Food preferences speak volumes about character. What your eating habits say about your health Spicy or salty foods

It turns out that every emotion has a certain taste or aroma, and therefore, by eating certain foods, you can influence your psycho-emotional state

Modern doctors have noticed that the psychological factors of diseases are so strong that they often dominate over physiological factors in treatment. It has also been noted that a person’s taste needs depend and are determined by his mental and emotional state, and not from reasonable expediency. And this is due to the fact that food is a source of not only nutrients for the physical body of a person, but also forms his emotional potential of the psyche. Simply put, it gives power to emotions.

The taste of food is an emotion

According to Ayurveda, there are 6 tastes:

• sweet
• sour
• salty
• bitter
• tart
• astringent

And if all these tastes are present in a balanced state, then food gives a person health and happiness. If this harmony is disturbed, which often depends on shortcomings of character and behavior, then illnesses occur.

So, for example, being in a state of laziness, a person wants a sweet taste. Sweet taste is useful, but from its excess, i.e. Excess sugar in the body reduces the defenses, the metabolism and function of the liver, pancreas, and small blood vessels are disrupted, and vision suffers. It has been noticed that a lot of sweets, especially in the evening, are consumed by those who try not to solve their problems.

When experiencing grief, a person unconsciously seeks to diversify his diet with such bitter foods as: mustard, rye bread, coffee. As a result, there is a high likelihood of chronic infections, diseases of the blood and skeletal system. A pessimistic, touchy person constantly strives to eat sour things. And sour in excessive quantities harms the heart, lungs, stomach, intestines, joints, and disrupts the internal environment of the body.

A fussy, tense person simply loves salty food. He loves her so much that he is ready to eat even sweets and salt. And too much salty food is an enemy of the blood vessels of the whole body, bronchi, kidneys, and joints. Stubborn, assertive, unrestrained people love things that are overly tart. Such food leads to diseases of the hormonal organs, bronchi, spine, joints, and bones.

Angry, overly temperamental people experience an addiction to spicy food, which results in inflammatory processes in the liver, pancreas, stomach, heart, and genitals. The need for fried food in a person arises when there is rudeness in the character, a feeling of fatigue and an aversion to work. And this leads to overload of the blood vessels of the brain, liver, stomach, and hormonal and immune functions are disrupted.

Greedy people love excessively fatty foods, which lead to diseases of the stomach, liver, skeletal system, and metabolic disorders.

Food taste and stress

People who are under constant mental stress, do not know how to distract themselves from problems, prefer to tone the body with tea, coffee, St. John's wort, and oregano.

Being in this state, a person, as a rule, begins to smoke, drink alcohol and other means of poisoning.

One way or another, but at the physiological level the result of such habits is damage to the blood vessels of the brain, heart, kidneys, and liver. Moreover, the functions of the gonads decrease and the circulatory system begins to suffer.

Irritable, stubborn, greedy, fussy people like to eat a lot, they are in a hurry while eating - excess weight appears, blood pressure disorders, hormonal disorders, disorders in the spine, and the body's defenses decrease.

Food and the modern world

With callousness, greed, bad attitude towards people, cruelty, excessive attachment to things, a craving for meat appears. And cruelty and straightforwardness causes a huge need for fish products. The result is pessimism, constant irritability, malignant tumors, accidents.

In addition, these meats and fish require a lot of energy to digest, which as a result leads to a weakening of all other functions of the body, including the natural desire for self-healing. Diseases become chronic.

So, what emotions are associated with food? Let's summarize:

grief - bitter emotions,

fear has an astringent character.

These two emotions aggravate the psycho-energetic flows in the human body, called “vata” in Ayurveda.

envy is a sour emotion,

anger is a caustic emotion.

These two emotions aggravate pitta.

desire and passion are sweet emotions,

greed is a salty emotion.

These two increase kapha.

A person who is passionate about what he loves, who treats people kindly, is not inclined to pervert his taste qualities, and thereby increases the opportunity to be healthy and happy.

Thus, by indulging our negative character traits, we acquire disturbances in harmonious taste sensations, which, in turn, forces us to eat meat, fish products, fried foods, tea, cocoa, and coffee. Excessively - sweet, - sour, - salty, - tart, - bitter, - fatty, - spicy. And if not proper nutrition diseases develop. This is how the mechanism of punishing a person for negative character traits works. Therefore, eat harmoniously and balanced, exclude meat, fish, coffee from your diet, reduce the amount of fried foods, and then you will help your body get rid of many diseases. published

P.S. And remember, just by changing your consumption, we are changing the world together! © econet

The uncontrollable craving for a particular product is not always just our “whim”. In some cases it is a symptom. In this way, the body gives us an encrypted signal about “problems” in its functioning and a lack of nutrients. But recognizing exactly which elements are missing is very difficult! After all, you don’t want a specific vitamin or microelement, but junk food, and sometimes completely inedible. Maybe it's time to see a doctor? We will work with experts to identify “suspicious” eating habits.

There are legends about girls' desire to eat salty foods. Worth it only for festive table taste a couple of pickled cucumbers, everyone around begins to look “suspiciously” - which means that soon the woman will notice a growing belly. But it’s not only pregnancy that causes an uncontrollable craving for salty food!

For some time now, your usual dishes seem under-salted, and thoughts about barrel cucumbers just don’t let you sleep? These “symptoms” may indicate inflammatory processes in the genitourinary system - cystitis, inflammation of the ovaries, prostatitis. Sometimes an unbridled love for salty foods is a sign of a disorder of the secretory apparatus (for example, there is not enough hydrochloric acid in the stomach for the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract).

What to eat?

It is unlikely that you should completely remove salt from your diet - it adds flavor to dishes and stimulates the production of digestive juices. But too much of it is harmful! In this case, you should not recklessly indulge your food “whims” by eating kilograms of salty foods. Replenish the lack of chlorides with fish, a small portion of seeds or nuts.

Cravings for sweets

Lollipops, chocolate, sugar cookies - who would refuse delicious desserts? But if lately you’ve been tempted to “sweeten” every meal with a mountain of sugary desserts, it’s time to think about your health.

The most “harmless” thing that a craving for sweets indicates is nervous and mental overstrain. When we are stressed, the sugar consumed in food is processed much faster - our body “asks” for glucose even more. More serious diseases are also possible - diabetes mellitus. It's time to run to the doctor if, in addition to chocolate and candy gluttony, you are constantly thirsty.

What to eat?

If you are currently going through a difficult period in your life, it is not forbidden to treat yourself to something sweet from time to time - your mood and performance will improve. But you shouldn’t rely on baked goods that are too “heavy” for the stomach. Give preference to healthier sweets - dark chocolate, marshmallows, fruits (banana, grapes).

If you can't eat a dish without sprinkling a couple of spoons of pepper on it, or in the evenings you're drawn to Mexican restaurants like a magnet, you may have a lazy stomach. In order to begin to digest the incoming food, he needs a good “recharge” - but spicy foods stimulate digestion. A constant desire to taste something hot in rare cases indicates a lipid metabolism disorder.

To put all fears aside, make an appointment with a doctor - you need to undergo a gastroscopy.

Spices in small quantities are useful - they help eliminate “bad” cholesterol and improve digestion. But there is also the other side of the coin - too spicy food (especially in unlimited quantities) greatly irritates the mucous membranes of the stomach, which can be a direct path to gastritis. Control your desires! And even more so, spicy dishes are contraindicated on an empty stomach.

Cravings for sour

Are you ready to eat a whole lemon at once? You may have a vitamin C deficiency - which often manifests itself in the autumn-winter period, when minerals and vitamins are so lacking. It is worth paying attention to the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract - sometimes a craving for sour foods is a “symptom” of gastritis with low acidity. If your unbridled love for lemons and cranberries does not go away even in summer and you periodically experience stomach pain, you should consult a doctor.

There is another reason for the need for sour foods - magnesium deficiency in the body.

What to eat?

You probably yourself have noticed that sour foods make you feel better when you have a cold and high body temperature - and all thanks to vitamin C. You can “strengthen” your immune system with ascorbic acid with lemon or cranberries, kiwi - eat them just like that or add them to tea or fruit juice. Small portions of seeds and nuts and legume dishes will help compensate for the lack of magnesium.

The constant need for fatty foods (french fries, grilled chicken, salads with a lot of mayonnaise, etc.) is the first sign of chronic fatigue. But very often we confuse the desire to replenish energy with a feeling of hunger - and instead of just sleeping, we gorge ourselves at night. Naturally, the heaviness in your stomach will not let you fall asleep for a long time - a vicious circle!

An incredible craving for fatty foods can also indicate a lack of calcium in the body.

What to eat?

Yes, fatty foods provide energy. But french fries, meat fried in oil, mayonnaise also mean heaviness in the stomach, extra pounds and “bad” cholesterol in the blood. Therefore, the next time you want to “recharge”, do not indulge in junk food - replace animal fats with vegetable ones! Regular consumption of milk, broccoli, cheese, sesame seeds, and legume dishes will help solve the problem of calcium deficiency.

Cravings for meat

Never been a meat lover, but now you can't go a day without eating a chop? Most likely, the body is signaling an acute lack of iron and B vitamins. It has been established that iron deficiency in women worsens during menstruation.

What to eat?

Don't give up a portion of your favorite meat. Just pay attention to the heat treatment methods you use. Optimal options- baking in the oven with low-fat sauce, steaming, stewing. It is also important what exactly you combine the meat with. Pasta and potatoes are not the best duo for meat dishes. Let vegetables be a side dish - tasty and healthy.

Regular consumption of coffee is addictive - a scientifically proven fact. But sometimes this is not just a bad habit - a constant desire to drink a cup of an invigorating drink can indicate a lack of sulfur in the body. But this is an important element that is involved in protein synthesis and protects tissues and cells from oxidation. Sulfur is also called the “mineral of beauty” - its deficiency negatively affects the condition of hair, nails and skin.

What to eat?

Overcome your dependence on coffee - regular consumption of it in large quantities is harmful to the body. And it is better to compensate for the sulfur deficiency with broccoli, cranberries, cabbage and kale.

Listen to the “whims” of your body - this can be a hint for solving health problems! And take your time to sweep away all the food in the refrigerator to extinguish the strong desire to eat something. If this desire is constant, it is better to consult a doctor.

Expert commentary

Every person has experienced a condition when a craving for a certain product turned into an obsession. You can convince yourself as much as you want that I don’t want chocolate, that it’s a lack of magnesium, that I need to eat buckwheat and everything will go away - but this only goes away if you open the rustling package, break the bar and eat it whole at once. Scientists are trying to understand the unreasonable surge in human feelings for certain foods by studying them chemical properties and offering a replacement product with a similar composition. For a person, if he is not a robot, the objection naturally arises: “but I don’t want buckwheat - I want chocolate!”

Nutrition for us is not only physiology. Often hidden in our needs is the desire to feel “that very taste” with which pleasant memories are associated. But it’s one thing if you want natural products, such as dried apricots or bananas, and quite another if you want something not very healthy and low-calorie, especially when you’re on a diet (and who isn’t on a diet now?).

Just 100 years ago, people didn't think about what they should eat. They simply ate, since all the products were natural: sausage was made from meat, and bread was made from whole grain flour. Our great-grandfathers did not want chips and candy bars, because their existence was not known. Now there are so many harmful surrogate products on store shelves that you constantly need to listen to your desires.

Our body is very smart, its goal is to survive. He asks for what he needs to live. It is only important to understand it correctly. The proper nutrition system teaches him to meet his needs, maintaining a balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, assuring him that he will not want anything else. But, as practice has shown (5 years on proper nutrition), from time to time you still want something specific.

So what do we want and what to do if there is no way to resist the desire? First, figure out what kind of product it is - sweet, fatty, salty, sour, bitter, crispy, cold, etc. And then try to break it down into its components and replace what you want with what is allowed.

• I want milk chocolate with hazelnuts.

Milk chocolate with hazelnuts = milk + cocoa + nuts + sweetness. What can you eat to experience this taste?

Mix cocoa, nuts, soft curd, sweetener - you will get a delicious chocolate spread with a minimum of calories. This dessert will fill you up much better than chocolate, consume half as many calories and get healthy fats from cocoa and nuts, as well as protein from cottage cheese.

• I want pizza

Pizza is attractive because of the taste of melted cheese with vegetables and meat. So what’s stopping you from baking vegetables with lean meat and cheese? Quite a dietary dish.

• I want chips

Most likely, you want to crunch while watching the series. But you can also crunch with granulated bran or bread, and spices and healthy sauces will add flavor to them.

• I want ice cream

Apparently, someone missed their vanilla childhood. Freeze a banana and grind it in a blender, adding a couple of tablespoons of milk and vanilla. Surprisingly, the consistency and taste of banana ice cream is very similar to a creamy sundae.

• I want potatoes

Zucchini goes well with potatoes. And if you bake it with mushrooms (or lightly fry it in a non-stick frying pan with a teaspoon of olive oil), then you can completely satisfy your craving for a high-calorie starchy dish - potatoes.

• I want some baking

Bake from oatmeal with sweeteners, add cottage cheese, egg whites, dried fruits, nuts, coconut flakes - eat for health.

• I want jam

Low-calorie jam can be cooked at least all year round. Grind frozen berries in a blender and boil the puree with sweetener. Eat 200-300 g of this jam and you will stop craving it. You don’t have to boil it - in this case the dessert will still be healthy.

• I want lard

You want salty and smoky flavors. Smoked meats themselves are harmful, and lard is also high in calories. But there is a way to minimize the harm of this desire - smoked squid is very similar in appearance, structure and taste to lard. Eat it with mustard and whole grain bread (as we are used to) - you will get protein, complex carbohydrates and a similar taste. Salt is very important for the body. Every living thing on Earth was once part of the sea - our blood is salty, our tears are salty, even the milk of a nursing woman contains salt. But it’s one thing when we eat a pickled low-calorie cucumber and quite another when we crave smoked lard or fatty chips.

And remember, even healthy products You also need to eat in moderation, in a variety of variations and maintain a balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Because if you eat chicken, cucumber and buckwheat day after day, then after a couple of weeks you will definitely want something else and, most likely, it will be something harmful.

Each of us has our own food preferences. And sometimes we are suddenly dying to eat or drink something specific. Oddly enough, this may indicate that our body is lacking certain substances.

You constantly feel the urge to eat dairy products c - for example, cheese, kefir or cottage cheese? Do you also secretly eat plaster from the walls? The diagnosis is clear: you don't have enough calcium! It is also possible that your body has a deficiency of essential amino acids - such as lysine, leucine, etc.

I want to sweet? It has been noticed that people who have to work a lot or those who have problems with nerves like sweets. This is explained by the fact that glucose is involved in the production of adrenaline, the stress hormone. Under stress, sugar is quickly consumed, and we try to replenish its reserves with a piece of cake, a couple of sweets or a pastry.

I want to chocolate? This does not mean that you have a sweet tooth. After all, chocolate contains a lot of useful substances, primarily “supporting” our brain. They eat it to cheer up, concentrate, and relieve stress.

Craving for salty does not necessarily indicate pregnancy. Passion for pickled cucumbers and tomatoes may indicate the presence of a source of inflammation or infection in the body. This is often associated with problems of the genitourinary system - cystitis, prostatitis or inflammation of the appendages. But it may also be that there is simply a lack of chlorides in the body. If you specifically want herring, this may also indicate a lack of beneficial amino acids, such as omega-6.

If you like sour foods and you can easily eat lemons and cranberries without sugar, and also like to pour sour vinegar on your food, this is evidence of a violation of the acid-base balance in the body. You may have liver problems and gallbladder. But it also happens that the body simply does not have enough vitamin C. This happens, for example, with colds.

People who have recently suffered some kind of illness associated with intoxication of the body are often drawn to it. This may also indicate that the gastrointestinal tract is clogged.

Addiction to hot foods such as pepper, horseradish or mustard may indicate that your stomach is too lazy. The fact is that spicy foods, various spices and herbs stimulate digestion. In addition, a love for “spicy” foods may indicate that lipid metabolism in the body is disturbed and the amount of “bad” cholesterol has increased. Acute helps to “clean” blood vessels. But do not forget that it also irritates the gastric mucosa.

If you feel like it nuts, peas or beans, then your body may currently need B vitamins. Most often this happens to those who experience constant stress, as well as to those who like to abuse alcohol.

Wish nibble on a sunflower seed speaks of vitamin E deficiency. This often happens to heavy smokers.

Cravings for jacket potatoes, tomatoes and bananas indicate a lack of potassium. Its amount usually decreases during times of stress or due to taking something diuretic. Symptoms of potassium deficiency are poor appetite, drowsiness and apathy.

White cabbage in raw form does not attract those who have problems with gastrointestinal tract. Sometimes the body itself “thinks” for us. The fact is that cabbage contains a large amount of fiber, which normalizes intestinal function.

Addiction to and other seafood, as well as olives and black olives may indicate a lack of iodine in the body. Unfortunately, this may also indicate serious problems with the thyroid gland.

You can absorb kilograms apples? It is believed that those who lack iron are drawn to apples. However, this may also indicate elevated blood cholesterol levels. The fact is that apples contain elements that help reduce it - for example, potassium, phosphorus and magnesium. Apples are very useful for those suffering from cardiovascular diseases.

What does a sudden change in food habits indicate?

If you suddenly become drawn to some product that you previously did not like or were neutral about, this is an alarming signal. You may need to undergo a medical examination. It is by no means always possible for us to obtain all the necessary substances exclusively from food products. Sometimes you need to take special medications. And if serious problems are discovered, serious treatment will be required.

By the way, pay attention to how your children eat. The child cannot always explain what is bothering him. But if he suddenly begins to give preference to certain foods, it won’t hurt to take him to the doctor.

Also, you should not force your child to eat something he does not want to eat. Perhaps this product is not needed at the moment or even harmful to his body. Have no doubt: he will definitely ask for what he needs. Of course, this does not mean that the child should be fed only candy, ice cream or chips. Food should be varied.

Cravings for certain types of food are considered one of the biggest problems if you are on a diet. At the same time, the same addictions can become your ticket to improved health and a better understanding of how your body works. Learn to recognize your body's signals and act right choice, understanding what cravings for certain foods actually mean.

Taste preferences are one of the main reasons why most people fail to stick to their diet and make healthy choices. Our taste habits can become a real punishment, but we should not always consider them only from this perspective.

Many times our body tries to send a signal that it needs certain nutrients, and this is expressed through taste preferences for food that contains such substances. Sometimes the explanation lies on the surface; the main thing is to correctly decipher the body signals. For example, a craving for red meat indicates a lack of protein. We've rounded up some of the most common taste preferences to help you recognize possible substances your body may be lacking.

Hot and spicy food

If you're not usually a fan of spicy foods, this may seem strange to you. Understanding your body's desires can help you greatly. A craving for spicy foods may be the body's response to fighting inflammation. Red pepper and other spices typically contain active substances that minimize inflammation and relieve pain. Another explanation could be a lack of sulfur in the body. To help your body, eat garlic, onions or cauliflower.

Chocolate

Chocolate cravings are usually thought of as sugar cravings or a need for a mood boost. However, a craving for chocolate may also indicate a deficiency of an important mineral, magnesium.

Magnesium deficiency can be a very serious problem, as the element is involved in the activation of more than 300 enzymes, is responsible for bone health, the transmission of nerve impulses, and also regulates blood pressure. Pumpkin seeds, lima beans, raw nuts, spinach, brown rice or tofu are healthy substitutes that will help replenish your body with this mineral.

Sweets

If you experience an uncontrollable craving for sweets, then your body may be lacking a number of minerals - chromium, phosphorus, tryptophan, sulfur or carbon.

Most of these substances can be found in fresh vegetables and fruits, and phosphorus in large quantities found in poultry, grains, eggs and dairy products.

A lack of phosphorus or sulfur can also result in an addiction to coffee or tea.

Salty food

When it comes to popcorn, chips and crackers, salt is a universal craving. For many, this craving is artificial, caused by excessive sodium intake in the diet. But in some cases, this may be a signal of insufficient chlorine or iodine in the body. Asparagus, mushrooms or soybeans will help replenish the amount of iodine. Chlorine is found in tomatoes, celery, olives and seaweed.

Bread

Cravings for bread and other simple carbohydrates may indicate low serotonin levels. Our body needs simple carbohydrates because they are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, giving an immediate boost of energy.

To replace simple carb cravings with healthier habits, include low-glycemic index foods as a source of protein in your diet. Protein-rich foods will help you overcome your cravings for simple carbohydrates.

Fatty foods

Cravings for fatty foods can indicate one of two things: a lack of healthy healthy fats, such as Omega 3, or a calcium deficiency. Good sources of healthy fats are walnuts, flaxseed, oil or fish. To replenish calcium, eat dark green leafy vegetables, dairy products, tahini, sesame seeds or plums.

Irina Mironchuk

Lollipops

• An addiction to sucking candies sometimes indicates a much big problems than consuming chocolate in unmeasured quantities. A constant desire to put a lollipop in your mouth may indicate that your body is in the first stage of diabetes, and if, along with an exorbitant love for lollipops, you also have excessively frequent trips to the toilet, it’s time to see a doctor.
• Another option is much less alarming: your cravings for large amounts of sweets may well be triggered by the foods you eat most often, such as bread or white rice.
• Another reason for addiction to sweets can be simple stress. The fact is that sugar activates the “reward” center of the brain. In difficult life situations, the brain simply needs a little something tasty and harmful.

Bread or pasta

Ice cream

• If you have heartburn and other stomach problems that can cause you to feel an unpleasant burning sensation and nausea, ice cream acts as a first-class pain reliever. If all the signs are obvious, and you also want something cold, check your body for developing gastritis.
• You may be overusing painkillers. Anti-inflammatory medications can cause serious irritation on the walls of the stomach, which can be eliminated by frozen creamy mass.
• Are you tired. Ice cream has a high content of natural milk sugars, which can provide you with an energy boost for quite a long time.

Spicy or salty foods

• Most likely, you are one of the “lucky” ones suffering from vegetative-vascular dystonia. Problems with blood vessels cause a constant and difficult to overcome desire to eat very spicy foods.
• Your body is dehydrated. Internal thirst tends to masquerade as hunger. This is precisely what determines your need for salt, because, as you know, it is salt that retains moisture, which means that your body is trying to send an SOS signal - it does not have enough fluid. In this case, try to drink at least two liters of water per day.

Meat

If you have never been a meat lover, but are now ready to eat a chop every day for lunch, or better yet two, then it’s time to think: what is your body signaling to you? Most likely, you lack iron or vitamin B. This is more true for vegetarians. Meat contains the protein that each of us needs. In addition, it must be remembered that in women, iron deficiency is especially aggravated during menstruation.

Fatty foods

It turns out that the need for fatty foods, such as French fries, is the first sign of chronic lack of sleep. Your tired body requires energy, but here’s the problem: often the desire to replenish your strength is easily confused with a feeling of hunger. Have you ever wondered why, after eating a sandwich with sausage, butter or any other product at night that is unlikely to benefit your figure, you cannot fall asleep for a long time? The answer is simple: fatty foods give us energy. But we still recommend replacing frying oil with natural fats; such a step will reduce the risk of becoming obese while striving for vigor.