Obesity for dessert: why people become addicted to sugar
According to statistics, every eighth person on the planet suffers from obesity. There are almost 40 million such patients in Russia. Meanwhile, one of the real chances to get rid of excess weight is to give up sweets. However, not everyone can do it. Izvestia figured out how to change the diet in order to get rid of the pathological craving for sweets, the lack of which trace elements makes people have a sweet tooth.
Obesity for dessert
According to the Ministry of Health, in 2025, almost a quarter of Russians suffer from obesity — the prevalence of this health problem is 24.6% among the adult population. One of the causes of the "plague of the 21st century" is considered by scientists and doctors to be malnutrition and eating disorders, in particular, an uncontrollable love of sweets. According to the Minister of Health of the Russian Federation Mikhail Murashko, Russians consume sugar five times more than the norm. Why are people attracted to sweets and how to deal with it?
— Traditional confectionery products are based on sugar, which belongs to fast (simple) carbohydrates and serves as an instant source of energy for the body. Simple carbohydrates enter the digestive tract, are instantly broken down to glucose and reach the cells, where they are converted into energy," says Anastasia Lebedeva, associate professor at the Department of Dietetics at ROSBIOTECH University.
According to the expert, the energy charge does not last long. After about 30-60 minutes, the blood sugar level drops. A person may feel sluggish again and makes up for the energy deficit with a new "dose" of sweets. The general malaise is complemented by an apathetic mood caused by a lack of endorphins. After eating sweets, it changes for the better, and people pounce on desserts again. This is how a person becomes addicted to sweet food. Breaking this vicious circle is very difficult.
—Energy and good mood are what people want from desserts,— Lebedeva comments. — However, sweets have many side effects, ranging from weight gain to the risk of developing diabetes.
Chronic stress, lack of sleep and hormonal fluctuations also provoke cravings for sweets, says Galina Rogozhkina, gastroenterologist at the Scandinavian Health Center.
— Chronic stress increases cortisol (the stress hormone) and stimulates the desire for high-calorie foods rich in sugar and fat. Lack of sleep acts in a similar way, disrupting the balance of hunger and satiety hormones, says Rogozhkina.
Spinach, broccoli and cabbage
One of the steps that sweet lovers should take is to find out what the body lacks if you constantly want to lean on desserts.
— The condition of chronic fatigue, which people unknowingly "treat" with confectionery products, is caused by a lack of magnesium, zinc and chromium in the body, — Anastasia Lebedeva informs.
The associate professor of the Department of Dietetics suggests supplementing the menu with products that can make an alternative to sweets if you want to get a boost of energy and positivity. The diet must include proteins, green vegetables, oatmeal, nuts, seeds, fruits and berries.
"Eggs, lean meat, fish and legumes help to stabilize blood sugar levels, so people are less attracted to sweets,— comments Anastasia Lebedeva.
Green vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, and cabbage are high in fiber and micronutrients, which contribute to better sugar control. In particular, these products contain vitamins K and C, as well as folic acid. In addition, broccoli is a source of phosphorus and iron, and cabbage is also a source of magnesium and vegetable protein.
Anastasia Lebedeva draws attention to the fact that oatmeal is slowly digested and helps to maintain blood sugar levels at a stable level. And nuts and seeds are rich in healthy fats and proteins, which also helps reduce cravings for sweets.
— Include fruits and berries with a low glycemic index in your diet (blackberries, cherries, raspberries, red currants, strawberries, apricots, apples, pears, etc.), — continues the candidate of Sciences. — Berries and avocados can satisfy the need for sweets without causing a sharp increase in sugar levels.
According to Rogozhkina, natural foods with a low glycemic index (the rate of increase in blood sugar) will help to avoid sudden spikes in glucose and at the same time quench cravings for sweets. In addition to fruits, berries, nuts, and seeds, this list includes bitter chocolate. The gastroenterologist also recommends cooking homemade desserts — they are much healthier than industrial biscuits if they are made from fruits, nuts or whole grain flour. But various syrups, honey or dates should be added to such delicacies at a minimum.
— It is important to consider the composition and serving: even "natural" sugar in excess increases the glycemic load. The combination of carbohydrates with proteins and fats slows down the absorption of glucose and helps to keep energy at an even level," summarizes Galina Rogozhkina.
Why you can't abruptly give up sweets
Galina Rogozhkina emphasizes that the constant craving for desserts is not always associated with willpower, and a strict ban on desserts only increases the risk of overeating.
— The reward system receives fewer of the usual stimuli, so the release of dopamine (a pleasure neurotransmitter) in response to sweets decreases, and psycho-emotional stress increases. With normal regulation, glucose levels in the brain remain stable even without sugar, so the focus should be on stress management, not on "glucose drop," comments Galina Rogozhkina.
The gastroenterologist advises to reduce sugar consumption gradually.
— Three to four balanced meals with protein, healthy fats and fiber maintain stable glucose levels and prevent acute hunger. Sweets are reduced in stages, replacing some of the sugar with natural sweeteners and adding fruits, berries, nuts," suggests the gastroenterologist.
If the desire for sweets persists, Galina Rogozhkina recommends donating blood for glucose and insulin. This is done on an empty stomach.
— It is necessary to calculate the HOMA‑IR index (an indicator of insulin sensitivity). If violations are suspected, an additional HbA1c analysis (average sugar level for three months) or a glucose tolerance test (checking the body's response to glucose loading) is performed, explains the gastroenterologist.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
