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Why Are We Attracted to Fatty Foods?

When first reviewing a plan for losing weight, many people are surprised when they don't see many of the things they like on the list of permitted foods. Why does everything we like have to be fattening? Our attraction to foods with more fat and sugar is genetic. 

A recent report from the University of Dundee, Great Britain, on an eating test performed on 100 school children between the ages of 4 and 10, concludes that the attraction to foods with more fat and sugar is genetic. The results were overwhelming: children who possess the "obesity gene" consume 100 calories more during a meal. When choosing between various alternatives, they prefer foods with fat and sugar, instead of other healthier options. According to investigators, the obesity gene is present in 63% of the population.

Why Are We Attracted to Fatty Foods?

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Read this article:   http://www.midieta.com:80/wirefeed.aspx?id=622227 

The Key Is to Look for New Options

Going beyond the findings of the British investigators, there are other factors that also have an influence: "Foods rich in fat provoke a pleasurable sensation in the mouth and are very flavorful. When you stop eating fatty foods, in a certain sense you lose this sensation and, unless you replace it with other foods that have an interesting flavor, you'll never have the same pleasure. In addition to this, foods that contain fat promote a greater feeling of "fullness" (it takes the body longer to digest fats than proteins or carbohydrates)," explained Jackie Keller, founder of Nutrifit and author of the bestseller Body After Baby

It's All Chemical

Although for some it seems like something out of science fiction, not all individuals satisfy their hunger for "something delicious" with foods that are high in fat or sugar. "Some people feel satisfied with pineapple, which is very sweet, or a banana. In any case, many people associate "something sweet" with baked goods or sweets, given that the palate is "adapted" to the sweetness that comes from added sugar. "It's conditioning, like all habits, and can be modified through consistent effort," pointed out the nutritionist, who has worked with various celebrities such as Angelina Jolie, Reese Witherspoon, Uma Thurman and Penelope Cruz, among others.

According to Jackie Keller, feeling like--or not feeling like--eating fruits and vegetables is a question of habit. "There are people who crave eating fruits or vegetables for their moisture, texture and flavor. If a person commits to eating more and more of this type of food instead of less healthy options, little by little they will become adapted. Carbohydrates high in calories promote the production of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is the neurotransmitter of a feeling of "well-being." This chemical messenger sends a signal of satisfaction and calm to the brain. This process, that occurs when one eats carbohydrates high in fat, doesn't work the same way with fruits and vegetables.

Now that you know what happens to your body when you crave and eat fatty foods or carbohydrates, maybe it'll be easier for you to change some of your old habits .

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