WHY DO WE WANT TO EAT MORE SWEETS DURING THE PREMESTRUAL PHASE?

In the premenstrual phase we need energy

We have seen that in this phase there is a change in the energy demands of people of childbearing age and sometimes these requests are accompanied by mood swings that can be linked to bodily sensations:

• Inhibition of tissues and formation of cellulite or imperfections

• Psychological alteration

• Low resistance to stress

• Chronic fatigue

So why does this compensatory energy demand exist, what are the sugars or chocolate that are high-calorie foods?
If we think about the importance of sugar in the metabolism of the brain, we immediately understand that the demand for sugar is mostly driven by mood swings, caused by the swing of hormones that occur in this final phase of the cycle.

What science says about the sugar demand during the final phase of the cycle

To date there are no definitive scientific studies on why there is this demand for sugars or alteration of satiety levels in people in the pre-menstrual phase, it is certain that the levels of insulin and therefore of resistance to sugars can play an important role. In fact, insulin is the hormone that regulates blood sugar levels, if our normal diet is always in excess of foods rich in sugars such as:

• Fruit

• Crackers

• Crackers

• Coffee

• Pasta and bread

You risk creating insulin resistance which alters blood sugar levels. It is therefore logical that the brain during the mood swings will not be able to regulate its requests and your snack choices will always be directed towards foods with a higher sugar content than normal. Furthermore, insulin resistance will lead you to have a greater demand for calories since the brain is not able to correctly perceive the sugar levels present, it is as if the thermostat in your home was set on too high temperatures, when you go out you perceive the cold more intensely.

Can sugars make premenstrual symptoms worse?

Some scientific studies have tried to go deeper into this interesting topic and it has been found that there is no direct relationship between carbohydrates and PMS. However, some researchers have highlighted that maltose, a sugar found in some foods such as honey or kamuth a cereal often used in cooking, if taken in abundance in the pre-menstrual phase could be able to worsen symptoms.

How do we know what to eat?

During the pre-menstrual phase, hormone levels create an explosive cocktail capable of altering blood sugar levels in the most sensitive people. In fact, these hormones are able to alter the response of the cells of many organs to insulin which, as you know, is the hormone that regulates our blood sugar. You can therefore understand how in this way a direct link is established between the premenstrual phase and the search for sugars. The presence of insulin resistance due to constant sugar abuse outside the pre-menstrual phase can somehow also alter the response to sugars in the brain during the end of the cycle, in this way our sugar demand will be higher. in normal.
Therefore, the first step to avoid a too high demand for sugars during the pre-menstrual phase will be to start eliminating all those foods with a high glycemic index, i.e. those foods that release sugar into the blood too quickly.
A table to download from the web with a list of the glycemic indexes of foods will be useful to avoid in the days preceding the premenstrual phase foods with a glycemic index higher than 55 in this way you can better regulate your blood sugar and consequently at the time of the pre menstrual phase you will be in able to better manage the dance of hormones.
Use google with the keyword "glycemic index foods" click on images and download one of the countless tables present. Inside there is a list of foods with their glycemic index in this way you can keep your intake of sugars under control throughout the month and over time better regulate your insulin resistance.