DO YOU REACH OUT FOR CHOCOLATES WHEN YOU ARE STRESSED?

Why do people reach out for chocolates when they are stressed? What really happens in our body, that makes us crave for chocolates? A friend confided in me recently that whenever she feels sad, stressed or upset, she consumes a lot of chocolates which has now become a habit and though she knows excess chocolates contribute to weight gain, she says she is unable to do anything about her addiction to chocolates. 

There was a study led by the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Centre that led to suggest, during stress, the hunger inducing hormone ghrelin is released in the intestine, that makes us hungry and crave for high calorie sweets and resort to chocolates, cakes and pastries and Elevated levels of ghrelin reduces stress and the person feels relaxed. This is a vicious cycle as consuming high calorie foods to soothe one self leads to obesity and makes it even more difficult to lose excess weight if one is addicted to high calorie sweet foods and does not break the habit. 

We as humans are endowed with the great capability of getting rid of an old unhealthy habit and following a new healthy one. It takes 21 days to form a new habit. If one were to stop eating chocolates and high calorie sweets for 2 weeks, the 3rd week gets easier and we wouldn’t crave for chocolates or high calorie sweets after 3 weeks. Instead of totally depriving yourself, you could have a small piece just once a week, which also keeps you in charge and control of what and how much you are eat.