How To Stop & Reduce Alcohol Cravings After Quitting Drinking

It also contains naringenin and naringin, two antioxidant compounds that have been shown to prevent liver damage and help optimize liver health in test-tube studies . In particular, fiber can help delay the emptying of your stomach and slow the absorption of alcohol into your bloodstream . It can also help keep you full all night long to prevent hunger and cravings fueled by alcohol .

Additionally, Kim suggests that those in recovery from alcohol abuse may find that spicy foods work as a sort of replacement therapy because they provide a similar opioid stimulation in the brain. Rats in his study drank less alcohol when they were given the active ingredient in chili. Furthermore, human brain imaging shows that processed foods can act like a traditional drug of abuse, causing brain changes almost indistinguishable from those produced by drugs. To disregard the potential food-addiction connection would be to overlook a major building block of recovery. All of these benefits are big wins, especially in early recovery.

Learn More About Recovery Food At Midwest Detox Center

You’ll want to choose low-fat options to keep your calories in control. Crucial component linked to the neurotransmitters in your brain that regulate digestion, mood and sleep.

This will help you become more aware of when and how you experience urges, what triggers them, and ways to avoid or control them. Sweet potatoes are not only a great source of potassium to help balance electrolyte levels when drinking alcohol but also high in complex carbs . Shortfalls of the active forms of folate and vitamin B-6 are among the factors that can slow the body’s production of serotonin and dopamine in the brain. Those are feel-good chemicals that play a role in managing cravings, including for alcohol and sweets. The combination of zinc deficiency and heavy drinking can cause the gut to become “leaky,” McClain also noted. When the gut doesn’t provide a good barrier between the intestinal contents and the rest of the body, toxins can travel to the liver and contribute to the damage of alcohol-related liver disease. People entering alcohol treatment commonly have deficiencies of some nutrients, such as zinc, several B vitamins, and protein.

Medications To Reduce Alcohol Cravings

You’ll also want to monitor and reduce your caffeine intake, as that can cause your energy levels to crash as well. Get in the habit of eating every three hours to avoid hunger that could lead to alcohol cravings, which will become more intense once the alcohol shakes set in. Everyone who’s engaged in addictive behavior will experience uncomfortable cravings (“I want it badly”) and urges (“I have to do it now”). Remember that everything can happen, either one way or the other, but it is us who control how we react to it. Things do not come to us from outside, our lives are what we create.

Remind yourself of why you want to cut back, talk to a friend about it and distract yourself with a hobby or exercise, the NIAAA suggests. Instead of aiming for complete abstinence, for instance, aim to drink fewer than seven days a week. “Try sober Mondays or sober Mondays through Wednesdays,” he says. Use the NIAAA’s drink size calculator to determine the amount of alcohol in various effects of alcohol drinks. If you identify with any of the scenarios above, try the expert tips below for reducing your alcohol consumption . An at-home detox may be right for some people, but you’ll need to work with a doctor to be sure you’re doing it safely. Alcohol use disorder has also been linked to a higher risk of several cancers, including colon, breast, oral, liver, and throat cancers.

Foods That Reduce Alcohol Cravings

Of course, it’s important to monitor your intake of these tasty snacks, as your body needs certain nutrients in moderation. Though it may not sound appealing, adding cayenne pepper to foods can reduce alcohol cravings and increase appetite.

In fact, a single 1-cup (81-gram) serving of oats supplies nearly 10 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber, plus plenty of iron, vitamin B6, and calcium . Learn the average duration of a pinched nerve based on type, what treatments are available, and how to prevent pinched nerves in the first place. A leaky gut allows toxins from harmful bacteria to get into the bloodstream and cause inflammation.

Salmon is also high in protein, supplying a whopping 22 grams in each 4-ounce (113-gram) serving, which may help slow the absorption of alcohol . Besides oatmeal, oats work well in baked goods, granola bars, and smoothies. They can even be blended and used as a base for pizza crusts, veggie patties, or flatbreads, which are perfect choices for pre-drinking snacks. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Conversely, selecting other foods can end up causing bloating, dehydration, heartburn, and indigestion. With neuropathic pain, the body sends pain signals to your brain unprompted.

Protein is especially key, as it’s digested slowly and can minimize the effects of alcohol on your body by slowing its absorption . Packing in 4 grams of fiber per large fruit, bananas are an excellent, portable snack to have on hand before drinking to help slow alcohol absorption into your bloodstream . In addition to its stellar nutritional value, several human and animal studies have found that oats can benefit liver health by protecting against alcohol-induced liver damage and improving liver function .

Types Of Foods To Strengthen Your Recovery, According To A Nutritionist

However, you can stick to your sobriety goals by developing good habits such as exercising as well as healthy eating. These foods are ideal when you’re trying to remain on the path of sobrietyand they might help you kick your bad alcohol habits for good. When selecting whole grain foods, be sure to keep your eye on their ingredients list. Some foods will contain extra sugar that is unnecessary — try to avoid those options.

Therefore, we need to remain attentive and not sweep things under the rug. These things might sound very general but when you look closely they matter each step of the journey. High protein, high calorie, nutrient-dense diet is a very good start when it comes to addressing addiction malnutrition. Fresh food, with proper amounts of macro and micronutrients, nourish the whole body, minimizing imbalance, cravings, and mood issues.

Amazing Foods That Surprisingly Stop Alcohol Cravings

Reach out to our experienced staff when you are ready to make a change in your life. However, with the help of our team, you can begin to rebuild your life. Contact Midwest Detox Center by filling out the secure form below. These types of foods will speed recovery and restore your liver. That’s a period where you don’t drink so your body can begin recovering. It’s important to seek AUD treatment only from a qualified healthcare professional or facility. It is often touted as a means of restoring liver health and protecting against liver damage from too much alcohol.

As a result, body cells are deprived of critical nutrients and normal body functions suffer. If you consume alcohol regularly and try to stop, you may suffer from symptoms that include anxiety, insomnia, tremors, shakiness, dizziness, and depression.

Mindful Eating And Other Hints

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a form of psychotherapy, or talk therapy, used in the treatment of substance use disorders, including AUD. While not FDA-approved to treat AUD, some research has shown it may be effective in helping how to reduce alcohol cravings naturally to reduce cravings. Verywell Mind’s content is for informational and educational purposes only. External triggers are people, places, things, or times of day that offer drinking opportunities or remind you of drinking.

• Here are the top five foods that can get you from obsessing over a drink to getting back to living your life.
• Essential amino acids are negatively affected by substance abuse.
• Fortunately, treating the liverand calming the nervous system are areas where herbs excel.

Since alcohol lowers inhibitions and has been shown to enhance appetite, choosing a filling meal before a night of drinking may be a smart way to minimize cravings later on . Even worse, some people have a genetic variant that dampens dopamine’s effects. Specifically, Blum co-discovered that some people have a genetic variant in the dopamine D2 receptor gene that results in having 30 to 40 percent fewer dopamine receptors. So, they get a blunted pleasure response to alcohol and other substances.

Here Are The Top Five Foods That Can Get You From Obsessing Over A Drink To Getting Back To Living Your Life

McClain commonly recommends a daily dose of 220 milligrams of zinc sulfate for his patients who have an alcohol addiction. Taking it with a meal helps avoid potential side effects of abdominal pain and nausea. Zinc deficiency can show up as a reduced sense of taste and smell, crusty skin sores on the face, and poor night vision. Zinc deficiency also has been linked to depression, irritability, confusion, and apathy, which are often challenges for people with an alcohol addiction.