lb
amm
April 17,1997
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Food and Mood: Craving Cholcolate is Biological
How certain foods might
affect our mood generates a
lot of interest. Women, in par
ticular, want to understand the
link between food and mood.
Media reports frequently
claim that dietary changes will
eliminate food cravings, im
prove mood, or cure symp
toms of PMS (premenstrual
syndrome).
So, what are the facts
about women, food and
mood? Researchers have
speculated that certain
foods and nutrients
may influence
mood. In reality,
most reports
on food in
take, espe
c i a 1 1 y
choco
late, are
anec
dotal.
There
fore, we
should
ask the
ques
tion:
Does
food in
take af
fect mood
or does
mood affect
intake? Women
most frequently crave
chocolate. People often be
lieve that chocolate is craved
because of the bioactive (the
effect of a given agent, such
as a vaccine, upon a living
organism) substances it con
tains. However, these sub
stances also occur in the other
foods- including pickled her
ring, Cheddar cheese, and
pineapple- and people seldom
crave these foods. Studies
have tested various theories
for the biological basis of
chocolate craving. The results
suggest that people crave
chocolate
for its
sen
actually exists that chocolate
consumption improves mood.
Some women who crave
sweets report negative, rather
than positive, mood reactions
to satisfying the craving. In
one study, self-described
chocolate “addicts” were
more depressed and tense than
non-chocolate “ad
dicts”. Also,
chocolate con
sumption* in the ^
“addicts” in- ^ ^
creased guilt and
did not improve
mood.
We all experience food
cravings at one time or an
other. A food craving is of
ten defined as an in
tense desire
for a particu
lar food or
type of
food. The
lack of a
scientific
defini-
t i o n
for
M
tists have proposed many
theories for why food cravings
exist. One reason is food dep
rivation, such as when a per
son follows acalorie restricted
diet. Another theory is the lack
of specific nutrient in the
diet. For ex
am p 1 e ,
freshly baked bread. Feelings,
ideas, and beliefs about food
that result from cultural con
ditioning can also influence
food cravings. People often
crave pumpkin pie on Thanks
giving day and popcorn at the
movies. And what would
Valentine’s
Day be
with-
properties. Chocolate tastes craving, however, makes it
good and has a good mouth difficult for scientists to re
feel! Little science evidence search this area. Still, scien-
some be
lieve that chocolate is craved
for its magnesium content. Re
search findings for both theo
ries is that people crave cer
tain foods because they con
tain certain substances that
influence brain chemistry.
The net result is a feeling of
well-being. According to this
theory, bioactive substances
such as the amino acid tryp
tophan, and even dietary car
bohydrates, increase the con
centration of serotonin in the
brain. Increased brain seroto
nin, in turn, produces a calm
ing effect and elevates mood.
Less dramatic theories
for food cravings relate to the
sensory properties of a food
and to psychosocial or cul
tural factors. People may
crave a certain food simply
because they enjoy its taste,
texture, or aroma, for example
out the romance of choco
late?
Food intake appears
to increase premenstrually but
the causes of food cravings or
the usefulness of specific
foods or nutrients to improve
mood are unknown.
A high-carbohydrate,
low-protein meal appears to
improve mood in women with
PMS, but few studies show
this same effect will occur in
other women.
Women mosy likely
crave carbohydrates and
chocolate for their sensory
properties and positive emo
tional associations, not for the
nutrients or bioactive com
pounds they contain.
Finally, women who
develop and practice healthy
eating habits are better able to
manage food cravings
throughout their life stages.
Ask the
Chef
Q: I would love to indulge in some
chilly, tasty lowfat frozen yogurt af
ter my delicious entree at McEwen.
A: Because of the many requests for
frozen yogurt, we are looking into
purchasing a frozen yogurt machine
for either upstairs or downstairs
McEwen.
DRINK
ANDDIHVE