Get Rid of Cravings at Night
Summary
Nighttime sugar cravings are often a signal that breakfast lacks sufficient protein and fat. By increasing the fat and protein content of your morning meal, you can eliminate evening cravings. A nutrient-dense breakfast combined with large salads at lunch and dinner supports this approach.
Key Takeaways
- Nighttime sweet cravings indicate an insufficient breakfast — specifically a lack of protein and fat
- Add more eggs to breakfast to increase protein intake (e.g., go from one egg to two, or two eggs to three)
- Eggs do not negatively impact cholesterol due to their natural content of lecithin, which acts as a counterbalance
- Increasing dietary fat at breakfast is highly satiating and helps prevent cravings later in the day
- A large salad at both lunch and dinner supports the overall strategy of eliminating nighttime cravings
- The combination of high fat and high protein in the morning is the core mechanism for craving control
Details
Why Nighttime Cravings Happen
According to Dr. Berg, craving sweets at night is a direct indicator that your breakfast was not substantial enough in protein and fat. The body’s hunger and craving signals in the evening trace back to what — or how little — was consumed in the morning.
How to Build a Craving-Eliminating Breakfast
The primary fix is to increase both fat and protein at breakfast. Specific recommendations include:
- Eggs — the foundational protein source; increase quantity incrementally (1 → 2 → 3 eggs)
- Greek yogurt with nuts — a combination of protein and healthy fats
- Cheese — melted on eggs or eaten alongside them
- Avocado — described as a preferred fat source; suggested preparation includes mixing with salsa, mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic, and pepper as a topping for eggs
On Eggs and Cholesterol
A common concern about eating more eggs is raised and addressed: eggs contain lecithin (referred to as “L ofin” in the transcript), described as a natural antidote to cholesterol. This makes increasing egg intake a non-issue from a cholesterol standpoint, according to Dr. Berg.
Full-Day Structure
The strategy is not limited to breakfast alone. To fully eliminate nighttime cravings, the recommended daily structure is:
- Breakfast — high in fat and protein (eggs, avocado, cheese, Greek yogurt with nuts)
- Lunch — a large salad
- Dinner — a large salad