Why do you always want sweets? Endocrinologist explains

If you count how much sugar we consumed during the day in the evening, it becomes a little uneasy. A bar of chocolate and coffee for breakfast, a bar and tea after lunch, a snack during work and definitely something sweet at night – this routine already seems normal to us. But it is worth reading a few articles about the dangers of sugar, and the desire to eat it is reduced to zero. But the longing still continues. And the reason for this may be not only an established habit, but also something much more serious. For example, chronic stress or intestinal problems. Patimat Karimova, an endocrinologist at the Dermavi aesthetic and anti-aging medicine clinic, explains why we constantly crave sweets and how we can cope with this situation.

Patimat Kerimova

Why do we always want sweets?

One of the main reasons stress. And chronic. As a rule, with acute and severe stress, digestion is inhibited and the person practically does not eat. But persistent stress and anxiety are exactly what people try to eat with sweets. Sweet foods stimulate the production of the joy hormone serotonin. It gives us a good mood and reduces anxiety. The sweeter the food, the higher the serotonin level. However, there is also the other side of the coin.

Serotonin increases rapidly, but decreases just as rapidly. Therefore, a temporary wave of good mood is replaced by a depressive state.

And the main trap is that it is impossible to follow. When you eat dessert, you feel good, but it is very difficult to understand that the peak of happiness is replaced by depression.

Sweet foods and sugar often produce the same results as, for example, nicotine or alcohol. Both activate the structure of the brain. Therefore, sugar addiction is also an addiction. Although many people reassure themselves: I would rather eat sweets than smoke or drink.

Another reason for sweet cravings is lack of energy. As practice shows, a huge number of people are now exposed. For example, with a deficiency of microelements such as vitamins C, D, group B, chromium, magnesium, zinc and iron, the person feels lack of energy, weakness and fatigue. These microelements and vitamins play a role in metabolic processes, the production of hormones of joy and pleasure, and carbohydrate metabolism. They control insulin and glucose levels in the blood. Therefore, in the absence of energy, the person wants to fill this gap. A quick source of energy is carbohydrates. And often the choice is made not in favor of complex carbohydrates that are beneficial for the body, but in favor of light ones.

When a person consumes sweets, glucose is broken down and thus energy is produced. However, this rapid increase in energy does not last long and is replaced by weakness.

Another reason is malnutrition. That is, an unbalanced diet in terms of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Choosing fast carbohydrates affects glucose levels, increases insulin and decreases energy. And to replenish this, one snacks on sweets until the next meal. Another problem is that the person skips meals and does not get all the microelements. If you eat rationally, there will be no pathological cravings for sweets.

Most of us have the habit of drinking tea with sugar since childhood. Most often, people drink tea not to enjoy it, but to eat something sweet. This is also a habit that needs to be worked on.

What’s the problem with desserts?

Perhaps our main problem is that most people do not understand that sugar is as harmful to the body as cigarettes or alcohol. How can a harmless sweet cake harm a person? Consuming excessive amounts of sugar leads to cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and obesity.

Sugar is a component that causes rapid aging, wrinkles, premature graying of hair and generally depletes the body.

Active consumption of sugar leads to the development of parasites, candida and other bacteria that feed on sweets in the body. These ingredients cause a person to have an irresistible desire for all kinds of bars, cakes and chocolates. Therefore, it is very important to take care of the health of the gastrointestinal tract and restore the intestinal flora.

What should we do?

First, understand what is causing the strong craving for sweets. If this is a deficiency of microelements and vitamins, they need to be replenished. If these are problems with the gastrointestinal tract, you need to restore the flora in the intestines and relieve inflammation. If this is a lack of energy, you need to look for the reason and work on the psycho-emotional background, because our nervous system is also nourished by certain vitamins and microelements.

If a person has been eating sweets all his life, it is difficult to give up this habit overnight. But when we find the cause and improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, replenish the necessary microelements and combat stress, this craving gradually decreases. And then one has to develop a new habit, which takes time. You need to give up sweets gradually, step by step. This will also make it easier psychologically. If you conduct an experiment and stop eating sweets for two months and then start eating them again, chocolate and candies will seem very sweet to you. The fact is that during this period the sensitivity of receptors increases and they learn to recognize sweetness, even if it is present in a minimal amount. Therefore, everything you ate before will no longer seem so delicious.