Food addiction. Carbohydrate blocker for weight loss and sports nutrition - a list of drugs and the principle of action
Our regular columnist, fitness and nutrition expert Yana Stepanova talked about what carbohydrate addiction is and what hidden dangers it poses.
Carbohydrate addiction - actual problem modernity. Nowadays, sugar is added to almost all products. Main danger carbohydrate addiction lies in the fact that it skillfully disguises itself as Bad mood, hunger, premenstrual symptom, an innate love for flour and sweets, a lack of some, apparently, “sweet” substances in the body, and much more.
Why is sugar dangerous?
Once in the body, sugar provokes sudden jump insulin. The pancreas begins an active process of lowering insulin in the blood, dropping it below normal. As a result, a person feels depressed, tired, as well as a new desire to recharge the body with fast carbohydrates. The result is a vicious circle.
Simple carbohydrates are...
Simple carbohydrates include flour products, sweet foods, juices, sodas, fried foods, and more. People do not get enough of these foods, as soon as the pancreas lowers the level of insulin in the blood, hunger will return again. And unfortunately simple carbohydrates in excess in the diet of modern man.
Scientists have already proven that people get fat not from fat, but from an excess of simple carbohydrates. When playing sports, the body consumes simple carbohydrates, and fat remains in place. Therefore, they say that 20% of success depends on sports, and 80% on nutrition.
Why are simple carbohydrates dangerous?
Regular consumption of flour products, sugary foods and fast food triggers the acidification of the body, which in turn accelerates aging, puts the body in a state of constant struggle and stress, provokes skin problems, and also contributes to the development of diabetes and oncology.
How to get rid of carbohydrate addiction?
To get rid of carbohydrate addiction, you should follow a few rules:
1. The diet should contain no more than 5% of simple carbohydrates.
2. It is better to eat fruit as a sweet dish.
3. You should pay attention to glycemic index products. The higher the glycemic index, the higher the insulin spike.
4. The more the dish was exposed heat treatment the higher the glycemic index. Al dente is always better than boiled foods.
5. Limit or cut out dairy products altogether.
6. Eliminate fast food and fried foods.
7. Do not store foods that provoke carbohydrate addiction at home.
Most carbohydrates have a distinct and easily recognizable taste. Fruits (fructose), malt (maltose), beets and cane (sucrose), milk (galactose and lactose) - sensing their sweetness on the tongue, our ancestors stuffed more fruits, roots and grains into their mouths. Sweet means edible, pleasant, and after it you will definitely feel a surge of strength.
And all because, translated into the language of biochemistry essential function carbohydrates - quickly provide the body with energy (1 g contains 4 kcal). The carbohydrate fuel, glycogen, is stored in the liver and muscles. in large numbers(250-450 g depending on body weight) and is continuously consumed for current needs: maintaining the heartbeat, the work of the lungs, muscles, digestive tract. And for nervous system glucose is the only source of energy.
If you stop the regular supply of carbohydrates with food, their reserve will melt in 12 hours. By the way, this is the well-known advice of fitness trainers: if you want to lose weight, go in for sports in the morning, on an empty stomach. After eight to nine hours of sleep, blood carbs are almost zero, and you quickly switch to fat burning to provide yourself with energy during exercise.
The amount of glucose in the blood is the main guideline for everyone internal systems, a kind of compass. If its level drops (more than four hours have passed since the last meal), we feel hungry, weak, sometimes dizzy.
Excess sugar in the blood (for example, after you have eaten a whole cake at once) also does not benefit - it damages blood vessels and organs. Therefore, the body urgently transforms excess glucose into fat, which is why we put on weight. The problem is that our brains still obey an ancient instinct: the more sugar, the better. During sweet gluttony, the pleasure hormone dopamine is released. Thanks to him, sweet teeth experience the same feelings as drug addicts. Wave first Have a good mood and drive, then when the level of the drug (sugar) in the blood drops sharply, fatigue, anxiety and withdrawal syndrome desire to immediately receive another dose. Moreover, the more often we abuse treats, the weaker the brain reacts to them and inexorably demands to increase portions.
As a result, today the level of sugar consumption worldwide is several times higher than allowable norms- six teaspoons for women and nine for men. For comparison: every resident of the United States consumes 22 teaspoons of sugar per day.
The first to speak about the danger of such a trend in the 1950s was the outstanding English physiologist and nutritionist John Yudkin (1910-1995). In Pure, White, and Deadly, he draws on his Scientific research in different countries, stated that for the most part it is excess sugar, and not fat, that destroys the vessels of the heart and brain, leads to atherosclerosis, obesity, diabetes and cancer. AT modern conditions an abundance of sweet foods (in low-fat foods, by the way, fat is also compensated by sugar) and widespread physical inactivity, this is increasingly taking the form of an addiction akin to cocaine.
Canadian David Jenkins, professor of nutrition at the University of Toronto, has devoted his life to studying the effects of different foods on blood glucose levels. As a result, he created the theory glycemic index(GI) as a nutritionist Michel Montignac and cardiologist Arthur Agatson, author « » , popularized it in their food systems.
The bottom line is simple: the more sugar in the product, the faster it is absorbed into the bloodstream and thereby destabilizes the glucose level. Such food is called high glycemic (GI above 70 points). These are, for example, sweet fruits, industrial pastries, ice cream, syrups, sweets, products made from flour of the highest and first grade, white rice and sweet soda.
They are recommended by nutritionists to be replaced with dishes with a low glycemic index (less than 55), such as whole grains and products from coarse flour with bran, legumes and vegetables. These foods contain complex sugars and (fiber). Complex sugars are slowly broken down, and dietary fiber is not absorbed at all and even interferes with absorption. simple sugars. All this provides a long-lasting feeling of satiety and reduces cravings for sweets and starchy foods.
How to Avoid Carb Addiction
Here are a few rules that will help you avoid carbohydrate addiction.
1. Make sure that it does not exceed 40-60 percent of the daily calorie intake, and try to choose foods that are more nutritious in terms of vitamins and microelements: fruits instead of refined sugar, wholemeal bread instead of white bread made from refined flour of the highest and first grade. Swap refined grains for whole grains, such as brown rice instead of white.
2. Read the labels. Avoid ingredients such as high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup; maltose, maltitol syrup, maltodextrin; granulated sugar, powdered sugar; molasses, molasses, malt. These substances cause spikes in blood glucose.
3. Carbohydrates break down more slowly if you combine them with protein foods, and proteins in the company complex carbohydrates on the contrary, are absorbed better. So meat, fish and cottage cheese should be served with fresh vegetable or fruit salads. Fill them with a few drops of unrefined olive, flaxseed or canola oil - fat inhibits the absorption of carbohydrates, which means that the feeling of satiety will last longer.
CARBOHYDRATE DEPENDENCE - A REAL "DISEASE" OR UNWANTING TO PART WITH SWEETS? HOW TO GET RID OF THIS DEPENDENCE?
I often hear girls complain that they cannot refuse sweets and starchy foods. And whatever they do, they cannot stop eating all sorts of cakes, sweets, donuts, etc. or they can forget about them for a while, but then they break down and go into a real "carbohydrate binge" ... A familiar picture? So is there really some kind of vicious circle from which it is simply impossible to escape?
First, let's look at what happens in the body when you eat high-calorie carbohydrate and starchy foods. Such products usually have a small nutritional value. Instead, they trigger a hormonal response that results in constant desire sweet and / and uncontrolled absorption of carbohydrates.
This process works like this:
You eat sweets or starchy foods and your body quickly converts them into sugar (blood sugar)
Blood sugar skyrockets (effect: lots of energy, brain happy)
In response, the pancreas produces high level insulin.
Your blood sugar drops sharply (effect: sleepy and tired, brain irritated).
Such a sharp fluctuation in blood sugar makes you want to “repeat” the effect “through the roof” (effect: every cell of the brain requires more carbohydrates!)
You again reach for the sweet and it turns out a vicious circle ....
Many people know about the GI (glycemic index of foods), so try to choose foods with a low GI so that there are no such vicious circles and then you can overcome your addiction. But do not make another mistake of many, removing all sweet / starchy foods from your diet right away, because by doing so you “irritate” your addiction even more.
Here are a few steps to help you cope:
Remove only one "harmful" product from your diet. For example, if you constantly eat cookies and sweets, then remove all sweets this week, and the next week, replace all cookies with fruits, berries and non-sweet dried fruits (watch your portions). Remember, dried fruits are better than cookies, but you need to be very careful with them when losing weight.
Out of sight, out of mind! If you know that sweets are your weakness, then bypass all possible sources of them (confectionery / bakery department of the store, sweet tables, etc.). And do not give in to the next temptations like “I will only bite one piece” or “come on, one piece of cake will not kill you ...”. Be sure to say NO!
Think positive and don't program yourself to fail! If you keep telling yourself and others that you just can't live without chocolate, then so be it. Believe me, no one has died without chocolate yet ... In addition, the “always want what you can’t” effect plays a role here, because constantly thinking that you can’t do it, you will want the same chocolate even more! You can "reprogram" yourself to: "I just don't like it and don't want it." This is how I dealt with my addiction to sweets. I just stopped saying all the time that I have a “sweet tooth”, I just accepted the fact that they are on store shelves, but I don’t want them.
So, in conclusion, we can say that yes, it can be called addiction, but it can also be fought and defeated! The main thing to remember is what is more important to you, achieving your fitness goal or a cookie?
Good luck!
Olesya Kochura
3rd week of online marathon
Dietitian, gastroenterologist and body mesotherapist. | more >>
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The date: 2014-06-17 Views: 35 303 Grade: 5.0
Have you ever felt desire eat something sweet? Familiar feeling? But many do not know that behind such a harmless desire there can be a serious violation. carbohydrate metabolism. Namely, sugar or carbohydrate addiction. In fact, there may be several reasons leading us to the shelf with sweets, buns, cakes and other “sweets”. It could be: - Psychological addiction.
- biochemical dependence.
Psychological sugar addiction
With psychological addiction, cravings for sweets are due to a lack of joy hormones (endorphins). A person has a so-called mental, emotional hunger, which he satisfies by eating various sweet delicacies. As a result, endorphins are produced, the person calms down, and the mood rises. Everything, spiritual hunger is satisfied. But only for a while. After that, the "pressing" mood leans even more forcefully, and the need for sweets arises even more. This forms an addiction that resembles a drug or alcohol addiction. With psychological dependence, you need to find other sources that contribute to the production of endorphins, in addition to sweets. These sources include:- Oatmeal (occupies a leading position),
- Buckwheat,
- Mushrooms,
- Turkey,
- Lime juice (diluted)
Biochemical sugar addiction
With biochemical dependence, cravings for sweets are associated with a lack of chromium in the body. Why do we need chrome? Before answering this question, let's look at what happens in our body with chronic abuse of sugar and products containing it. Watch when you eat something sweet, be it a bun or chocolate, White bread etc., then the blood sugar level rises. In response to this increase in the pancreas, the hormone insulin is synthesized. Main function which, to deliver glucose to the tissues to meet their energy needs. After that, the blood sugar level decreases, and it becomes lower than it was before, since insulin is always produced more than necessary. As a result, the brain again receives signals that there is a lack of glucose and we are hungry. It should also be noted that with excessive consumption of sugar and sweets, only part of insulin is transported to tissues that “need” glucose, another part is transformed into glycogen in the liver, and the rest is converted into fat, which is deposited in our subcutaneous fat layer. Systematic releases of insulin in large quantities lead to the fact that the tissues of the organs become immune to it and the glucose that this insulin brought is not absorbed. At the same time, insulin has no choice but to turn it into a fat depot. As a result, and naturally the risk of developing diabetes increases many times. But back to chrome. This wonderful trace element normalizes blood glucose levels by reducing the production of large amounts of insulin and increasing the sensitivity of tissues to insulin. At the same time, the tissues of the body receive the necessary energy not only due to the glucose brought by insulin, but also due to the mobilization of energy from the depot (liver, muscles, adipose tissue) at the same time. It is thanks to all these properties that chromium reduces cravings for sweets. Chromium is produced in our body, but with age, its production decreases. Also, a significant amount of chromium is washed out during overuse foods containing sugar. Quite often, if you give up sweets for 2-3 weeks, then the craving for sweets disappears. But there are times when additional sources of chromium are needed. Chromium is found in some foods:- Broccoli is the main source of chromium,
- Meat,
- Liver,
- legumes,
- whole grain,
- Bran.
At correct use carbohydrates, you can get rid of sugar cravings and not worry about overweight
The carbohydrate world is very wide and varied. It's easy to lose focus and get lost in it. the right way. For a balanced and healthy diet, it is extremely important to know and follow the rules of "friendship" with carbohydrates. In this material from Clutch.ua you will find answers to the most common questions about the insidious group of macronutrients.
The best time for sweets is morning
From "professionals" in the field of nutrition, you can hear the phrase that you can eat sweets for breakfast. In fact, this statement has nothing to do with healthy food. Morning is not best time for "fast" carbohydrates. Overnight, sugar levels drop, and raising it with a bar of chocolate sets the pace for the day. Having eaten sweets at breakfast, you will want it until the evening. If there is no way without dessert, leave it for second breakfast, or afternoon when there is a decrease in activity and glucose for the brain will be good.
Carbohydrate addiction exists
Carbohydrate addiction really exists. It is divided into psychological and physiological. In the first version, this is due to a lack of joy hormones - endorphin, serotonin. When an “emotional” hunger occurs, a person compensates for it with sweets. Fighting psychological addiction is quite simple: increase the amount of whole grains in your diet and the problem will be solved.
Physiology is a complicated thing. After eating something sweet, blood sugar rises sharply, and insulin is produced in the liver, which is necessary to transport glucose to the tissues that need it. After that, the sugar level drops. The brain again receives a signal about its shortage, and the process starts again. It turns out a vicious circle. Partially "excess" glucose is deposited in the form of glycogen, most of it is transformed into subcutaneous adipose tissue. To eliminate physiological dependence, you need to connect specialists. Chromium normalizes the level of glucose in the blood. It is found in large quantities in broccoli, liver, legumes. Consider introducing them into your diet if sugar cravings are becoming the rule rather than the exception.
What is a "carbohydrate window"
Metabolism begins to become more active after any kind of physical activity. During exercise, adrenaline and cortisol levels rise in the body. It remains high for 20 to 40 minutes, after which it begins to decline. During this period, the body needs to replenish glycogen stores. This requires glucose, which can be obtained from "fast" carbohydrates. In simple words, "carbohydrate window" - a period when the body can instantly process carbohydrates without transforming them into subcutaneous fatty tissue.
Fiber and carbohydrates are not the same
The essence of carbohydrates is to get energy, you will not wait for it from fiber. But it is impossible to exclude the intestinal "brush" from the diet. Fiber contributes to normal digestion with a large amount of protein foods, does not allow blood glucose levels to rise sharply, and contains many useful minerals.
Do not gain weight from carbohydrates
From fat or carbohydrates, weight is not gained. Body weight is directly proportional to daily calorie intake. This excess can be gained in proteins, fats and carbohydrates. The reason why carbohydrates are blamed for excess weight is as follows: modern man consumes too many "empty" calories from pastries, bread, white flour, milk chocolate, cakes. They are high in calories and are not able to satisfy the feeling of hunger for a long time. And as a result - regular enumeration daily allowance calories and excess weight.
The surest way to deal with carbohydrates once and for all is to get rid of junk products. If you can handle this task, then all the other rules will seem small and easy to do.