Why Am I Craving Carbs? A Nutritionist Breaks It Down

For so many of my clients, cravings are a symptom we end up prioritizing together. If you’re in perimenopause or menopause, you might notice stronger carb or sugar cravings than you used to. Every week, I hear things like:

“Kate, all I want is something sweet after every meal!”

“I cannot stop thinking about sugar.”

“I feel like I have no willpower around carbs.”

“Once I start eating chips, cookies, or chocolate, I can’t stop.”

Here’s the truth: cravings aren’t about willpower-they’re about physiology. For me, cravings are often the entry point to talk about blood sugar balance with clients. As many of you know, blood sugar regulation is one of my four “deal breakers” for health (along with sleep, stress, and digestion…more on those another time!).

Think about it: blood sugar highs and lows can make or break an argument, a phone call, a car ride, a meeting, or even a conversation with your spouse or child. You know exactly what I’m talking about! Cravings are your body’s way of signaling that something is out of balance.

This post is about hormonal changes, blood sugar, and cravings - and how they all connect in perimenopause and menopause.

Perimenopause, Menopause, and Craving Carbs

Perimenopause is the time before menopause when progesterone and estrogen start to fluctuate. Progesterone is usually the first to decline, followed by estrogen. Because these hormones rise and fall at different times, symptoms often overlap and influence how we feel day-to-day. 

For example:

• Hot flashes can disrupt sleep, which then makes cravings worse.

• Mood changes and stress can drive more “comfort food” seeking.

• Fatigue, irritability, and poor sleep all increase the pull toward sugar.

So it’s not just the hormones themselves that affect cravings - it’s also the ripple effects of those symptoms on your daily life.

Estrogen’s Role in Blood Sugar

Estrogen plays a big role in how your body manages blood sugar and energy. It helps in four main ways:

1. Supports insulin: Estrogen makes it easier for insulin to do its job - moving glucose (sugar) out of your blood and into your cells for fuel.  This leads to insulin resistance.  

2. Shifts fuel use: It encourages your body to burn fat for energy when fat is available, instead of always relying on carbs.

   
   

3. Protects cells: Estrogen has antioxidant effects that help protect your tissues from damage.

   
   

4. Balances whole-body energy: It acts in the brain to keep your overall energy balance steady.

When estrogen levels drop in perimenopause and menopause, many women notice changes in their bodies. Women may notice more sugar cravings, blood sugar crashes, belly fat, hot flashes, mood changes, sleep disturbances, vaginal dryness, etc.  

Practical Strategies

While this post isn’t about direct hormone support, there’s a lot you can do through lifestyle. Food choices, meal timing, and meal composition all influence blood sugar - and by extension, cravings.

The three nutrients that make the biggest impact are protein, fat, and fiber. Each one slows down how carbohydrates are absorbed, keeping blood sugar steadier and cravings in check.

As a clinician, I think about cravings in two ways: how we meet them and how we prevent them.

Meeting a Craving (In the Moment)

Instead of resisting cravings, pair them. The goal is to balance quick carbs with protein, fat, or fiber so your blood sugar doesn’t spike and crash.

• Love chocolate chips? Have them with apple slices and nut butter.

• Want crackers? Pair them with cucumbers and hummus - even better, make it equal parts crackers and cucumbers.

• Other ideas: cheese with fruit, Greek yogurt with berries, or nuts with a square of dark chocolate.

Preventing Cravings (Day-to-Day)

This is where working with your nutritionist and consistency pays off! 

• Balance your plate: Aim for ½ non-starchy veggies, ¼ starch (like potato, rice, or beans), and ¼ protein. This simple visual below can help reduce blood sugar swings.

• Don’t skip meals: Skipping meals makes it harder to choose balanced foods later. Try to eat at consistent times and bring snacks that include protein or fiber when you’re on the go.

• Notice stress patterns: Stress-eating and stress under-eating are real. Before reaching for food, try one calming practice - even 5–10 minutes of breathing, journaling, or stretching. You may find you need less food (or don’t want it at all).

• Move after meals: One of my favorite rituals is a short “digestion walk.” Even 5 minutes of walking or simply standing up after eating helps your body use glucose more efficiently and supports digestion.

Cravings aren’t a sign of weakness - they’re your body’s way of asking for balance.  Knowledge is power, and now you have a better understanding of the relationship between hormones and blood sugar.  By making small shifts in how you build meals and snacks, you can start to feel steadier and less controlled by those urges. Start simple: try pairing your next craving with a protein or fiber-rich food and see how your energy feels. Small, consistent steps are what add up to real change!

References  

Alemany M. Estrogens and the regulation of glucose metabolism. World J Diabetes. 2021 Oct 15;12(10):1622-1654. doi: 10.4239/wjd.v12.i10.1622. PMID: 34754368; PMCID: PMC8554369.

Hanway, J. (2025, September 26). Blood sugar balance during menopause. Versalie. Retrieved from https://www.versalie.com/blogs/learn/menopause-blood-sugar-balance

Santoro N. Perimenopause: From Research to Practice. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2016 Apr;25(4):332-9. doi: 10.1089/jwh.2015.5556. Epub 2015 Dec 10. PMID: 26653408; PMCID: PMC4834516.

Suniyadewi, Ni & Pinatih, G.N. (2019). Correlation between intakes of carbohydrates, protein, and fat with random blood sugar levels in menopausal women. Frontiers of Nursing. 6. 77-80. 10.1515/fon-2018-0041.