Want to lose weight? Relax, say doctors
Scientists have discovered the gene that makes us crave sugary, fatty foods when we’re under stress.
Nicknamed the ‘comfort eating gene’, it pumps out a protein called Ucn3 during times of stress. Ucn3 has significant effects throughout the body, affecting vital organs such as the liver, heart, liver and pancreas.
The protein is thought to increase appetite, affect how full we feel and control insulin.
Findings from research conducted on mice show that Ucn3 can also trigger a craving for sugary or fatty foods due to the body’s extra requirements during times of extreme stress.
For people who experience everyday stresses, it is easy to give into cravings and become overweight and unhealthy.
On a primeval level, stress helps us to cope with extreme situations, such as coming face to face with a predator or any dangerous situation. In these situations, your body suddenly craves energy and this can be in the form of sugary and fatty foods.
So perhaps the trick to avoid cravings is to kick back, relax and avoid stressful situations.
If you would like to know how to reduce or resist your unhealthy cravings, you may wish to consult a nutritionist. Please visit out Nutrition Topics pages to explore the huge variety of health conditions a nutritionist can help to prevent and treat.
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