Sugar is everywhere - it is added to countless products, advertised in all kinds of media and included in almost all festive and everyday meals. According to a 2018 study, that isCraving for sweetsso common that researchers wondered whether we had developed an addictive culture. How can we stop cravings for sweets?
People crave sweets for various physiological and psychological reasons.
1. Habituation
What, when, why and how much you eat can become a pattern of behavior. According to another 2018 study, our cravings are the result of classic habituation: behaviors we have adopted over time because we find them worthwhile. Cravings for sweets can be perceived as compulsive. OneResearch from 2016found that processed foods, particularly those with added sugar, have habituation effects on laboratory animals and humans.
2. Sugar and addiction
Do the sugary foods cause addiction like drugs? Science is not clear about this. Still, the sugary foods can trigger a release of dopamine in the reward center of the brain. The more dopamine, the stronger the addiction.
3. Artificial sweeteners
It's possible that the artificial sweeteners, which are sweeter than sugar, can change people's taste preferences. The taste of artificial sweeteners can increase cravings for sweets. During a small study in 2015, scientists examined a group of 20 people who avoided high-calorie sweeteners. After 2 weeks, 86.6% of them reported that they no longer had a craving for sweets.
4. Stress
Our body reacts to stress by releasing the stress hormone cortisol, which is also associated with the desire for sweets. TheControls hormone ghrelinthe appetite and is also released under stress.
5. Sleep
There is a complicated connection between what we eat and how we sleep. A 2013 study reported that people who don't get enough sleep reach for foods that are sweet, salty, and starchy.
6. Period preferences
According to a 2013 study, many women have a preference for chocolate during their period because of the release of endorphin, a brain neurochemical that gives a feeling of well-being and regulates mood.
Is sugar addiction to sweets genetic?
According to the National Institutes of Health, there is laboratory research showing a link between a preference for sweet and fatty foods and a genetic predisposition. However, further research on this topic is necessary.
