diet
People who want to quit eating snacks, chewing ‘this’ after eating can help.
Reporter Kim Seo-hee
Entered 2024/04/26 06:00
To reduce snacks, you should refrain from consuming carbonated drinks, including cola and cider./Photo = Getty Image Bank
◇ Refrain from consuming carbonated drinks
To reduce snacking, you should refrain from consuming carbonated drinks, including cola and cider. Drinking carbonated drinks increases the secretion of appetite-stimulating hormones, making you feel hungry easily. Therefore, the hypothalamus of the brain is stimulated, causing overeating and seeking more sweet foods. If you feel like drinking carbonated drinks, it is best to mix at least half of the cup with water or ice to neutralize the sugar. Another way is to drink carbonated water instead, which contains carbonation but does not contain sugar or caffeine.
◇Chew sugar-free gum after a meal
If you can’t resist snacking after a meal, try chewing sugar-free gum. There was a study at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in the U.S. that found that the group that chewed sugar-free gum within 15 minutes after a meal had less cravings for snacks than the group that did not. Chewing gum stimulates the satiety center just like chewing food, which helps suppress appetite.
◇Reduce salty taste intake
Eating less salty food is also one way to avoid snacking. This is because after eating salty food, you crave sweet food. Salty foods are digested and absorbed quickly, so when consumed, they rapidly raise blood sugar levels and increase insulin secretion. At this time, when insulin converts all the glucose in the blood into glycogen, the body becomes short of sugar and naturally seeks out sweet foods.
◇Eat high-calorie snacks only in the morning
If you really want to eat a snack, it is best to eat it only in the morning. This is because the hormone insulin, which plays an important role in metabolism, is secreted the most in the morning. When sufficient insulin hormone is secreted, the food eaten can be used as energy. However, when insulin secretion is insufficient or its function is poor, fat accumulates even if you eat only a small amount, and blood sugar levels do not drop well.
