17.03.2021 12:00
2990
Only a radical change in diet and eating behavior can provide us with control over those desires that, at first glance, seem beyond the control of willpower.
It happens that even after a hearty lunch, accompanied by a feeling of fullness, a person definitely needs to eat something sweet. The reason is the lack of complex carbohydrates in the daily diet.
Insulin resistance
Insulin, produced by the pancreas, controls blood sugar levels and helps transport glucose into cells for further energy production. With insulin resistance, cells lose sensitivity to the action of insulin, which is why glucose is not supplied in the required amount, and the cells experience energy starvation. This results in weakness, dizziness and cravings for fast carbohydrates - that is, for sweets. Therefore, if you notice these symptoms, we recommend checking your glucose levels
and
insulin in the blood
.
Insulin resistance is a serious problem that leads to type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Why do you crave sweets even if you are not hungry?
Craving for sweets is an irresistible feeling. Why does it happen? Why do you want sweets to eat even a very hearty lunch or dinner? How to reduce your sugar intake? We answer these and other questions about the effect of sweets on the body together with nutritionist Akkumis Berikovna.
What is sugar?
First, let's figure out what sugar is. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), free sugars include monosaccharides and disaccharides added to foods and beverages by the manufacturer, cook or consumer, and sugars naturally present in honey, syrups, fruit juices and fruit juice concentrates. What we used to call sugar is sucrose. It is a disaccharide and consists of two monosaccharides - glucose and fructose, into which sucrose is broken down during digestion. Glucose is the most common fuel for all cells of the body; it is formed during the breakdown of not only sucrose, but also other carbohydrates.
“There is also the term ‘natural or naturally occurring sugars’. They are found in vegetables, fruits, and dairy products and are digested more slowly than free sugar. In addition, they enter the body together with other nutrients, vitamins and minerals, and fiber, which also slows down the absorption process. Medical experts are unanimous in their opinion that high levels of free sugar intake are directly related to poor diet quality, obesity and the risk of developing non-communicable diseases,” explains the nutritionist. Therefore, it is important to understand why we crave sugar and how to reduce our consumption.
Insulin surge and imaginary feeling of satiety
“One of the reasons for cravings for sweets lies in the mechanism of glucose absorption. When consuming fast, easily digestible carbohydrates (sugar and sweets), there is a rapid increase in blood glucose levels. A signal goes to the brain about the arrival of food, and the feeling of hunger is dulled. However, then a sharp release of insulin occurs and blood glucose levels drop. After a short time, the feeling of hunger reappears, and often the person again “throws” what is at hand into his mouth. If it’s candy, cookies or a cupcake, the process is repeated, an imaginary short-term feeling of satiety is created, and the vicious circle closes.”
Simple carbohydrates are found in vegetables, fruits, and dairy products. But, as mentioned earlier, the dietary fiber and fats found in these products slow down their absorption, and the process of insulin production is much slower and more physiological.
You have a low taste sensitivity to sugar
Taste perception depends on the concentration of a certain substance (which causes taste sensations - sweet, bitter, sour and salty) in food. In order for a person to feel the taste, in this case sweet, the concentration of the substance must reach the detection threshold. Before this detection threshold, your taste buds will not detect sweetness. Each person has an individual detection threshold; it is influenced by many factors - from physiological characteristics to diet. If you have a high threshold for detecting sweet tastes, you will need more sugar to feel satisfied.
Sweets are a reward
“From the point of view of neurobiology and neurophysiology, glucose is involved in the reward system. This is a set of structures of the nervous system that regulates and controls behavior with the help of positive emotions and feelings of pleasure in response to actions taken or decisions made. Consumption of sweets triggers the so-called mesolimbic pathway, the main component of which is dopamine, a pleasure mediator. It gives the brain instant reward. This mechanism inclines us to behavior favorable for the survival of the species. When the reward system is triggered, the limbic system reinforces the behavior. That is, we will try to repeat the action that caused pleasure over and over again. In this case, it is the consumption of sweets,” explains our expert. Therefore, many have formed a positive psychological association with sweets - sugar gives a short-term release of dopamine, temporarily improving mood.
The nutritionist explains that if our ancient ancestors had to work hard to find and collect sweet fruits and berries to enjoy sweet food, this is not difficult for modern people. Sweet, high-calorie food is everywhere, we no longer need to look for it, we can trigger our reward system as often as we like. This leads to the next question:
Sweet cravings – sugar addiction?
“It would seem that the reward system’s response to sweets resembles classic drug addiction, but scientists are not so categorical about food addiction to sugar. There is evidence in the scientific literature suggesting the development of sugar addiction in experimental animals under certain conditions. But most likely this fact is due to the periodic restriction of animals’ access to sweets, and not to the neurochemical effects of glucose. There is currently insufficient evidence to support sugar addiction in humans.”
Sweets after lunch are a habit
“Perhaps your craving for sweets is due to an established eating habit. Dessert at the end of the meal is a tradition formed historically. It was a logical conclusion to the meal and left a pleasant aftertaste. From a physiological point of view, sweets should be eaten at the end of the meal, because sweets eaten on an empty stomach will cause a short-term rise in blood glucose, a surge in insulin and will not bring complete satisfaction.”
The eating habit can also extend from childhood if the child was rewarded with candy after eating lunch. This is how sustainable eating behavior is formed, which continues into adulthood.
Our body requires variety
Also, sensory-specific satiety or “sensory satiety” may be to blame for our desire to eat sweets after the main meal. This phenomenon explains why we are more likely to eat more food if we have a wide choice of different dishes and foods in front of us. “Sensory satiety” is also considered an evolutionary mechanism. Vox dedicated a video to this phenomenon, where they also conducted a mini-experiment.
On the first day, a group of people were given a portion of macaroni and cheese and asked to eat as much as they could until they were full. After the main course, they offered “dessert” - another portion of macaroni and cheese and again asked us to eat until we were full. The next day, the same group of people were given a serving of macaroni and cheese, but were offered ice cream for dessert. Subjects in this group ate three times more ice cream for dessert than a second helping of macaroni and cheese. A similar experiment was carried out by Russell Keast, a professor of food and sensory science at Deakin University, only using chocolate and strawberry milkshakes as the test food units. On the first day, the experiment participants had to consume 300 ml of strawberry milkshake, and then another 700 ml of the same drink, but as much as they wanted. On the second day of the experiment, participants were given a chocolate milkshake after a strawberry milkshake. As expected, more of the chocolate drink was consumed.
This indicates that the body may become bored with a certain food and signal to the brain that it is full. The human brain can also override satiety signals if it perceives that a particular dish may satisfy other taste needs. Therefore, despite physical satiety, at the sight of a new tempting dish our appetite awakens again.
You're not full
“It is also possible that your brain has not yet been “satiated.” Regulation of appetite and satiety is a very complex process involving neurohumoral processes. Signals that it is time to stop eating enter the hypothalamus in different ways (signals from stomach receptors, increased glucose levels, neuropeptides that suppress appetite and stimulate the satiety center during the absorption of nutrients during the digestion process, etc.). Eating hastily (when food is poorly chewed) in front of the TV or smartphone leads to the fact that the signal of satiety has not yet arrived, and the brain decides to eat something else.
Or maybe you really haven't eaten enough. The stomach is not full, or the food is not sufficiently complete or satisfying - the feeling of satiety does not occur. Then our desires turn on, and our hand habitually reaches for foods rich in simple sugars, which are always on the table.”
How to stop eating sweets?
The nutritionist advises: if you have a crazy sweet tooth, start giving up sweets gradually - by reducing the portion of sugar in tea or coffee, choosing a smaller portion of dessert or eliminating it from one of your meals. No one is asking you to give up sweets altogether - there are no “forbidden foods.” It is much better to allow yourself to eat small portions of your favorite foods than to give them up completely. This can cause a desperate desire to eat it.
“Replace high-calorie sweets with natural ones (fruits, natural marshmallows, marshmallows, dried fruits - in small quantities). Eat more complex carbohydrates, proteins, and don’t be afraid of fats, especially healthy ones. Choose dairy products that are not low-fat, but have normal fat content. Fats give foods flavor. Typically, when fat is removed from a product, manufacturers add sugar and various additives to the product to maintain an attractive taste. A varied and adequate diet will provide you with high-quality satiety and help you resist temptation.”
To increase your threshold for detecting sweets, you can train your taste buds by reducing your intake of sweets. This way, you will edit your taste preferences and form new preferences - you will begin to enjoy fruits and sweet vegetables, such as pumpkin, and not cakes and pastries.
Main types of sugar
• Beet • Cane • Palm • Malt • Maple • Sorghum
Accumis believes it's important to reduce your sugar intake, even if it's natural sugar (like cane sugar), which contains minerals and vitamins. Sugar is sugar, no matter whether it is healthier or not.
What is the optimal amount of sugar?
“WHO recommends that energy from added sugars should not exceed 10% of daily dietary energy. For healthy people, “free sugar” can be left in the diet, but consume no more than 40-50 grams per day (about 10-12 teaspoons). This applies to all types of sugar. A significant portion of the sugars consumed by modern humans are “hidden” in processed foods that are not usually considered sweets. According to the WHO, one tablespoon of ketchup contains approximately 4 grams (about 1 teaspoon) of free sugars. One can of sugar-sweetened soda contains up to 40 grams (about 10 teaspoons) of free sugars.”
What names does sugar go by?
Check labels - you may not find the word "sugar" in the ingredients, but it is hidden under names such as:
• Glucose, fructose, dextrose, maltose, sucrose • Agave nectar • Rice syrup/rice malt • Corn syrup/high fructose corn syrup, chemically produced • Molasses • Brown sugar • Artificial sweeteners: aspartame, dextrose, sucralose, saccharin • Natural sweeteners or sugar alcohols: xylitol, erythritol and sorbitol
“Sugar can also be hidden in foods that are not inherently sweet: ketchups, barbecue sauces, spaghetti, mayonnaise, salad dressings and other condiments, canned goods, fitness bars, bread and more. A lot of sugar is found in ready-made breakfasts (muesli, cereal), low-fat yogurts (even if it says “No Added Sugar” in capital letters), energy drinks, and canned fruits.”
