by CatheDotCom
Wouldn’t it be nice if you craved broccoli and spinach instead of ice
cream and French fries? That would certainly make it easier to eat a
healthy diet and control your weight. Fast food restaurants are built
around the idea that people can’t pass up food that’s high in sugar and
fat even if it does bad things for their health. Ideally, you’d be able
to program food preferences into your brain like you program a computer
so you would no longer crave high-calorie foods that have little
nutritional value. That’s not possible but there ARE ways to tame those
cravings for the wrong foods and enjoy eating healthier fare.
Unhealthy Foods: What’s the Appeal?
Why is unhealthy food appealing to so many people? At least in mice,
foods high in fat have addictive potential. When mice are raised on a
diet loaded with fat and then switched to leaner fare, they become
anxious or depressed. One theory is that high-fat diets cause changes in
brain chemicals like dopamine that are linked with pleasure and reward.
Other research in animals shows sugar stimulates brain receptors for
brain chemicals like dopamine and opioids. Some experts believe that
sugar has an effect on the brain similar to heroin and other addictive
drugs. Rats even show signs of withdrawal when they’re deprived of
sugar. Whether this is true in humans isn’t clear but there’s little
doubt that some people seek a sugar or fat “fix,” judging by the lines
at fast food restaurants and ice cream parlors.
Can You Retrain Your Brain to Crave Healthy Foods?
If you’re accustomed to eating a diet high in sugar or fat and decide
to suddenly eliminate all added sugar or drastically limit the amount
of fat in your diet, you’re unlikely to be successful. Your taste buds
have become sensitized to sweetness, and the texture of fat and food
will taste completely different. The key? Cut back in increments,
gradually replacing foods high in sugar and fat with healthier
alternatives like whole foods with no added sugar or creamy sauces.
If you’re a fast food junkie, start by ordering a salad to accompany a
fast food sandwich instead of fries. This works better than going “cold
turkey” and giving up fast food entirely. If you put 3 teaspoons of
sugar in your coffee, cut the amount in half gradually over several
weeks and then cut it in half again. Gradually taper back to give your
taste buds a chance to become sensitive against to sweetness. Once
you’re down to a teaspoon, 3 teaspoons of sugar will taste
overwhelmingly sweet and foods that are low in sugar will again have
flavor.
Gradually Introduce Healthier Foods to Your Diet
While you’re cutting back on sugar, gradually introduce healthier
foods into your diet. Add one extra vegetable to your plate every week
or two. Roast your vegetables or add seasonings to bring out their
flavor. Eat slowly and concentrate on the taste of each bite. Gradually,
you’ll develop an appreciation for foods that aren’t loaded with sugar
and fat. It’s all about eating slowly and mindfully.
What about using calorie-free sweeteners to cut back on sugar? To
retrain your taste buds and reduce the desire for foods high in sugar,
you’ll need to cut back on ALL sweeteners. When your taste buds sense
sweetness, it creates a flavor preference. Instead, expose your taste
buds to whole foods so you learn to appreciate foods in their natural
state. After you’ve done this for a several weeks, you’ll find sugary
and fatty foods will have far less appeal.
Another way to reinforce the desire to eat healthy is to create a
pleasant atmosphere when you eat a healthy meal. Arrange your food in an
appealing fashion on the plate. If you’re eating alone, play some
relaxing music in the background so your brain associates healthy eating
with pleasure.
The Bottom Line?
You can retrain your taste buds to appreciate the taste of whole,
healthy foods but it takes time. It’ll be less of a shock if you do it
gradually – but be persistent. Stick with it and fast food and processed
food will lose their appeal.
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