Psychology and nutrition are two disciplines that are linked just as psychology and sports are.
That is why, in recent years, there is increasing awareness of how food affects our emotional state or how our emotional state affects what we eat.
In this article We will review the most important aspects of the psychology of eating and we will explain what it consists of and in what areas it is applied.
The truth is that if a positive mindset affects optimal sports performance, Emotion management is decisive when following a dietary plan But psychological factors are not only important for adherence to the diet (if our goal is to lose weight since obesity is affecting our health), but psychology also provides knowledge about how we can maximize the experience when eating..
In fact, eating is not only an instinctive act, but the five senses come into play in addition to certain psychological aspects such as expectations, memory or emotions. This means that more and more importance is being paid to neurogastronomy, since eating with the palate is an act of the brain, and each individual has a unique and subjective interpretation of flavors.
In this sense, eating psychology is not only applied to improve people’s well-being, but restaurants, for example, make use of environmental psychology so that customers are more satisfied with what they eat and even consume more..
The relationship between nutrition and psychology becomes especially important in those cases in which an individual has serious difficulties in meeting objectives, because many times a person may have high motivation at the beginning, but as the weeks progress, adherence it becomes more difficult.
One of the professionals best known for his research and for providing scientific data on psychological tricks that can be very useful when losing weight is Brian Wansink, from Cornell University. Such is his fame that he has even been recruited by the White House to prepare nutritional and eating guides in the United States.
Surely, many individuals are unaware of the importance of the psychology of eating, but scientific research has shown that exercising and following a diet are not enough to maintain long-term results. In fact, in cases of obesity, There is a high percentage of failure if psychological variables such as emotions are not taken into account expectations or beliefs in treatment.
Mental health and nutrition
Emotions, without a doubt, are key in adherence to a diet, and that is why experts recommend comprehensive treatment in cases of obesity. That is, especially in these cases, the presence of a psychologist is essential
Few doubt the importance of physical training and nutrition in these cases, but the figure of the psychologist is essential just as that of the physical trainer and nutritionist, because obesity is associated with many psychological problems such as depression, binge eating disorder or the anxiety.
Therefore, this varied and complex context requires a treatment in which a multidisciplinary program must be prioritized, rather than separate solutions. In this sense, cognitive behavioral therapy has proven to be very effective, and you can see it in our article: “The application of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy in the treatment of obesity.”
It is common for many people to receive nutrition education and know what to eat and what not to eat, however, They are unable to eat healthy despite wanting to
This often happens not only due to irrational beliefs or unrealistic goals, but also due to a low state of mind. People, when we are depressed, stressed or anxious, eat uncontrollably: we either choke when we are sad or eat little and poorly in stressful moments.
Now, if our mood affects our diet, our diet also affects our mood**. When we are more nourished we enjoy greater attention, concentration and energy level**, but in addition, some experts claim that some nutrients such as tryptophan (precursor of serotonin, known as the happiness hormone) also make us feel better. Tryptophan is found in some foods, such as cheese, chicken or chocolate.
Neurogastronomy: what it is
The latest trend in eating psychology is what is known as neurogastronomy because, in reality, eating with the palate is an act of the brain. In this sense, neurosciences applied to food are also a reality
Thus, scientific and technological progress has allowed us to understand in greater depth what processes develop in our body and mind around food, because eating is not only an instinctive act, but the five senses come into play, in addition to certain psychological aspects such as expectations, memory or emotions.
Food provides us with the necessary nutrients for our organs to function correctly. However, we also eat for other reasons, for example, when we meet friends to enjoy a great evening.
