Why do you feel like you are stressed and want to eat sweets and carbohydrates?

by Anete Lusina

When there is something unpleasant in work and human relations, there are many people who want to eat gametlies with sweet or large amounts of carbohydrates. Explain by why brain scientists and obesity expert Achim Peters explain why you feel stress and want to eat sweets and carbohydrates.

Why Do We Crave Sweets When We're Stressed? - Scientific American
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-do-we-crave-sweets-when-were-stressed/

Although the human brain accounts for only 2% of the body weight, the brain can be said to be a "big eater" organ consuming half of the carbohydrates ingested by humans. It is glucose obtained by decomposing carbohydrates such as starch and sucrose which become the fuel of the brain, and it can supply energy to the body promptly when carbohydrate is ingested.

It is known that when the brain is stressed, it needs 12% more glucose than usual, people eat snacks and eat a lot of staple foods according to brain's demands. People who are stressed will have low performance cognitive activities, but they seem to be able to restore performance by supplementing meals and supplementing energy. However, while glucose is an indispensable energy for brain activity, overeating sweet or carbohydrates leads to obesity and causes lifestyle diseases.

When humans become hungry, the hypothalamus that regulates sympathetic and parasympathetic functions and the function of the endocrine system is activated. Especially the hypothalamic abdominal nucleus inner nucleus , hypothalamic lateral field and arcuate nucleus involved in metabolism and eating behavior are involved in the desire of fasting and if information on glucose is insufficient, information sent from other parts of the body is referred to as information It will shut down and appeal to supply glucose quickly.

by Media News

To actually examine the relationship between the brain and carbohydrates, Mr. Peters conducted experiments on 40 subjects. The experiment was divided into two sessions. In one session, the subject gave a ten-minute speech in front of a stranger and then took a buffet style meal for an hour. In the other session, the subject did not give a speech, he told me that he also had an hour's meal.

In each session we measured the blood levels of hormones cortisol and adrenaline secreted according to stress before meals. As a result, the blood stress hormone concentration of the subject increased when speech was performed as expected, and the amount of carbohydrates that can be eaten in the buffet also increased by 34 g on average.

Thus humans want more carbohydrates and sweet things than normal, when they are stressed. Mr. Peters says that if you really want to eat chocolate, you should eat it without forcibly doing it. People who work often feel stressed, they can restore the brain's work by eating chocolate and can keep fit.

If you endure the desire to eat sweet things, the brain removes glucose from fat and muscle and supplies it to the brain, but this may potentially secrete further stress hormones. Not only does this have an adverse effect on the human spirit, it may increase the risk of heart disease and stroke in the long run.

by nappy

I want sweet things not only for adults who feel strongly stress, but also for babies. A baby with a higher proportion of the brain than a body wants a lot of energy and likes sweet things. Sugar is contained in the breast milk that the baby drinks, and the baby can supply sugar by drinking breast milk.

The number of people who prefer sweet things will decrease as they become adults, but many people like sweet things even if they are adults. The preference is by people, but the impact of living environment on food preferences is said to be strong, for example, those who experienced strong stress during childhood tend to prefer sweet things even if they become adults.

Also, even if it is in compliance with the request of the brain, eating too sweet or carbohydrates adversely affects the body. The big cause of disturbance of eating habits is stress, and it seems necessary to get out of a stressful environment in case you want to refrain from sweet or carbohydrates. Mr. Peters tends to think that many people who eat excessive sweets and carbohydrates are "uncontrollable", but said that behind this desire may be stress.

by Criativithy