Some studies demonstrate that salt, sugar and fat cause addictions, which are thought to be the main reason of growing obesity rates worldwide. It means we now have another excuse for a diet that the majority of us start one day and quit the other day. It is also reported that the addictive desire for fast food is related to the processed and vegetable oil in it.
Many recipes rely on salt as a way to improve the aroma, reduce bitterness, and balance out the flavors of a dish. It also extends the shelf life and makes some food crunchier like crackers. The salt’s enhancing flavor is one of the most significant factors that make fast food irreplaceable for many people.
To intensify the salt’s taste, some food producers use “kosher salt”, which is known for its larger surface and big crystals. Kosher salt dissolves on the tongue more quickly, causing more intense flavor. Seeing that the excessive consumption of salt triggers high blood pressure and other similar diseases, we can say that junk food may indeed shorten the life span.
Sugar is considered the next biggest enemy of human health. An increasing number of studies show how it harms health and turns the entire system of the human body upside down. However, we still can’t abandon its sweet flavor. Sugar is described as a “bliss point,” the level of sugar that makes the consumer happy, which is quite high.
When we consume sugar, our brain secretes dopamine, a hormone that mediates pleasure in the brain and we want to consume more sugar. Several studies prove that heroin, morphine and sugar trigger the same receptors in the human brain. It should be noted that the biggest harm of sugar consumption is not gaining weight. Other studies indicate that sugar increases the risk of kidney failure, heart disease and even cancer.
How can you get rid of sugar addiction?
Chromium polynicotinateChromium polynicotinate is pure niacin-bound chromium (Vitamin B3). Chromium plays a crucial role in the regulation of blood glucose levels within the body and in energy production. Chromium polynicotinate prevents the sudden jump or loss of blood sugar. You can stop sweet craving by consuming 200 micrograms of it once in a day before one of your meals.
What I mean by fruit sugar is the fruit itself, not the juice. To get a glass of fruit juice, we need to use 3-4 pieces of fruit; however, you can only eat two pieces when consuming the fruit itself. You are equally satisfied but consume less fruit sugar in this way. There have been studies that discuss what kind of harm ready-made fruit juices have on human health. If you can’t completely stop consuming fruit juices, try to decrease the level of your consumption or to add mineral water. When you continue to decrease the level of consumption of sugary drinks, you’ll realize that you won’t miss them.
Abandon sugar from your recipes
We all have favorite recipes that are irreplaceable for us. In these cases, you can try to change some of the ingredients with alternatives. For example, you can use date syrup, which has numerous benefits for health or honey instead of sugar.
Consume fruitFruit has natural sugar. Therefore, by eating dried or fresh fruit, you can manipulate the receptors in your brain and convince them that you are consuming dessert. When you crave sugar, try to eat fruit rather than cake or candies. Marmalade or fruit juices, which you can prepare without adding sugar, can also help curb the craving for sugar.
The next dangerous substance is fat, which has many different types. Fat produces energy within the body two times more than sugar does. It also extends the shelf life of food, which means more profit for producers. As today’s conditions prioritize profit rather than human health, we can easily see there are high levels of fat in take-home foods.
Fatty junk food
The most fattening junk food is potato chips, but why? Because it has salt, sugar and fat that is sufficient for addiction. They are also subjected to the frying process, where the majority of the calories are gained. As soon as you eat the chips, simple carbohydrates in the potato turn into sugar and give the pleasure we mentioned. After the sugar is mixed with blood, the blood sugar quickly increases.
Producers are well aware of triggers that push us to buy certain things and in fact, they play with our brains. For instance, various studies suggest that white powder becomes a reminder of cocaine for cocaine addicts. Producers, who have realized that triggers are influential in consumption preferences, stimulate us to buy, by consciously using smell and food visuals in advertisements. According to scientists, the secretion of opioids have the same effect as morphine does and increases with consumption of the food with high fat and sugar content. Similarly, the medicine that blocks the receptors of heroin-morphine addiction in the brain also blocks the failure of resistance against food with high fat and sugar content.
In other words, showing a cocaine addict a video of someone who uses cocaine has the same effect as showing a hungry person a visual of a hamburger.