Cravings are natural? Why do they occur? How can I reduce them? What benefits do I get from the foods I crave? Is sugar an addictive substance? How do cravings relate to addiction?There are five tastes as recorded in The Yellow Emperor, a famous Taoist and medical text written over 5,000 years ago. The five tastes are sweet, pungent, salty, sour and bitter. Each taste corresponds to a different organ system, pathology and element.
Each taste corresponds to a different organ system, pathology and element.
Sweet = stomach and digestive system = Earth
Bitter = heart and cardiovascular system = Fire
Sour = liver and nervous system = Wood
Salty = kidney and endocrine = Water
Pungent = lungs, lymph and immune system = Metal
For those of you who have a sweet tooth you may be wandering why it corresponds to the digestive system and the earth element. The digestive system is responsible for absorption and distribution of nutrients from food and is the source of much of our body’s energy. When we lack energy it is natural to crave sweet foods, but the foods our body is really craving are foods like sweet potato, pumpkin, apples and corn, not chocolate. We have created super sweet foods that appeal to one’s desire for energy and instant satisfaction, but these food types do not meet the body’s needs. Consuming very sweet foods delivers only temporary satisfaction, because when sugar enters the blood stream rapidly it is removed just as rapidly by a hormone called insulin. This sugar is then put into storage in two ways, one as glycogen in the liver and the other as fat (and we all know where that likes to sit!). This is the nature of sugar and the addictive behavior it encourages.
The storage that takes place not only leads to weight gain, but to many other problems relating to sluggish digestion and what we call in Chinese medicine damp accumulation.
In Chinese Medical and Nutritional therapy, sweet foods in the form of complex carbohydrates are central food for most traditional diets. Complex carbohydrates energize the body while nourishing and relaxing the brain and nervous function. Sweet is a harmonizing flavor as it reduces the harshness of stronger flavors such as bitter. Sweet also generates fluids or Yin and strengthen weakness or deficiency. However, sweet foods consumed in excess without the balancing characteristics of bitter foods such as dark leafy green vegetables can cause a build up of fluids and what we refer to in Chinese Medicine as Dampness.
The accumulation of dampness in your body is detrimental to your health as it promotes the build up of fluids and mucus and promotes the growth of pathogenic bacteria and candida (yeasts) in your digestive tract. Excess sweets act as inhibitors of calcium, an important mineralfor muscle strength and bone density. Calcium absorption is particularly important for women in the pre and postmenopausal ages so here is another reason to reduce dependence on sweet foods. It is important to note that refined carbohydrates including predominantly wheat in the form of white breads, pastries and pasta act like sweets in the accumulation of dampness. Excess consumption of sweets and refined carbohydrates has been directly linked to many disorders including hypoglycemia, diabetes, heart disease, stroke and obesity.
So remember, when you get the craving for something sweet, what your body is really asking for is not sugar or refined wheat products but sweet vegetables and whole grains.So prepare ahead and give yourself a sweet potato. I have also seen many of the participants in our regular Detox retreats successfully get off their addiction to sugar, diet soda and even chocolate.
I'm an enthusiast with a deep understanding of Chinese Medicine and Nutritional Therapy. The information provided in the article delves into the ancient wisdom of The Yellow Emperor, a Taoist and medical text written over 5,000 years ago. The text outlines the five tastes—sweet, pungent, salty, sour, and bitter—and their corresponding connections to different organ systems, pathologies, and elements.
Cravings, according to this ancient perspective, are a natural response linked to the body's needs. For instance, the craving for sweet foods is associated with the digestive system and the earth element. The digestive system plays a crucial role in absorbing and distributing nutrients, providing the body with energy. When lacking energy, it's natural to crave sweet foods, but the article emphasizes that the body's true needs are met by foods like sweet potatoes, pumpkins, apples, and corn, rather than highly processed sweet foods like chocolate.
The addictive nature of sugar is discussed, highlighting the temporary satisfaction it provides and the subsequent storage of sugar as glycogen in the liver or as fat. This storage not only leads to weight gain but is also associated with issues in Chinese medicine such as sluggish digestion and damp accumulation.
In Chinese Medical and Nutritional therapy, sweet foods, in the form of complex carbohydrates, are considered essential for traditional diets. However, the article warns against excess consumption without balancing characteristics, as it can lead to dampness accumulation in the body. This accumulation is linked to various health problems, including the promotion of pathogenic bacteria and candida in the digestive tract, inhibition of calcium absorption, and disorders like hypoglycemia, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and obesity.
The article encourages individuals to understand that when craving something sweet, the body is actually asking for sweet vegetables and whole grains rather than refined sugars or carbohydrates. It emphasizes the importance of balance and suggests alternatives like sweet potatoes as healthier options to address sweet cravings.
This perspective aligns with the principles of Chinese Medicine, promoting harmony, balance, and an understanding of the body's true nutritional needs.
