isn't always going to help you eat less.
Sometimes you need to eat more of the foods that actually keep you full.
Why can't I stop eating in the evening?
This is another scenario I see all the time.
You've been good ALL day.
You've resisted the biscuits at work. You've had a light lunch. You've avoided snacking.
You've even managed to get through dinner without going back for seconds.
And then the evening arrives.
Holy mother of God. It's as though somebody else is driving the bus.
You're in and out of the kitchen. A little bit of cheese. A couple of crackers. Something sweet. Perhaps a handful of nuts (becauase obvs you know that eating a Twix is probably not your best option).
You're not even entirely sure what you fancy.
You just keep looking.
And every time you go back to the cupboard, you tell yourself you've really got to get a grip.
Your body may be catching up with what you haven't eaten
If you've spent the day eating very little, it's hardly surprising that your hunger catches up with you.
Your body needs energy. And while you might be determined to ignore your appetite during the day, that doesn't mean the physiological signals disappear.
By the evening, you may be dealing with accumulated hunger, tiredness and a reduced ability or willingness to keep resisting foods you enjoy.
But physical hunger isn't the only factor.
Perhaps food has become your reward for getting through a stressful day.
Perhaps sitting on the sofa with something sweet is a habit you've developed over many years.
Or perhaps you've spent so much time telling yourself certain foods are forbidden that they occupy an extraordinary amount of space in your head.
And then there's the whole business of being 'good'.
Because what does that actually mean?
If being good means ignoring hunger, eating tiny portions and avoiding foods you enjoy, it might be time to reconsider the rules.
You can absolutely have weight-loss goals without spending your entire day battling your appetite.
And if you find yourself regularly eating large amounts with a feeling that you genuinely cannot stop, particularly if this is causing distress, that deserves proper support rather than another restrictive diet.
Why can menopause make cravings and weight loss more difficult?
This is where the physiology of midlife becomes particularly relevant.
Because the body you're feeding in your 40s and 50s isn't necessarily responding to food in exactly the same way it did in your 20s and 30s.
And there are several reasons for that.
Declining oestrogen, insulin resistance and menopause
Oestrogen plays an important role in metabolic health, including how and where we store body fat.
As we move through menopause, there's a tendency towards increased abdominal fat, particularly the deeper visceral fat stored around our internal organs.
Changes in body composition can contribute to increased insulin resistance.
Insulin resistance means that our cells become less responsive to insulin's signals, so the body may need to produce more insulin to help regulate blood glucose.
The European Society of Endocrinology's 2025 menopause guidelines recognise these changes in body composition and metabolic health during the menopausal transition.
Of course, not every woman develops insulin resistance during menopause, and the effects of ageing, genetics, lifestyle and body composition all interact.
But this is one reason why it's worth paying attention to metabolic health in midlife.
And it's certainly a good reason to reconsider an eating pattern built around coffee, refined carbohydrates and calorie-controlled 'diet' foods that leave you hungry.
We're losing muscle, and muscle matters
There's another piece of the puzzle that doesn't get nearly enough attention.
Muscle.
Skeletal muscle is one of the major places your body uses glucose, particularly in response to insulin after eating.
So maintaining muscle is important for metabolic health.
Unfortunately, as we get older, we tend to lose muscle unless we take steps to maintain it.
The menopausal transition can also contribute to changes in lean mass and body composition.
Which is why I'm such a fan of eating adequate protein and building strength.
And I'm not talking about suddenly becoming a bodybuilder.
I'm talking about maintaining the muscle you need to stay strong, active and metabolically healthy.
We're often moving less than we think
And here's something else worth considering.
How much are you actually moving during the day?
Perhaps you go to the gym three times a week. Brilliant.
But what happens during the other hours?
Since working from home became part of everyday life for so many people, it's remarkably easy to spend entire days sitting down.
No walk to the station. No wandering between meetings. No popping out at lunchtime.
Just desk, kettle, desk, sofa.
That everyday movement matters.
A 2023 systematic review and meta-analysis found that physical activity after meals, including walking, could help reduce post-meal blood glucose rises.
The research isn't evidence that a ten-minute walk will eliminate cravings. But it is another reason to bring regular movement back into your day.
And sometimes that's considerably easier to achieve than squeezing in another gym session.
What about sleep, stress and menopause cravings?
We can't talk about cravings in menopause without mentioning sleep. Because trying to manage your appetite after a night of broken sleep is a very different experience from doing it when you're rested.
And menopause doesn't always make getting a decent night's sleep particularly easy. Am I right?
Hot flushes, night sweats, waking at 3 am and struggling to get back to sleep can all take their toll.
Sleep loss can influence appetite and eating behaviour, and the research gives us some interesting insights.
A 2022 randomised clinical trial published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that adults who habitually slept too little reduced their energy intake when they successfully increased their sleep duration.
The study wasn't carried out specifically in menopausal women, but it supports the wider relationship between sleep and eating behaviour.
Then there's stress.
Food can be comforting, rewarding and pleasurable.
And when you've spent the whole day looking after everybody else, managing work, dealing with family commitments and generally being all things to all people, it's understandable that something delicious might feel like a well-earned reward.
That doesn't automatically mean your cortisol is out of control or that you've got a hormonal imbalance that needs fixing.
Sometimes we need to look at the habits and associations we've built around food.
And sometimes the most helpful thing is to address the stress or sleep problem itself.
How to stop menopause cravings without another restrictive diet
Right. Enough theory.
What can you actually DO about it?
Because understanding why your cravings are happening is useful. But I also want you to be able to put that knowledge into practice.
Here's where I'd start.
1. Make sure you're eating enough
Before deciding you need to cut out another food group, take a proper look at how much you're eating.
Particularly earlier in the day.
If you're skipping breakfast, having a tiny lunch and then battling hunger all evening, I'd want to investigate that first.
You might find that eating more consistently makes it easier to manage your appetite.
That doesn't mean abandoning your weight-loss goals.
It means building an eating pattern you can actually sustain.
2. Put protein at the centre of your meals
Protein contributes to fullness and is essential for maintaining muscle.
I often encourage clients to aim for around 25–30g of protein at their main meals as a useful starting point, although individual requirements vary.
That might mean eggs with an additional protein source at breakfast, Greek yoghurt with nuts and seeds, chicken or lentils at lunch, or fish, tofu or meat with dinner.
The point is to make protein a regular part of your meals rather than discovering at 7 pm that you've barely eaten any all day.
3. Don't forget the fibre
Fibre is one of the unsung heroes of a satisfying eating pattern.
It supports digestive health, and certain types of fibre can help slow carbohydrate absorption and contribute to fullness.
Think oats, pulses, vegetables, fruit, seeds and wholegrains.
And no, that doesn't mean you need to avoid carbohydrates.
It's about choosing foods that nourish you and combining them in ways that work for your body.
4. Stop making lunch an afterthought
This is particularly important if your cravings tend to arrive mid-afternoon.
A bowl of vegetable soup can be lovely.
But if it's effectively a bowl of blended vegetables and very little else, don't be surprised if you're looking for something to eat an hour later.
Add beans, lentils, chicken, tofu or another protein source.
Have something substantial alongside it.
Make lunch a meal that actually does its job.
5. Look after your muscle and move more often
Strength training is important for maintaining muscle in midlife.
But so is simply getting up and moving throughout the day.
Take a walk after lunch. Get outside between meetings. Move away from your desk occasionally.
These things aren't glamorous, but they can contribute to better metabolic health.
6. Get curious about your cravings
Instead of immediately telling yourself you've failed, ask what's going on.
Are you genuinely hungry?
Have you eaten enough?
Are you tired?
Are you stressed?
Is this a familiar habit?
Or do you simply fancy some chocolate?
Because sometimes you just fancy chocolate. And that's allowed.
The point is to understand your patterns so you can respond in a way that supports what you're trying to achieve.
Try this: Your seven-day menopause cravings experiment
Here's something you can try without counting calories, banning biscuits or overhauling your entire life.
For the next seven days, choose the time of day when your cravings are most troublesome.
If you're a 3 pm biscuit-tin regular, look at what you've eaten before then.
Have a breakfast with a meaningful amount of protein and some fibre.
Make lunch substantial enough to keep you satisfied.
If you're hungry between meals, have a proper snack rather than trying to ignore it.
And notice what happens.
Are you less hungry by mid-afternoon?
Do you still get the same cravings?
Are your energy levels more consistent?
If evening eating is your biggest challenge, pay attention to how much you've eaten throughout the whole day, including dinner.
And notice whether the urge to eat is linked to hunger, tiredness, stress or simply a familiar routine.
You don't need to measure everything or turn this into another complicated project. Just get curious. Because sometimes a few small changes can tell you a great deal about what your body actually needs.
And if the changes don't help, that's useful information too. It means we may need to look more closely at what's happening.
Frequently asked questions about menopause cravings
Can menopause cause sugar cravings?
Yes, changes during perimenopause and menopause may contribute to changes in appetite and food cravings. Fluctuating hormones, disrupted sleep, stress and changes in eating patterns can all play a part. Not every woman experiences increased cravings, and there's rarely one single explanation.
Why do I crave chocolate during menopause?
Chocolate is enjoyable and rewarding, so craving it doesn't automatically indicate a nutritional deficiency. Hunger, tiredness, stress, habits and hormonal changes may all influence your desire for sweet foods. If you're regularly craving chocolate in the afternoon, it's worth looking at what you've eaten earlier in the day.
How can I stop sugar cravings in menopause?
Start by looking at the fundamentals: eating enough, including protein and fibre in meals, managing sleep disruption and understanding when cravings occur. You may find that improving your regular eating habits reduces how often or how intensely you experience cravings. There's no single approach that works for everyone.
Do menopause cravings eventually go away?
They may change as your hormones and circumstances change, but there's no guaranteed timetable. Some women notice improvements as menopausal symptoms settle, while others benefit from addressing their eating patterns, sleep or stress.
Does HRT help with menopause cravings?
HRT can be effective for menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes and night sweats, and improvements in sleep or general wellbeing may indirectly influence eating behaviour. However, HRT isn't an established 'treatment' specifically for food cravings. Speak to your GP or menopause specialist about whether HRT is appropriate for your symptoms. If cravings are a bother, it's probably not going to be solved by rubbing gel into your arms or legs.
Are menopause cravings a sign of low blood sugar?
Maybe but not necessarily. Hunger and cravings can occur even when blood glucose is within the normal range. If you're experiencing symptoms such as shaking, sweating, dizziness or confusion, particularly if you have diabetes or take glucose-lowering medication, it's important to seek appropriate medical advice rather than assuming it's an ordinary craving.
Ready to get your cravings under control? Start with breakfast.
One of the first things I look at when women come to me struggling with cravings is what they're eating in the morning.
Because what you eat for breakfast, or whether you eat anything at all, can influence your hunger, energy and food choices later in the day.
And if you're regularly arriving at 3 pm desperate for something sweet, your breakfast might be a very good place to start.
That's why I created the Menopause Breakfast Fix.
It's a free, practical programme that helps women over 40 understand how breakfast fits into the bigger picture of metabolism, blood sugar balance and weight management.
And there are plenty of delicious, easy recipes to get you started.
This isn't one of those free things that sounds promising and then turns out to be three pages of information you already knew.
It's a small but mighty programme, and some of my 1:1 clients are STILL eating the breakfasts they discovered through it.
Because they're delicious, they're manageable and they fit into real life.
And that, ultimately, is what good nutrition advice should do.
About the author
Ailsa Hichens is a Registered Nutritional Therapist and Health Coach specialising in menopause and midlife nutrition. With more than 10 years of clinical experience, she helps women over 40 understand their changing bodies, manage their weight, improve their energy and build eating habits that actually work for their lives.
She's also the author of Everything They Told You About Menopause Weight Loss Is Wrong, an evidence-based guide challenging conventional weight-loss advice for women in midlife.
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