Your working day is over, go home to throw a pizza in the oven and then rush on to the next task that awaits you. Is unhealthy eating the cause of stress or the lack of time to prepare a nutritious meal for yourself? Or do we really crave unhealthy food more when we are stressed?
Addictive sugars
Do you notice that – even when you are sitting quietly on the couch – you cannot stop eating your favorite snack? Foods with a high content of fats and sugars (think of cake, chocolate, chips, pizza or ice cream) have addictive factors. These nutritional properties trigger the reward system in the brain. You’ve probably noticed that that bag of chips or bar of chocolate is gone before you know it. Especially when you feel stressed, it can be difficult to stop eating, even if you are already full. Stress makes us more susceptible to addictions. According to this investigation Stress causes a person to consume more food rich in sugar, fat or salt. Also called hyper-palatable food. Want to consume less sugar through drinks? This is a piece of cake with these sugar-free drinks.
Chronic stress and dopamine
According to the same study, chronic stress can affect certain parts of the brain, including the production of dopamine. This can ensure that the sensitivity of the reward system in the brain, the preference for unhealthy food and the motivation to seek out hyper-palatable food are strengthened. In this way, chronic stress can perpetuate unhealthy eating. Breaking this pattern can be very difficult. You can put these foods on your plate to experience less stress.
A lack of time
When we are stressed we want to spend as little time as possible preparing food. You may even skip meals or forget to eat because of the rush. We understand that it feels like there is no time to take care of yourself when you feel stressed. Work stress can make you feel stressed throughout the day. Do you have the feeling that you are often ‘on’ and that the dividing line between work and private life is becoming increasingly blurred? You can do this to maintain balance.
Eating against fatigue
Indirectly, less sleep – as a result of stress – can also lead to an unhealthy eating pattern, he said these researchers. When we feel tired, we are more likely to reach for sugars or other high-calorie foods. Because calories and sugars represent energy. Unfortunately, this energy boost is short-lived. This is followed by the well-known sugar dip. Did you eat too much sugar? This is what you can do to avoid the dip.
Also interesting
Want to learn to recognize stress? These 7 unknown signals can be a sign of stress.
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2023-09-29 22:04:59
#Fact #fiction #stress #eat #unhealthier
