When the body lacks a vitamin, mineral or other essential substance, it signals this. We just don’t understand it as we should. If we really want something sweet, salty, spicy, or sour, we simply eat the first foods we come across that fit the required characteristics. This is strictly forbidden. Such urges of the body indicate that you need to enrich yourself with some element that is unlikely to be found in harmful products. Most often people want sweets. The reasons for this phenomenon have long been studied by scientists.
Craving sweets: what is missing in the body
If you suddenly feel like eating something sweet, especially in large quantities, you need to solve one of these problems:
- Lack of chromium in the body.
- Insufficient amount of phosphorus.
- Lack of tryptophan.
It is worth noting that chocolate is a special product. If you have an irresistible desire to eat a whole chocolate bar or eat unlimited quantities of chocolates, most likely your body does not have enough magnesium. It could also be a lack of carbon. In any case, this is not a reason to rush to sweet foods and eat them. You can find a safer and healthier solution for your body.
Table: what is missing in the body?
A small table will help you navigate what is missing in the body.
| Need | Cause |
| I want bread and bakery products | Carbon shortage |
| I want chocolate | Magnesium deficiency |
| I want bananas | Potassium deficiency |
| I want any sweets | Lack of magnesium, glucose, tryptophan, phosphorus or chromium |
| I want smoked products | Lack of cholesterol |
| I want any cheese | Lack of calcium and phosphorus |
| I want very fatty foods | Lack of calcium |
As you can see, not only sweet dishes can become an imaginary panacea. Any of the above products can be replaced with healthier foods that will satisfy your hunger and fill you up.
Psychological problems and addiction to sweet foods
Sometimes you crave sweets for no reason. It is not clear what is missing in the body, since a person eats well. Then the reason can be looked for in psychology.
Professional psychologists are confident that pathological cravings for sweet foods arise when a person lacks love, affection, attention, is unhappy, complex and lacks self-confidence. Such people experience a certain event in their life, after which they find solace in sweets and cakes. They are vulnerable and often need approval and support from others.
In more advanced cases, such cravings indicate pathological anxiety, personality disorders and persistent depression. Then sweets are a so-called antidepressant, a sedative.
Why do you want sweets after eating?
1. If your lunch is balanced and contains enough protein, your blood sugar will rise gradually and there will be no signals that you need a quick recharge (read: craving something sweet!). If your snack is based on fast carbohydrates, after such a lunch, blood sugar jumps and falls just as quickly, and we want to eat again... If you adhere to a strict diet, cravings for sweets can only increase, because the body does not receive the necessary energy and wants to get it instantly , through sweets.
2. Due to long-term unbalanced nutrition, carbohydrate addiction may even develop. This is when after a piece of cake you feel a super surge of energy, but this feeling quickly passes (the sugar jumped and fell again) and your hand again reaches for something sweet... It's a vicious circle.
3. Why do you crave sweets after eating, even if you eat right? Our body is designed in such a way that it should feel every possible taste (these are kind of indicators that the diet is quite varied). If, for example, there was no sweets during lunch, the body begins to “worry” that it didn’t get enough of something. What should I do? Make sure that there are always sweet vegetables on your table: carrots, pumpkin, sweet potatoes - this is exactly the sweetness that our body requires. The second step is to chew carbohydrate foods for a long time, saliva breaks it down into simple sugars and we feel the sweet taste even in unsweetened foods.
4. Do you want something sweet after eating? Give yourself half an hour, your sugar level will stabilize and the desire for sweetness will pass.
How to get rid of psychological problems
We have decided how to understand what is missing in the body. However, if the issue is psychological problems, the usual replenishment of nutrients will not help. Try these measures:
- Think about what could make you happy instead of sweets. You may want to update your wardrobe, visit a beauty salon, buy a book or magazine. Small joys can replace sweet dishes.
- Try replacing sweets with something else. Fruits, nuts, dried fruits, dark chocolate or a small amount of honey are perfect for such purposes.
- If you decide to switch to sweeteners, abandon this idea. They are very harmful to the body, and they will not solve the problem of craving for sweets.
- Analyze your life. Perhaps there is something in it that does not suit you and depresses you. It's time to eliminate this factor. It's easier to get rid of stress than to eat it.
Sometimes the above methods do not help, you still constantly want sweets. It is not clear what is missing in the body, and the problem is becoming increasingly widespread. In this case, it is best to visit a psychologist who will listen to you carefully and give recommendations that are right for you.
Poor quality nutrition, diets
Irregular consumption of food throughout the day, long intervals between meals cause cravings for sweets, especially in the evening and at night. This comes from a carbohydrate deficiency. Exactly the same effects are observed when following a strict diet. The body needs to make up for the lack of carbohydrates at any cost, as a result the person will really want to eat dessert.
To get rid of this problem, it is best to always eat at the same time. You can compensate for the lack of carbohydrates with porridge made from cereals, grains, legumes, as well as vegetables and seasonal fruits. As soon as your diet is normalized, your cravings for sweets will decrease.
Other causes of sweet cravings
From a physiological point of view, a person absorbs sweet foods in unlimited quantities for the following reasons:
- Lack of glucose in the body. This is a simple lack of energy. We very often overload ourselves, experience nervous tension, discomfort, overwork, and forget to eat on time. The body senses this; it cannot work productively when it lacks energy. We spend many more calories than we consume. In this case, sweets should be replaced with a full meal.
- Feeling very hungry. Sweet dishes quickly satisfy it, saturating the body with energy. But remember that the feeling of hunger returns very quickly, which leads to excessive consumption of glucose.
- Strict diets can also lead to a pathological desire to eat something sweet. You introduce the body into a kind of stress, which is reinforced by a feeling of hunger.
- Hormonal imbalances are often accompanied by eating sweets. If you can satisfy your cravings with a couple of sweets, then your body is fine. But when even a few bars of chocolate do not meet your needs, then you should visit a doctor.
- Parasitologists are sure that people infected with parasites often crave sweets. The reasons for this phenomenon are that helminths and other worms reproduce most effectively and conduct their life activities precisely in a sweet environment, since it is rich in glucose. In this case, the parasites simply absorb all the nutrients, forcing their host to replenish them again and again. You should be tested for helminths. If the test shows a positive result, undergo treatment. But do not prescribe medications for yourself. Treatment can only be recommended by a professional doctor, since it depends on what kind of parasite has attacked your body. Spontaneously choosing medications can greatly harm your health.
Eliminating one of these causes will normalize the condition of your body. If the problem arose due to a lack of something, you constantly want sweets, which is missing in your body, you figured it out, then you need to start replenishing the natural balance.
Habit
Sometimes people constantly crave sweets due to their habit of eating such foods. When eating dessert, there is a sharp increase in glucose, which decreases due to insulin. The body regards this process as a danger, which increases the feeling of hunger. If more sweetness is eaten, the process is repeated. Its danger lies in the likelihood of developing diabetes or problems with excess weight.
Also, digesting sweets helps reduce the amount of vitamin B in the body. To make up for this omission, appetite increases sharply. It is worth thinking in advance about the consequences of eating large amounts of food during the day and evening, which is facilitated by sweets.
All about tryptophan
Tryptophan is an amino acid, the deficiency of which leads to various problems. This substance:
- Keeps your mood high.
- Promotes a harmonious state.
- Increases human performance.
- Stimulates the desire to learn new information.
- Helps a person remain emotionally stable even in situations with increased tension.
- Helps you quit smoking and drinking alcohol faster.
- Reduces the level of aggression, eliminates irritability.
- Struggles with emotional tension and anxiety.
- Helps normalize the sleep cycle.
- Improves sleep quality.
- Promotes active relaxation in a short time.
The lack of tryptophan greatly affects a person’s emotional state. Without it, the body stops producing serotonin, which is responsible for the feeling of happiness. Scientists have proven that people who are depressed have extremely low levels of tryptophan in their bodies.
Craving for sweets is a mandatory symptom of a lack of this substance, but not the only one. Along with it, the following problems may arise:
- Weight loss.
- Skin dermatitis.
- Diarrhea.
- Impulsivity, irritability, nervousness, increased level of anxiety.
- Insomnia.
- Memory impairment.
- Deterioration of brain activity.
- Poor concentration.
- Tendency to depression.
- An unreasonable feeling of fear.
- Sudden weight gain.
- Constant uncontrolled overeating.
But don't overdo it with tryptophan. Its excess in the body also negatively affects health. It causes weakness, increased body temperature and fever.
Thanks to a high-quality and balanced diet, your body will receive enough tryptophan. This will not only improve your well-being, relieve problems with the nervous system and emotional state, but also help avoid various complications and diseases. Don't forget that tryptophan is not the only substance a person needs. Nutrition must be complete, that is, it must contain all the necessary microelements and macroelements.
How to stop eating sweets? Good to eat!
Yes Yes! Did you think that the fight against sugar cravings would begin with a strict diet? Review your diet, you may even have to increase the amount of food you consume, but healthy!
Eat protein foods so that your blood sugar does not jump: boiled chicken or turkey, eggs, fish, legumes and nuts.
Eat fruits that contain natural sugars in optimal quantities: unsweetened apples and hard pears. Combine berries with herbs in a smoothie - it's tasty and healthy! We eat very sweet fruits (banana, grapes, etc.) only before 12 noon.
Eat natural probiotics : sauerkraut, homemade yogurt and cottage cheese.
Eat carbohydrates only in combination with protein . For example, an apple as a bite with a piece of cheese (by the way, delicious!), a sandwich not with jam, but with sesame paste or hummus.
Eat healthy vegetable fats : sesame, flaxseed, pumpkin oils, avocado, various nuts and seeds work great with cravings for sweets. We don’t fry it, but add it to salads.
Eat lemons, ginger, drink herbal teas - they work well with acidified, thickened blood. Acidified blood is one of the main reasons for that constant desire for sweets. It is advisable to avoid coffee and black tea.
Eat carefully and slowly. The body's need for sweets (not sugar!) can easily be satisfied without the usual sweets, but simply by slowly chewing carbohydrates: bread, porridge, nuts. Already in the mouth they will break down into simple sugars and the body will receive the necessary signal about the arrival of sweets.
The toothpaste trick
Works not only with cravings for sweets, but also with excessive appetite on a diet!
Do you want something to eat or something sweet? Brush your teeth - this little trick will deceive the body for a while, the feeling of hunger and the desire for sweets will pass. This occurs due to a temporary reconfiguration of taste buds.
In addition, it is MANDATORY:
- Visit the gym or exercise actively at home. Sweets give us short-term euphoria, and a full workout stimulates the natural production of the joy hormone serotonin in our brain, and now dessert is no longer needed as an antidepressant!
- Drink water in doses that are comfortable for you throughout the day. Water works not only as a means of prolonged action, but also as an emergency one. Craving something sweet? Drink a glass of warm water. Thoughts about dessert will pass at least for a while.
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How to Increase Tryptophan Levels
Tryptophan can be purchased at any pharmacy. The drug should be taken according to the instructions, but it is much easier and safer to eat foods high in this substance. They are available to almost every person. So, tryptophan is contained in the following products:
- Turkey and chicken meat.
- Chicken liver.
- Lamb meat.
- Beef liver.
- Chicken eggs.
- Red and black caviar.
- Squid.
- Perch.
- Mackerel.
- Various cheeses.
- Dairy products.
- Nuts.
- Beans.
- Oat groats.
- Black chocolate.
- Dried apricots.
- Mushrooms.
- Pasta.
But simply eating foods high in tryptophan is not enough. In this case, it simply will not be absorbed by the body. The following accompanying substances are required:
- Fast carbohydrates.
- Vitamin B.
- Ferrum.
- Magnesium.
The best product that will help the body absorb tryptophan in full is regular chicken liver. It is rich in all of the above substances and can be prepared in different ways.
Please note that a product such as corn is low in this substance. Scientists note that people who often eat dishes containing it have an increased level of aggressiveness.
What you need to know about phosphorus
Not only a craving for sweets can indicate that there is a lack of phosphorus in the body. Along with this symptom, the following factors should be present:
- Decreased appetite.
- Constant feeling of weakness.
- Fast fatiguability.
- Hands and feet become less sensitive.
- Pain in the joint area.
- "Needles" in the body.
- General malaise.
- Feeling anxious.
- An unreasonable feeling of fear.
Also, phosphorus deficiency can occur if a person suffers from leukemia, hyperthyroidism, or is poisoned by phenol or benzene.
If you suddenly started exercising or went on a strict low-protein diet and at the same time your need for sweet foods has sharply increased, then rest assured that you are dealing with a deficiency of this macronutrient.
Another factor that signals a lack of phosphorus is an increased content of magnesium or iron in the diet. These substances prevent the body from absorbing certain elements. These include phosphorus.
If a pathological craving for sweets is associated precisely with a lack of this element, then be prepared for the fact that if this problem is not eliminated, a number of difficulties will appear. This is due to the fact that phosphorus:
- Has a strong effect on mental abilities.
- Participates in the process of formation and strengthening of bones and teeth.
- Participates in the formation and development of muscle tissue.
- In combination with other elements it promotes energy production.
- Participates in protein synthesis.
- Takes direct part in metabolism.
To enrich your body with phosphorus, consume the following foods:
- Processed cheese.
- Fish: flounder, sardine, tuna, mackerel, sturgeon, horse mackerel, smelt, pollock, capelin.
- Shrimp, squid, crabs.
- Legumes.
- Cottage cheese.
If you are using legumes to increase the phosphorus content in the body, then first soak them in water. This is due to the fact that sometimes the macronutrient is not absorbed or is not absorbed enough. Pre-treatment can solve this problem.
Fortunately, it is very rare today that people suffer from phosphorus deficiency, since it is found in many foods. Due to certain circumstances, a lack of this element in the body may occur, and then an unreasonable craving for sweets will arise. This problem can be quickly and easily resolved by following the recommendations above. You can also purchase capsules containing phosphorus at the pharmacy.
Chromium in food
Unlike previous substances, it is extremely difficult to increase chromium levels in the body through food. This is due to the fact that only foods grown in soil rich in this element contain it. It's hard to find one like this today.
To compensate for the intake of the substance from food, you can purchase chromium preparations at the pharmacy. But don’t forget about proper nutrition. The substance is found in the following foods:
- Vegetables and fruits.
- Cereal products.
- Various spices.
- Legumes.
- Homemade meat.
- Fish products.
- Seafood.
- Liver.
- Various types of cheese.
Doctors recommend preparing dishes from these products with minimal processing, since thermal exposure can destroy chromium compounds. This will lead to the body simply not receiving this substance. Therefore, along with proper nutrition, it is recommended to take chromium preparations purchased from official licensed pharmacies.
This element plays an important role in the body, namely:
- Removes harmful cholesterol from the body.
- Helps maintain normal weight.
- Regulates the condition of the thyroid gland.
- Helps restore various body functions.
- Strengthens bones.
- Normalizes blood pressure.
- Strengthens the effect of insulin.
- Prevents diabetes.
- Reduces the feeling of unreasonable fear and anxiety.
- Prevents rapid fatigue.
- Removes radioactive components and heavy metal salts from the body.
You cannot judge a chromium deficiency only by increased cravings for sweets. One or more factors must be present along with this symptom. These include:
- Stunted growth.
- Problems with the nervous system.
- Increased glucose levels in the body.
- Excess body weight.
- Unusual perception of alcoholic beverages by the body.
Be careful as excess chromium can also have negative health effects. This results:
- To the occurrence of allergic reactions.
- Problems in psychological state.
- Diseases of the liver and kidneys.
- Infectious diseases.
- Increased risk of developing cancer.
Therefore, plan your diet wisely, and take all pharmaceuticals strictly according to the instructions.
Chromium deficiency can occur for the following reasons:
- Frequent consumption of glucose.
- Abuse of chocolate and carbonated drinks.
- Strict diets involving the exclusion of protein foods from the diet.
- Infectious diseases.
- Excess calcium in the body.
- Increased physical activity.
As you can see, the presence of chromium in the body in sufficient quantities is a very important aspect for the full functioning of all organ systems. If you do not receive it for a long time, you cannot avoid health problems. If you are not sure that your diet sufficiently saturates the body with chromium, then you need to choose a pharmaceutical drug that would compensate for the possible deficiency. It is better to do this by consulting your doctor.
Craving for hot and spicy foods
Not exactly a traditional topic for talking about women's weaknesses. It is even more difficult to understand why it occurs? Let's figure it out.
Causes
The first and most common reason for craving hot and spicy foods is stress . Being under the yoke of negative emotions, we want to diversify our gray world. The easiest way to do this is through delicious food! And what could be tastier than spicy spices and hot sauce? Here, as they say, there is no comrade according to taste, but our psyche acts completely differently.
The craving for spicy foods lies in the second reason - a violation of lipid metabolism in the body.
Thirdly , the body requires spicy food in order to stimulate the evacuation ability of the gastrointestinal tract.
Is it dangerous to eat a lot of hot and spicy foods?
The answer is obvious - it is safe if used responsibly. Ordinary people stopped preparing them themselves a very long time ago, and manufacturers now have all the strings in their hands to manipulate our desires. We add store-bought sauces, seasonings, bouillon cubes, concentrates to our food, which are stuffed with a wild amount of seasonings and, most importantly, sugar. All the harmfulness of its action we
discussed above, as well as in articles about the sugar-free diet and the diet for the lazy.
Let's give a couple of tips to ensure that the taste of the dishes remains as bright, but there is no harm to health:
- Use spices only in fresh or dried form, such as a mixture.
- In order for the dish to have a bright spicy taste, briefly marinate the meat in spices. It is easy to add a strong flavor to a side dish if you cook it with the addition of oil - it absorbs tastes and smells well.
- To add heat to the dish, instead of adding sauce to the plate, cook it immediately with a small amount of fresh hot pepper.
- Stores offer special sauces that have a distinct pepper taste, but do not contain sugar. As a rule, they are packaged in metal tubes or prepared right in the store.
What to do if you want baking
Baked goods and sweet foods are different foods in their structure. And the pathological craving for their use requires different explanations. It often happens that you feel like baking. What is missing in the body in this case can be determined by several symptoms. If you want sweet baked goods, then the problem is the lack of one of the above elements. But it happens that a person simply wants something floury. Then the problem is in one of the factors:
- Lack of vitamin B. In this case, you can replace baked goods with cereals, eggs, yeast, liver, dairy products or nuts;
- The presence of parasites in the body. If this is the case, then without appropriate treatment it will not be possible to get rid of the problem.
If you listen to the state of your body in time, analyze it and draw conclusions, then it will not be difficult for you to solve any problem.
Thus, pathological cravings for sweets and baked goods are caused by a lack of a substance in the body. You can get rid of this problem by replenishing the amount of a certain element by eating healthy foods. If the problem is psychological problems or parasitic infections, then you need to contact an appropriate specialist who will help normalize the body’s condition and general well-being.
Why does the body crave sweets?
We are accustomed to thinking that the title of having a sweet tooth is like a character trait, this is how I am, some people read a lot, some like to sleep, but I eat a lot of sweets... To a certain extent, this “trait” even seems cute . But are you sure that it is YOU who wants sweets, and not a hidden disease or unwanted guests in the body?
Let's look at the most likely causes of constant cravings for sweets.
Too much salt. Simply put, there is a lot of salty food (sausages, nuts, fish, pickles, you over-salt your cooking, etc.), the body tries to balance the salty with the sweet. According to nature's plan, we should eat food of all the tastes that we feel.
Not enough water. Simple carbons (sweet!) hold water. If the body does not have enough water, begging for sweets, it tries to retain at least the minimum amount of water that you gave it. Hey, water your body, don't be greedy!
Unbalanced diet. It’s easy to figure out: if you want something sweet after a meal (even though you seem to have eaten a lot), it means your body is trying to compensate for the lack of nutrients. You can eat a lot, but it is useless. Usually there is not enough protein, proper fats, and living fiber. Dessert will not replace them, this feeling is deceptive.
We don't have enough vitamins. Do you always want sweets? Perhaps your body lacks vitamins and minerals. Chromium or magnesium, for example. They are responsible for the timely delivery of glucose to every cell of our body. There is no delivery - and you receive persistent signals to take a chocolate bar... To make a “roll call” of vitamins and microelements in the body, you need to donate blood, and if necessary, drink special vitamin complexes. But only as prescribed by a doctor! You can't just take vitamins!
It's time to take care of the intestines. If the microbiotic balance in the intestines is disturbed (for example, Candida has “bloomed”), fungi begin to run the show, as well as your taste preferences. And they love sweets! Consult a gastroenterologist.
Taste buds have become lazy. The diet of a modern person is filled with all kinds of E-things. They reduce the sensitivity of our taste buds, which in turn demand sweeter and sweeter food. You can return lazy people to work by eliminating chemicals from the diet and reducing sweets in the diet as much as possible for 21 days. The epithelium in your mouth will be renewed, and you will admire how bright the taste of natural sweets - berries and fruits - really is!
The thyroid gland is acting up. If you are drawn not only to sweets, but also to sit, lie down, and yawn, it is very likely that it is time to take care of the thyroid gland. If you add a constant feeling of tense muscles and headaches to your general weakness, run to an endocrinologist - it’s definitely a thyroid problem!
Yeast infection. Often occurs after taking antibiotics. A characteristic sign: you crave sweets and starchy foods.
Increased adrenaline. Are you eating stress? Do you become especially irritable when you're hungry? Frequent urge to go to the toilet? It looks like your adrenal glands are working hard and are trying to get a quick boost - sweets.
- The harm of sugar to the human body, or 11 reasons to give up sweets
Worms. Helminths will easily hook you on sweets and cakes. Even if you used to drink tea without sugar. Get tested and, if necessary, give your body an anti-parasitic cleanse.
The most harmless and easily correctable causes of constant cravings for sweets : too strict a diet, lack of sleep, a new type of physical or strong mental stress, taking certain medications, PMS.
Craving something sweet these days
If you have a craving for sweets just before or during menstruation, or at the onset of menopause, you should consult your doctor; you may want to take a vitamin B6 complex. It will reduce not only the discomfort from hormonal changes, but also the desire to indulge in harmful carbohydrates. But no self-appointments!
Constantly craving sweets, but still can’t cure acne, polycystic ovary syndrome or boost your immunity? Perhaps this is your price for loving desserts? Why sugar is dangerous for our body, read here
