In general, food generates a reward in our body that makes us feel pleasure. There are people who prefer more for sweet, while others do for salty food. But if we focus on cravings, those little quirks that we find it difficult to resist, the winners are usually sweets: a piece of cake, a cookie or any dessert with chocolate. What is behind the cravings for sweet food?
“Probably prolonged periods of fasting that cause the blood sugar level to drop too low, a high level of stress in which the brain spends more glucose, restrictive diets or the union of these three factors,” Claudia Guerrico, nutritionist, explains to Cuídate. unit of Psychology and Medicine Health PsicoActúa of the Hospital Vithas Medimar International (Alicante), who points out that it is easy to find ourselves in this situation.
“I go on a severe diet (based on protein and vegetables), I don’t eat for 8 hours because I go in at 8 and leave at 15 at work and on top of that I have a significant level of stress. At the first opportunity you have, the physiological and emotional need arises to consume immediate sugar, which is quick to use. ”
I want more sugar
Sugar is a disaccharide -sucrose- formed by a molecule of glucose and one of fructose that our body needs, since glucose is the food of the brain and provides energy immediately, although its effect lasts a short time.
So why are sugar rich products said to be empty calories? The reason is because they do not provide any nutrients . “This happens because when we get used to obtaining energy easily and quickly, the body is not used to working for it. So we want more and more. The correct thing is to start practicing the slowest way to obtain it, through the consumption of more complex carbohydrates , in which glucose is released slowly, “says Guerrico, who recommends obtaining them by consuming oats, wheat, rice, pasta, potatoes and breads, if they are wholegrain better, because the sugars are released even more slowly.
All these factors are involved in sugar addiction and this also has consequences for our health. Lorena Afonso Martínez, nutritionist at the Vithas Nuestra Señora de Fátima Hospital (Vigo), emphasizes that pure refined sugar or sucrose is the main culprit in obesity , metabolic diseases such as diabetes , neurocellular disorders and the reduction of the life expectancy of hundreds of millions of people in the world.
Also, abusive consumption of added sugar increases the risk of dental problems, such as cavities.
Signs that indicate if you are addicted
Explained why sugar generates addiction, we must bear in mind that there are some indicators that can alert us to whether we are addicts, according to Guerrico:
- There is a daily compulsive consumption of sugary products.
- We plan the purchase of sweets.
- We substitute healthier foods for sweets, such as juices instead of fruits, for example.
How much sugar is enough?
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends not consuming more than 5 percent of the total daily intake in the form of free or added sugars. This is not taking more than 25 g of sugar free or added per day for adults, taking as a reference a person with a need of 2000 kcal / day.
If we go into more detail, Afonso remembers that glucose is to the body what gasoline is to cars: its main source of energy.
However, the body is not prepared to receive large amounts of rapidly assimilating sugar. The central nervous system is the most sensitive glucose- dependent organ to the variations of the glycemia. Therefore, you must have at your disposal a regular supply of that glucose or fuel . Otherwise, the drop in blood sugar, hypoglycemia, will immediately affect brain function producing various symptoms such as tiredness, irritability, dizziness, discomfort … And then a real vicious circle begins, “he specifies.
To guarantee that necessary contribution of sugar, the specialist points out that if we follow a healthy diet that includes sufficient amounts of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, we do not have to look for an extra contribution in highly sugary products.
What can we do to reduce sugar consumption?
In this sense, Isabel López, consulting nutritionist at Advance Medical, indicates that the consumption of fruits, vegetables, vegetables, tubers and legumes should be prioritized .
“Special mention of dairy, fruits and vegetables that naturally contain variable amounts of simple sugars (lactose and fructose), but included in a matrix in which they are combined with many other components (vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, protein, fiber …). Therefore, they are essential food groups in the daily diet. In the case of the fruit, it is better to take it whole , since the liquefying process favors that a large part of its sugars are free ”, he adds.
