Sugar: everybody’s best and worst enemy. You can’t just eat one piece of chocolate. You have to eat the whole box. And you can try telling yourself you’ll only have a few spoonfuls of ice cream, and 10 minutes later find yourself downing the entire container. Sugar cravings are entirely normal, but it’s essential to learn how to control them.

You shouldn’t deprive yourself of having a few pieces of chocolate at night, but rather limit what and how much you eat. If you’re having a hard time controlling your sugar cravings, here are a few tips:

Choose Dark Chocolate
Not only does dark chocolate taste good and satisfy a sweet tooth, but it’s also good for you. Dark chocolate can lower our cortisol levels, so reaching for dark chocolate when you’re stressed isn’t such a bad idea after all.

Eat Protein and Fats
Eating sugar with protein and fats is a crucial way to slow down the digestion process and will help you feel fuller more quickly so you won’t have the urge to snack on something sweet later on.

Eat Healthily
Eating clean will help you control your sugar intake by giving you that boost of energy that comes from eating healthy, natural foods. Artificial sugar will provide you with that energy boost but will be followed by a crash, so opt for healthy meals that will sustain you all day long.

Eat Fruit
Fruits have that delicious sweet taste and are good for you, making them the perfect late-night sweet tooth snack. The fruit is a form of complex carbohydrates that can help to slow down sugar digestion.

Eat Almonds
Almonds are another option for a snack that will satisfy your late-night sweet tooth. They’re good for your heart health and can help to start up dopamine.