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Nutritionist Mihaela Bilic spoke about foods that are recognized as “giving well” and which “do not have to have many calories”.
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“Pleasure, blame it! Can we satisfy the pleasure of eating without having to” pay “the price of extra pounds?”, Is the question that nutritionist Mihaela Bilic answered on Saturday, on her Facebook page. “Certainly, especially since there are foods that are known to make you feel good. And it doesn’t have to be high in calories,” Bilic explained.
Top 3 foods with antidepressant effect
Next, Mihaela Bilic wrote that “responsible for the production of pleasure are 2 substances in the brain: dopamine and serotonin. The emotions we feel and mental mood depend on the balance of these substances. Or food directly changes the production of brain neurotransmitters. And no any food! Cheese bread, bananas and ice cream could be a top 3 antidepressant food. “
Here is the explanation: “The combination of protein and carbohydrates is a combination with a guaranteed calming effect. The amino acid called tryptophan, present in proteins such as cheese or turkey, is a precursor to serotonin. For its action to be effective and reach the brain quickly, it needs Insulin, the hormone that appears in the blood as blood sugar rises, is also responsible for how quickly tryptophan is converted to serotonin. vital for mental balance why we all like parmesan potatoes, pizza and pasta: they do us good morale. “
Foods that contain serotonin naturally
“There are also foods that contain serotonin naturally: bananas, plums, avocados and pineapples – I recommend you consume them when you feel that you lack good mood!
The creamy consistency of products such as cream, sour cream, honey, well-baked banana, ice cream or lightly melted chocolate, good for the brain. Beyond the nutrient composition and the number of calories, the fact that they are creamy, at the boundary between solid and liquid, is an additional advantage: it stimulates a special brain area responsible for pleasant experiences.
The same area is stimulated by financial gains or happy events… but until you win the lottery or fall in love, ice cream remains a source of pleasure, “said the nutritionist.
The paradoxical effect of chocolate
“A special place, when it comes to pleasure, is chocolate. Premium product in the category of sweets, chocolate contains a lot of psychoactive substances, has a nourishing, antioxidant, tonic, euphoric and aphrodisiac effect.
Chocolate has a paradoxical effect: it induces a state of well-being, peace and relaxation, but at the same time it awakens the senses, it has invigorating properties. It is a source of phenylalanine, an amino acid responsible for the sensation of being “in the 9th heaven” – it increases endorphin levels and acts similarly to an antidepressant product.
Also in chocolate we find anandamide, a substance with hallucinogenic powers. In moments of extreme joy and pleasure, which lead to euphoria, our brain naturally produces this element. In their absence, we crave chocolate, “Bilic explained.
“Sugar has been overvalued”
If until now you thought that without sugar there is no pleasure, find out that sugar has been overestimated, says Biliic. “It has only empty calories and suddenly raises blood sugar, anesthetizes and numbs the brain. True pleasure is more complex than that, it is a combination of substances, consistencies and emotions… it matters not only what you eat, but with whom you eat. In the right company we have need less food. Try it! “, concluded the nutritionist.
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