If you are on the dessert team and can't see chocolate and want to devour it, you must have heard several ways and indications of how to reduce this desire. Some say that consuming sour and bitter foods helps to take away the desire to eat sweet. But does this tactic really work? The sports and functional nutritionist Vitoria Campanholi explains if this is a practiceeffective and how to do it in a healthy way.

According to the expert, eating sour and bitter foods helps to reduce the desire for sweets, because the palate becomes more sensitive to small doses of sweetness: "Thus, it requires less sugar or papillary stimulants to signal the perception of taste. So, naturally, this person will have the habit of eating less sugar," she adds.

However, she explains that if the person goes back to ingesting large amounts of sugar, the reference of these high doses returns and, consequently, the papillae become less sensitive. Thus, the desire for sweets becomes intense and constant again. "In other words, sweet is not the problem, but the way we deal with it," she argues.

How to insert more sour and bitter foods?

Sour and bitter foods are not usually as inviting as sugary preparations. But, in fact, you have to understand that it is all a matter of getting your palate used to them. Vitória indicates the introduction of strategic options in your daily menu so that, little by little, you will find pleasure in consuming such foods. Check out some guidelines:

• Have a cup of black coffee without sugar in the morning (if you can't drink it this way, gradually reduce the sugar added);
• Swap the sugar-laden dessert chocolate for an option with a higher cocoa content, evolving from 40%;
• Bet on more bitter salads, for example arugula and watercress;
• Seasonings such as vinegar and lemon are also welcome;
• Introduce at least one cup of tea throughout the day. Examples: hibiscus, green tea, carqueja, dandelion, and boldo;
• Consume more sour fruits (passion fruit, lemon, berries, acerola, etc).

Why do I feel a strong desire to eat sweets?

Besides, it is important to understand the reasons why the desire for sweet food can be so present for some people: "It arises due to a biological process. When ingesting foods rich in sugar, fat, or caffeine, the body releases substances that generate satisfaction: serotonin and dopamine", she points out.

These hormones help to combat stress, so when the practice of eating sweet becomes regular, the desire to experience this sensation over and over again grows, and thus the desire to eat sweet becomes frequent and excessive.

Emotional changes throughout the day make the search for a moment of well-being increase and, at this moment, many people resort to the momentary pleasure offered by eating sweets. However, there are other healthier and more effective ways to regulate the concentration of cortisol (stress hormone) in the blood and keep well without the need for large doses of sugar.

"Always opt for an increasingly balanced, healthy diet, rich in vitamins and minerals, to work on reducing inflammation in our body. Besides seeking help in other areas of health, through therapy, psychology, physical activities, in order to provide body homeostasis," indicates the nutritionist.

Read also: Eating too much candy can cause dizziness; risks and how to avoid

Consequences of eating too much candy

Although it may feel good in the body, eating too much candy can be bad for your health in the long run, because high levels of sugar are responsible for the development of several diseases, such as diabetes, obesity, and insomnia.

In addition, she explains that such foods generate a greater accumulation of fat in the blood, therefore, the chances of developing heart problems increase. Gastroenteritis and constipation crises can also arise from eating sweets in large quantities and frequently.

Source: Vitoria Campanholi, sports and functional nutritionist